How Do I Calculate How Much Gravel I Need?
Multiply length × width × depth (in feet), divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by your gravel’s density to get tons. Pea gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard; crushed stone about 1.35. A 20×10-foot area at 2 inches deep needs roughly 1.1 tons of pea gravel.
Gravel is sold by the ton or cubic yard. To convert between them, you need the density of your gravel type. Pea gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, while lighter materials like lava rock weigh closer to 1.1 tons per cubic yard.
Formula: Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (ft) ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards. Then multiply by the density (tons per cubic yard) to get tons.
How Deep Should Gravel Be for a Driveway?
A durable gravel driveway needs 6–9 inches total: a 4–6 inch base course of larger crushed stone topped with 2–3 inches of compacted finish stone. A typical 20×10-foot driveway at 4 inches needs about 2.5 cubic yards or 3.4 tons.
- Driveways: 4-6 inches (base) + 2-3 inches (top layer)
- Walkways: 2-3 inches
- French drains: 6-12 inches
- Landscaping ground cover: 2-4 inches
- Patio base: 4-6 inches compacted
How Many Tons of Gravel Fit in a Dump Truck?
A standard dump truck carries 10–14 tons of gravel; a tandem axle holds 14–18 tons. For projects under 5 tons, many suppliers offer pickup or small delivery options.
Which Type of Gravel Should I Use?
Use crushed stone (#57) for driveways and bases — it compacts firmly. Pea gravel works for walkways and drainage. River rock is decorative but doesn’t compact. Decomposed granite creates natural-looking semi-firm paths.
Pea gravel(3/8") is ideal for walkways and drainage. Crushed stone (#57 stone) compacts well for driveways and bases. River rock(1-3") works for decorative landscaping but doesn't compact. Decomposed granite creates a natural-looking, semi-firm surface for paths.
How Much Gravel for a Driveway
A typical residential driveway is about 20 ft long by 10 ft wide. At a 4" top-course depth of compacted crushed stone, that works out to roughly 2.5 cubic yards or about 1.2 tons of gravel. If you're building up from bare dirt, plan on a 4–6" base course of larger crushed stone underneath the top course — that roughly doubles your material needs. Always order 5–10% extra for settling and compaction loss, especially over soft subgrades.
Gravel for French Drains
French drains use washed, rounded drainage rock so water can move freely around the perforated pipe without fines clogging the voids. #57 or #67 stone are the standard picks — both are clean-washed with minimal fines. A typical French drain trench is 6" wide by 18" deep, which needs about 0.3 cubic yards of rock per 10 linear feet after bedding the pipe. For sizing a specific run, use our drainage rock calculator — it accounts for pipe displacement and the filter-fabric wrap.
Gravel Tons to Cubic Yards: Quick Conversion
How Many Cubic Yards Is 1 Ton of Gravel?
1 ton of gravel equals roughly 0.67 to 0.91 cubic yards depending on the type. The denser the stone, the fewer cubic yards per ton. Pea gravel and crushed stone are the most common at 1.35–1.4 tons per cubic yard, so 1 ton typically gives about 0.71–0.74 cubic yards. Lava rock is the lightest at 1.1 tons/yd³, which means 1 ton of lava rock fills about 0.91 cubic yards.
| Gravel Type | Density (tons/yd³) | 1 Ton Equals |
|---|---|---|
| Pea gravel | 1.4 | 0.71 yd³ |
| Crushed stone (#57) | 1.35 | 0.74 yd³ |
| River rock | 1.5 | 0.67 yd³ |
| Decomposed granite | 1.3 | 0.77 yd³ |
| Lava rock | 1.1 | 0.91 yd³ |
How Much Area Does 1 Ton of Gravel Cover?
1 ton of crushed stone covers about 120 sq ft at 2 inches deep, 80 sq ft at 3 inches, 60 sq ft at 4 inches, and 40 sq ft at 6 inches. Coverage drops as the layer gets thicker because the same volume spreads over less area. Pea gravel covers slightly more square footage per ton because it's less dense, but the difference is small enough to ignore for ballpark estimates.
| Depth | Coverage of 1 Ton (#57 Crushed Stone) |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | ~120 sq ft |
| 3 inches | ~80 sq ft |
| 4 inches | ~60 sq ft |
| 6 inches | ~40 sq ft |
Bulk Gravel Conversion Lookup (1–20 Tons)
For larger loads, use the full conversion table. All figures use #57 crushed stone density (1.35 tons/yd³), the most common driveway and base aggregate. For pea gravel, multiply yards by 0.96; for river rock, by 1.11; for lava rock, by 1.23.
