How much gravel do I need (cubic yards & tons)?
Gravel is often quoted by the ton but calculated by the cubic yard. Get the volume first — cu yd = area × depth ÷ 324 — then convert to tons with a density (tons per cubic yard).
Two steps: volume, then weight
The volume formula is the same one used for mulch and soil, because it is pure geometry:
cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324
tons = cubic yards × density (tons per cu yd)
Crushed gravel runs around 1.4 tons per cubic yard; sand about 1.35; screened topsoil about 1.1; river rock about 1.4. Those are labeled planning typicals — moisture and stone size shift the real weight — so confirm with your supplier. The gravel calculator reports both cubic yards and tons; the density table lists the figures.
Worked example: 200 sq ft at 4 inches
For a 200 sq ft area at 4 inches deep, using 1.4 tons per cubic yard:
- Volume = 200 × 4 ÷ 324 = 2.47 cubic yards.
- Weight = 2.47 × 1.4 = 3.46 tons.
Whether you order by the yard or the ton, you now have both numbers and can match whichever unit the supplier quotes.
How deep should gravel be?
Depth depends on the job:
- 2 inches — a decorative top layer over landscape fabric or an existing base.
- 3–4 inches — a walking path or a light-duty area.
- 4–6 inches — a driveway or an area that carries vehicles, often in two lifts (a coarse base plus a finer top).
For a paver patio, the gravel base is separate from the surface — size the base and bedding sand with the paver-base tool, and read the pavers guide.
Why gravel is sold by the ton
Loose aggregate is easiest to weigh on a truck scale, so yards price it per ton. But you plan a project in volume — length, width and depth — so you have to convert. The catch is that density is not fixed: wet gravel weighs more than dry, and fine crushed stone packs denser than large rounded river rock. Use the density as a planning figure, then confirm the actual tons-per-yard with the supplier before you order a full truck.
Compaction and waste
Gravel that is compacted (a driveway or base) loses volume as it locks together, so order the compacted depth you want plus a margin — roughly 10–15% extra for a base you will tamp, and about 5% for a loose decorative layer. Add a little more for spillage and for filling low spots you find once you start spreading.
Quick reference: gravel by area (at 3 inches, 1.4 t/yd)
Using cu yd = area × 3 ÷ 324, then tons = cu yd × 1.4:
- 100 sq ft → 0.93 cu yd (about 1.30 tons).
- 200 sq ft → 1.85 cu yd (about 2.59 tons).
- 500 sq ft → 4.63 cu yd (about 6.48 tons).
- 1,000 sq ft → 9.26 cu yd (about 12.96 tons).
Change the depth and the numbers scale straight with it — a 6-inch base is double a 3-inch layer for the same area.
Which gravel for which job
“Gravel” covers a range of products, and the choice affects both depth and density. Crushed stone with fines (often called crusher run or road base) packs hard and is ideal under driveways and paver bases. Clean, uniform gravel (like #57 stone) drains freely and is used for French-drain backfill and as a loose base. Pea gravel and river rock are rounded and decorative but shift underfoot, so they suit borders and dry-creek beds more than paths. Decorative stone is usually a shallow top layer over fabric. Pick the product first — it sets both the depth you need and the density to use.
Ordering and access
Bulk gravel arrives by dump truck, and a full load is heavy and hard to move. Make sure the truck can reach a spot close to the work, that the pile will not block a drive or storm drain, and that you have the wheelbarrows and hands to spread it before rain scatters the fines. For small jobs, bagged gravel avoids the delivery fee and the shoveling — the crossover is usually around a cubic yard, the same as mulch.
Once you know the cubic yards or tons, the bulk-material cost tool turns it into a delivered budget from your own $/cu yd (or $/ton), delivery fee and any labor — with a contingency on top. We store no prices, so the estimate reflects today’s quote, not a stale table. Remember it is a planning estimate: confirm the coverage and the density on your actual product and get a written quote.
Key takeaways
- Volume: cu yd = area × depth (in) ÷ 324. Weight: tons = cu yd × density.
- Typical density is about 1.4 tons per cu yd for crushed gravel and river rock, 1.35 for sand.
- 200 sq ft at 4 in is 2.47 cu yd, about 3.46 tons.
- Depth: 2 in decorative, 3–4 in a path, 4–6 in a driveway (order 10–15% extra for compaction).
- Pick the product first — it sets both the depth and the density to use.