Gravel Calculator – Cubic Yards, Tons, and Bags
Our free gravel calculator tells you how much gravel you need for a driveway, a path, a patio base, or a garden bed. Enter the area and the depth, pick the type of gravel, and you get the volume in cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters, the weight in tons, the number of 0.5 cubic foot bags, and the cost by the yard, by the ton, or by the bag.
How to Use the Gravel Calculator
- Describe the area. Pick a rectangle, a circle, or a triangle and enter the sizes in feet. If you already know the square footage, choose “Known area.”
- Set the depth. Enter the depth in inches, or tap one of the quick depths from 2 to 6 inches. Each area has its own depth, so a 4 inch driveway and a 2 inch path can be one project.
- Add more areas. Tap “Add another area” for every part of the job. The calculator adds them up.
- Pick the gravel. The material sets the weight per cubic yard. You can also type your own density from the supplier’s sheet.
- Keep the extra. The default is 10% for compaction and uneven ground. Use 15% for a compacted driveway base.
- Add prices if you like. Enter the price per cubic yard, per ton, or per bag, and the calculator shows the cost.
- Copy or print. Take the list with all areas, the volume, and the weight to the landscape supply yard.
The Gravel Formula
Gravel is ordered by volume or by weight, and both start with the same math:
- Area = length × width (in feet)
- Volume = area × depth in feet (inches ÷ 12)
- Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
- Tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard of the material
A cubic yard is a cube of 3 × 3 × 3 feet, which is why you divide by 27. A handy shortcut: one cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, so it covers 162 square feet at 2 inches, 108 square feet at 3 inches, and 81 square feet at 4 inches. The calculator shows this coverage for your depth.
Example: a Gravel Path
A garden path of 20 × 10 feet with 3 inches of pea gravel is 20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 cubic feet. With 10% extra, that is 55 cubic feet, or 55 ÷ 27 = 2.04 cubic yards. At 1.42 tons per cubic yard, it weighs about 2.89 tons. In 0.5 cubic foot bags, you would need 110 bags, which is why most people order bulk gravel for a job this size.
Example: a Round Fire Pit Area
A round area that is 12 feet across, covered with 2 inches of pea gravel, has 3.1416 × 6 × 6 = 113.1 square feet. Times 2 ÷ 12 feet, that is 18.85 cubic feet, or 20.7 cubic feet with 10% extra. That is 0.77 cubic yards, about 1.09 tons, or 42 bags of 0.5 cubic feet.
How Much Does a Yard of Gravel Weigh?
Gravel is sold by the cubic yard or by the ton, and the conversion depends on the stone and the moisture. The calculator uses these guide values:
| Material | Weight per cubic foot | Tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel, dry (pea gravel, river rock, #57 stone) | about 105 lb | 1.42 |
| Gravel, wet | about 125 lb | 1.69 |
| Crusher run / road base (approx., sand and gravel mix) | about 108 lb | 1.46 |
| Crushed limestone | about 90 lb | 1.22 |
The values are guide values based on common bulk density tables such as Engineering ToolBox. They are guide values. Quarries weigh their trucks, and their number for a given stone can be 10% higher or lower. If your supplier sells by the ton, ask for their conversion and type it into the density field.
Tons in the calculator are US tons (short tons) of 2,000 pounds. A metric ton is 2,205 pounds.
How Deep Should Gravel Be?
The right depth depends on what the gravel has to carry. These are common starting points:
| Project | Typical depth |
|---|---|
| Decorative cover in beds | 2 inches |
| Walkways and garden paths | 2 to 3 inches on a firm base |
| Patio or shed base | 4 inches, compacted |
| Driveway | 4 to 6 inches of base plus about 2 inches of top gravel |
| Drainage trench | to the depth of the trench |
For layers over 4 inches, spread and compact the gravel in lifts of 2 to 4 inches. A plate compactor packs each lift much better than one thick layer. Thin layers under 2 inches tend to show bare spots once you walk or drive on them.