| Tons | Cubic Yards | 2″ Coverage | 3″ Coverage | 4″ Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ton | 0.74 yd³ | 120 sq ft | 80 sq ft | 60 sq ft |
| 2 tons | 1.48 yd³ | 240 sq ft | 160 sq ft | 120 sq ft |
| 4 tons | 2.96 yd³ | 480 sq ft | 320 sq ft | 240 sq ft |
| 5 tons | 3.70 yd³ | 600 sq ft | 400 sq ft | 300 sq ft |
| 10 tons | 7.41 yd³ | 1,200 sq ft | 800 sq ft | 600 sq ft |
| 15 tons | 11.11 yd³ | 1,800 sq ft | 1,200 sq ft | 900 sq ft |
| 20 tons | 14.81 yd³ | 2,400 sq ft | 1,600 sq ft | 1,200 sq ft |
Common Gravel Project Sizes
Pre-calculated tonnage for popular DIY gravel project dimensions, using crushed-stone density (1.35 tons/yd³). Pea gravel runs slightly higher (1.4 tons/yd³), lava rock slightly lower (1.1). Add 5–10% extra for compaction loss over soft subgrades.
How Much Gravel for a 10×10 Area?
A 10×10-foot area at 2 inches deep needs 0.62 cubic yards — about 0.83 tons of crushed stone. At 4 inches it climbs to 1.24 cubic yards or 1.67 tons. 10×10 is a typical patio base, shed pad, or small landscape bed.
| Depth | Cubic Yards | Tons (Crushed Stone) |
|---|---|---|
| 2" | 0.62 | 0.83 |
| 4" | 1.24 | 1.67 |
How Much Gravel for a 10×20 Driveway?
A 10×20-foot driveway at 2 inches deep needs 1.24 cubic yards — about 1.67 tons of crushed stone. At a 4-inch top course, it needs 2.47 cubic yards or 3.33 tons. 10×20 is the most common single-car driveway footprint; add a 4–6" base course over soft subgrades.
| Depth | Cubic Yards | Tons (Crushed Stone) |
|---|---|---|
| 2" | 1.24 | 1.67 |
| 4" | 2.47 | 3.33 |
How Much Gravel for a 12×20 Driveway?
A 12×20-foot driveway at 2 inches deep needs 1.48 cubic yards — about 2.0 tons of crushed stone. At a 4-inch top course, it needs 2.96 cubic yards or 4.0 tons. 12×20 gives a single-car driveway a comfortable 2-foot buffer on each side.
| Depth | Cubic Yards | Tons (Crushed Stone) |
|---|---|---|
| 2" | 1.48 | 2.00 |
| 4" | 2.96 | 4.00 |
How Much Gravel for a 20×20 Pad?
A 20×20-foot pad at 2 inches deep needs 2.47 cubic yards — about 3.33 tons of crushed stone. At 4 inches it needs 4.94 cubic yards or 6.67 tons. 20×20 covers a parking pad, large patio base, or short driveway approach.
| Depth | Cubic Yards | Tons (Crushed Stone) |
|---|---|---|
| 2" | 2.47 | 3.33 |
| 4" | 4.94 | 6.67 |
How Much Gravel for a 24×24 Parking Pad?
A 24×24-foot parking pad at 2 inches deep needs 3.56 cubic yards — about 4.8 tons of crushed stone. At 4 inches it needs 7.11 cubic yards or 9.6 tons. 24×24 is the standard 2-car parking pad; for a full 6-9" driveway build-up, roughly double these figures.
| Depth | Cubic Yards | Tons (Crushed Stone) |
|---|---|---|
| 2" | 3.56 | 4.80 |
| 4" | 7.11 | 9.60 |
Cost varies by region. The Estimated Material Cost card pulls from our indicative national-average pricing dataset(refreshed quarterly). Northeast and California metros run 15–40% above the national midpoint while Midwest and Southeast metros run 5–15% below — verify locally for binding quotes.
How Much Does Crushed Stone Cost?
Crushed stone averages about $45.00 per ton nationally as of our April 2026 research. Material-only $35-50/ton. Regional variation is significant — Northeast and California metros run 15–40% above the national midpoint while Midwest and Southeast metros run 5–15% below. See our pricing methodology for sources and confidence tiers.
Find Gravel Prices in Your State
Construction material pricing varies meaningfully by state. See per-metro gravel pricing for the 5 states we currently cover:
- Gravel prices in California
- Gravel prices in Texas
- Gravel prices in Florida
- Gravel prices in New York
- Gravel prices in New Jersey
Related Calculators
- Concrete Calculator — Estimate cubic yards and bags for slabs and footings
- Drainage Rock Calculator — Size French drains, footing drains, and dry wells
- Sand Calculator— Calculate bedding and fill sand
Written by Daniel McCarney — AceCalc