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How the Gravel Calculator works
The calculator tells you how much gravel, crushed stone, sand, topsoil or mulch to order for a rectangular or round area: cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters, an estimated weight in tons, and how many bags of 0.5, 1, 2 or 3 cu ft it takes.
Volume = area × depth. Convert the depth to feet (inches ÷ 12), so a rectangle is length × width × depth in cubic feet; a circle's area is π × (diameter ÷ 2)². Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Weight = cubic yards × a typical weight per yard: about 1.4 tons for gravel and crushed stone, 1.2 for sand, 1.1 for topsoil and 0.3 for mulch. Bags = cubic feet ÷ bag size, rounded up.
Example: a 12' × 10' area 3" deep is 120 sq ft × 0.25 ft = 30 cu ft. 30 ÷ 27 = 1.11 cu yd, and 1.11 × 1.4 = 1.56 tons of gravel. In bags that is 30 ÷ 0.5 = 60 bags of 0.5 cu ft, or 15 bags of 2 cu ft.
Weights are typical for loose, dry material; wet stone and sand weigh more, so ask your supplier before you order by the ton. Gravel settles when it is tamped, so add a waste percentage if you will compact it, and round up when you order.
Frequently asked questions
How much gravel do I need?
Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, and divide by 27 to get cubic yards. A 20' × 10' path 3" deep is 20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 cu ft, or 1.85 cu yd. Add some extra if you will compact the gravel.
How many tons is a yard of gravel?
A cubic yard of gravel or crushed stone usually weighs about 1.4 tons (2,800 lb), and some gravel runs up to 1.7 tons. Going the other way, one ton is roughly 0.7 cu yd. Moisture and stone size change the weight, so check the supplier's figure if you buy by the ton.
How many square feet does a yard of gravel cover?
One cubic yard is 27 cu ft, so divide 27 by the depth in feet. At 2" deep a yard covers about 162 sq ft, at 3" about 108 sq ft and at 4" about 81 sq ft.
How many bags of gravel make a yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cu ft, so it takes 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft (the common size for bagged pea gravel and landscape rock), 27 bags of 1 cu ft or 9 bags of 3 cu ft. For a yard or more, compare against the price of bulk delivery.
How deep should gravel be?
Walkways and decorative beds are commonly 2" to 3" deep. A gravel driveway is usually built 4" to 6" deep or more, in compacted layers with larger base stone under finer gravel. Soil, traffic and drainage change what you need, so ask a local supplier for heavy-use areas.