Gravel Calculator: How Much Gravel Do I Need?
Enter your area and depth, pick your material, and get an instant estimate in cubic yards and approximate tons. Works for gravel, crushed stone, pea gravel, sand, and topsoil — for driveways, paths, and landscaping.
Gravel & Aggregate Calculator
Enter the area and depth and pick your material. The calculator gives you cubic yards and the approximate weight in tons — for gravel, crushed stone, sand, or topsoil.
How to use this gravel calculator
Enter the length and width of the area in feet and the depth in inches. Choose your material — that sets the weight used for the ton estimate — and add any extra area under Advanced. You'll get both cubic yards (volume) and approximate tons (weight), since suppliers sell either way.
Cubic yards vs. tons
Cubic yards tell you how much space the material fills; tons tell you how much it weighs. Bulk suppliers quote one or the other, so it helps to have both. A cubic yard of dry crushed stone weighs roughly 1.4 tons, but that shifts with moisture and stone type — treat the tonnage as a solid estimate, not a precise invoice.
How deep should the gravel go?
For a decorative layer or garden path, 2–3 inches looks right and stays put. For a driveway, build up 4–6 inches total — ideally a coarse base topped with a finer stone, over landscape fabric to stop it sinking into the soil. The deeper the layer, the more material, so getting depth right is where most over- and under-ordering happens.
It works for sand, topsoil, and base too
The volume math is identical for any loose material — only the weight changes. Filling a paver base, topping up a sandbox, or spreading topsoil for a lawn? Pick the matching material and the calculator adjusts the tonnage. For compacted base layers, order a little extra, since tamping reduces loose volume by 10–20%.
Frequently asked questions
How much gravel do I need for a 20×10 area?
A 20 ft × 10 ft area (200 sq ft) at 2 inches deep is about 33 cubic feet, or roughly 1.2 cubic yards. For typical crushed stone that weighs around 1.7 tons. Going to 4 inches deep doubles those figures.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
Most gravel and crushed stone runs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard when dry. Sand is close to 1.35, topsoil about 1.1, and dense road base around 1.5. Weights are approximate because moisture and stone type change them, so the calculator labels tonnage as an estimate.
How deep should gravel be?
For a decorative top layer or a path, 2–3 inches is enough. For a driveway, plan on 4–6 inches total, ideally in layers over landscape fabric, with a coarser base beneath a finer top. Deeper layers need more material and usually compaction.
Is gravel sold by the yard or the ton?
Both — bulk suppliers may quote either, which is why this calculator gives you cubic yards and tons together. Yards measure volume (what fills your space) and tons measure weight (what the truck carries and what you are often billed for).
Does this calculator work for sand and topsoil?
Yes. The volume in cubic yards is the same for any loose material; only the weight differs. Pick sand, topsoil, pea gravel, or road base from the material list and the tonnage adjusts to that material.
Should I add extra for compaction?
For base layers that get tamped or driven on, yes — compaction can reduce loose volume by 10–20%, so order a bit extra or measure to the compacted depth you want plus a margin. Decorative top layers that are not compacted do not need this.
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