Bulk Gravel or Bags?
A standard bag of pea gravel or all-purpose gravel holds about 0.5 cubic feet and weighs around 50 pounds. One cubic yard therefore equals 54 bags. That is fine for a planter, a small path, or the bottom of a post hole, but for anything over half a yard, bulk delivery is usually far cheaper and saves a lot of lifting.
- Bags are clean, easy to carry, and sold everywhere. They make sense for small jobs and repairs.
- Bulk by the yard or ton comes from a landscape supply yard or quarry. Many yards sell in half-yard steps, so the calculator rounds the bulk order up to the next half yard. Ask about the delivery fee and the minimum order.
- A pickup truck carries less than you think. Many half-ton pickups are rated for roughly 1,500 to 2,300 pounds of payload, which is only about half to four fifths of a cubic yard of dry gravel. Check the payload sticker in the door frame.
Tips for a Gravel Project
- Dig out and level first. Remove sod and roots, and grade the area so water runs away from the house.
- Use landscape fabric under decorative gravel to keep weeds and soil from coming up through the stones.
- Add edging. Metal, plastic, or stone edging keeps the gravel in place and gives paths a clean line.
- Choose angular stone for a base. Crushed stone locks together when compacted. Round pea gravel stays loose, which is nice underfoot but moves under car tires.
- Seal the hard parts. If your gravel driveway meets a concrete or asphalt apron, our guide to the best driveway sealer helps you protect it, and best concrete sealer covers patios and walkways.
- Plan the patio finish. A gravel base under a concrete patio is only the start. Our article on how to paint concrete patios covers the next steps.
Privacy and Honest Limits
The gravel calculator runs entirely in your browser. There is no sign-up, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere. The weights are guide values for typical dry or wet gravel. The real weight depends on the stone, its size, and how wet it is. Your supplier’s figures always come first.
More Free DIY Tools
All our tools are free, run in your browser, and need no account.
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- Square Footage Calculator: add up rooms and odd shapes in square feet and square yards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Calculate How Much Gravel I Need?
Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, to get cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply the cubic yards by about 1.4 to get tons for typical dry gravel, and add 10% extra.
How Many Tons of Gravel Are in a Cubic Yard?
Typical dry gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard (2,800 pounds). Wet gravel is closer to 1.7 tons, and crushed limestone around 1.2 tons.
How Many Square Feet Does a Yard of Gravel Cover?
One cubic yard covers about 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 square feet at 2 inches, 108 square feet at 3 inches, and 81 square feet at 4 inches.
How Much Gravel Do I Need for a Driveway?
A driveway of 60 × 10 feet with 4 inches of crusher run needs 200 cubic feet, or 7.41 cubic yards. With 10% extra, that is about 8.15 cubic yards, or roughly 11.9 tons.
How Many Bags of Gravel Make a Cubic Yard?
With 0.5 cubic foot bags, you need 54 bags for one cubic yard. Bags of 50 lb pea gravel usually hold about 0.5 cubic feet.
How Deep Should Gravel Be for a Walkway?
Two to three inches of gravel on a firm, compacted base is common for walkways. Use landscape fabric underneath to keep weeds out.
Is the Gravel Calculator Free?
Yes. It is free, needs no account, works in imperial or metric units, and lets you copy or print the result.
Robert Thompson has worked as a self-employed carpenter for over 15 years. He lives with his family in Billings, Montana, where he also successfully operates his business as a woodworker. His main business is the complete interior construction of buildings. He is also passionate about creating high-quality wood furniture with epoxy and other items made from burl wood. Besides the woodwork, Robert is also a skilled DIY professional for all kinds of materials. He always has a solution ready for every craft and construction challenge. Originally, Robert studied civil engineering and has advanced degrees in carpentry and business management. Robert has been working for Craft Art since 2020 and enriches the blog with his immense knowledge and skills in the field of woodworking and home improvement. He writes the articles about DIY and Repair.
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