Gravel Calculator
Cubic yards and tons of gravel, crushed stone or pea gravel for a driveway, path or drainage bed.
Gravel is sold by weight and installed by volume, which is why so many orders come up short. The conversion depends on the stone: a cubic yard of pea gravel weighs about 2,700 lb, while the same volume of crushed granite can pass 3,000 lb. Ordering "ten tons" without knowing which stone you are buying is how a driveway ends up two inches thinner than planned.
Depth matters more than area. A decorative bed at two inches is fine; a driveway needs four inches of compacted stone, which means laying five to six inches loose because compaction takes roughly a quarter of the depth back. Build the depth into the order rather than topping up later — a second delivery costs far more than the extra ton.
How this calculator works
Every field is editable and the result updates as you type — nothing is submitted anywhere, all the maths runs in your browser. That matters for a number you are about to spend money on: you can see exactly which input moved the answer, and by how much.
What this calculation assumes
Assumes a flat, level area with no excavation or edging. Density is the variable that moves the answer most: wet stone, mixed aggregate and recycled concrete all weigh differently, so confirm tons per cubic yard with the yard before ordering a full load.
Treat the result as an order-of-magnitude check rather than a final quantity. Product packaging changes, regional labour rates vary by a factor of two, and no calculator has seen your actual site.
Frequently asked questions
How much area does one ton of gravel cover?
Roughly 100 sq ft at two inches deep, or 50 sq ft at four inches. That assumes about 1.4 tons per cubic yard. A ton is approximately 0.71 cubic yards, so the shallower the layer the further it spreads — which is exactly why depth is the number that controls your budget.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
Four inches of compacted stone over a proper base, which usually means six inches of loose material. Go deeper on soft ground or where delivery trucks will turn. A single layer of gravel poured straight onto soil will sink and rut within one wet season.
Do I need a weed barrier under gravel?
Under decorative beds against a house, yes — woven fabric stops weed growth and keeps stone from migrating into the soil. Under a driveway, no: the fabric tears under vehicle load and can create a slip plane. Use a compacted aggregate base instead.
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