How much gravel do I need?
Gravel is sold by the cubic yard or by the ton. To work out the volume, multiply the length, width and depth of the area, then divide by 27 to convert cubic feet to cubic yards. Enter your measurements above and the calculator does this and adds a waste allowance.
A cubic yard of gravel typically weighs around 1.4 tons, although the real figure depends on the type of stone, the size of the pieces and how wet it is. Rounded river stone, crushed limestone and pea gravel all differ a little, so ask your supplier for their figure if you are ordering by weight.
Recommended depths
| Use | Typical depth |
|---|---|
| Garden path or walkway | 2 to 3 inches |
| Decorative bed or dry creek | 2 to 3 inches |
| Patio or shed base | 4 to 6 inches |
| Driveway | 4 to 8 inches, often in layers |
| Drainage trench | Depends on the pipe, often 6 to 12 inches |
Driveways and heavily used areas usually need a coarser base layer with a finer layer on top. Your supplier or a local contractor can advise on the right mix for your soil and climate.
Quick formula: cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324. For example, a 10 ft × 10 ft area at 3 inches deep is 10 × 10 × 3 ÷ 324 = 0.93 cubic yards. The calculator above does this for you and adds the waste allowance.
Worked examples
Driveway. A drive 50 ft by 12 ft with 4 inches of gravel is 200 cubic feet, which is 7.4 cubic yards. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard that is about 10.4 tons. Adding 5% waste brings it to roughly 7.8 cubic yards, or 10.9 tons.
Garden path. A path 30 ft long and 3 ft wide with 3 inches of gravel is 22.5 cubic feet, which is 0.83 cubic yards, or about 1.2 tons.
Round fire-pit area. A circle 10 ft across with 3 inches of gravel is about 19.6 cubic feet, or 0.73 cubic yards.
How far does a cubic yard of gravel go?
| Depth | Area covered by 1 cubic yard | Cubic yards for 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 0.31 |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 0.62 |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 0.93 |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 1.23 |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | 1.85 |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft | 3.70 |
Tips for ordering gravel
- Dig out and level the area first. The calculator assumes an even depth, so low spots will take more.
- Gravel packs down over time. A 5 to 10 percent allowance helps cover this.
- Landscape fabric under gravel helps stop weeds and keeps the stone from sinking into soft ground.
- Ask whether the supplier sells by the ton or the yard. A cubic yard of dense stone weighs more than the same volume of lighter stone.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel? About 1.4 tons for typical crushed stone. The range is wider for different stone types.
How many square feet does a ton of gravel cover? At roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard, one ton is about 0.71 cubic yards. That covers around 115 square feet at 2 inches deep, or about 58 square feet at 4 inches.
Is pea gravel heavier than crushed stone? It is similar. Moisture and how tightly it packs affect weight more than the name does.
How deep should gravel be? Two to three inches for paths and decoration, and four inches or more for bases and driveways.