Free construction tool
Gravel calculator
Enter length, width, and depth to get gravel by the cubic yard and by the ton, pick a material density for crushed stone, sand, topsoil, or pea gravel, add a driveway compaction allowance, and price the load. The formula is printed under the results so you can check the math.
Formula: cubic yards = length × width × depth (inches) ÷ 12 ÷ 27. So 20′ × 10′ at 3″ = 20 × 10 × 3 ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 1.85 CY. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard for crushed stone / gravel, that is 1.85 × 1.4 = 2.59 tons.
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What a gravel calculator does
Gravel is bought two ways. The quarry ticket lists cubic yards (a volume), but the truck is weighed and billed in tons. This calculator does both: you enter the area and depth, it returns the volume in cubic yards, converts that to tons using the material's density, and prices the load at your dollars per ton. Enter the finished dimensions and it handles the rest, including the extra you order for compaction.
The formula
Cubic yards = length (feet) × width (feet) × depth (inches) ÷ 12 ÷ 27. You divide the depth by 12 to turn inches into feet, then divide the whole volume by 27 because a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet (3 × 3 × 3).
Worked example: a 20 ft by 10 ft pad at 3 inches deep is 20 × 10 × 3 ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 1.85 cubic yards. Crushed stone runs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, so that is 1.85 × 1.4 = 2.59 tons. At 55 dollars per ton the material costs roughly 142 dollars, before delivery.
Cubic yards to tons: the density factor
The bridge from volume to weight is a density factor in tons per cubic yard. The calculator carries standard estimating conventions for the common materials: crushed stone and gravel about 1.4, sand about 1.35, screened topsoil about 1.1, and pea gravel about 1.4. These are dry, loose figures. Wet material or a dense graded base runs heavier, up to about 1.5 tons per cubic yard, so treat the number on your quarry ticket as the last word.
How deep to go
Depth is where most gravel orders go wrong. A walking path or a garden bed wants 2 to 4 inches of stone. A residential driveway wants 4 to 6 inches of surface gravel over a 6 to 8 inch compacted base course, so a driveway is really two lifts, not one, and you run the numbers twice. Drainage and pipe bedding follow the spec on the plans. When in doubt, order to the deeper end of the range: gravel that is too thin ruts and washes, and topping up later costs more than getting it right once.
Coverage and compaction
A quick field check: one ton of gravel covers roughly 100 square feet at 2 inches deep, or about 55 square feet at 4 inches. Loose aggregate also settles when it is rolled, so a driveway or base course needs 10 to 15 percent more material than the finished volume suggests. The compaction selector adds that factor to the order so the delivered tonnage matches what stays in the ground after the plate compactor passes. Paths laid loose need no allowance.
From a gravel number to a sitework bid
A gravel quantity is one line of a sitework estimate. The full package (excavation, cut and fill, base course, surfacing, and haul-off) comes off the plans and the earthwork model, and that takeoff is where a bid is won or lost. Ruh reads the site plan, computes the earthwork and aggregate quantities, and drafts a priced estimate against your own unit costs, so every load is traceable to the sheet it came from. See how it works on the sitework and earthwork estimating page.
Gravel calculator FAQs
How many tons are in a yard of gravel?+
About 1.4 tons. One cubic yard of dry crushed stone or gravel weighs roughly 1.4 tons, and up to about 1.5 tons when the material is dense-graded or wet. Sand is close at 1.35 and screened topsoil is lighter at about 1.1 tons per cubic yard.
How much gravel do I need for a driveway?+
Plan on 4 to 6 inches of surface gravel over a 6 to 8 inch compacted base, so a driveway is two lifts. A 50 ft by 12 ft drive with 4 inches of surface stone is 50 × 12 × 4 ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 7.4 cubic yards, about 10.4 tons of crushed stone, before the base course and compaction allowance.
How deep should a gravel path be?+
2 to 4 inches. A walking path or garden bed holds up at 2 to 3 inches of stone; go to 4 inches where foot traffic is heavy or the ground stays soft. Driveways need more, 4 to 6 inches of surface gravel over a compacted base.
How much does a ton of gravel cover?+
About 100 square feet at 2 inches deep, or about 55 square feet at 4 inches deep. Coverage halves as you double the depth, so a ton spreads thin on a path and runs out fast on a driveway.
Do I need to allow for compaction?+
Yes, on driveways and base courses. Loose gravel settles when it is rolled, so order 10 to 15 percent more than the finished volume. Gravel spread loose on a path does not need the allowance. The calculator's compaction option adds the factor for you.
Ruh computes the whole sitework package, not one load.
AI takeoff reads your site plan, computes cut and fill, base course, and aggregate quantities, and drafts a priced estimate on your own unit costs.
More tools: asphalt calculator and concrete calculator
Figures on this page are illustrative. Construction estimates depend on project-specific conditions, source documents, market pricing, and professional judgment. Ruh's AI assists the estimator and does not replace professional review: your team reviews, validates, and approves every estimate, bid, and pricing decision.