Gravel Calculator
Calculate the cubic yards and tons of gravel needed for a driveway or path area and depth.
| Measure | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Volume | 4.94 cubic yards |
| Weight (≈1.4 tons/yd³) | 6.91 tons |
Gravel suppliers usually sell and deliver by weight (tons) even though you're planning by volume — both numbers describe the same pile.
- Approx. Weight6.91 tons
About the Gravel Calculator
This calculator converts a driveway, path or base layer's area and depth into cubic yards of gravel, plus the approximate weight in tons — the two numbers that matter when you're getting quotes, since gravel suppliers typically sell and deliver by weight even though you're planning the job by volume.
It's used for sizing a new driveway base, refreshing a gravel path, or backfilling a drainage trench — anywhere a layer of crushed stone or gravel needs to cover a known area at a known depth.
Enter the area and how deep you want the gravel layer, and it returns both the volume and the estimated tonnage so you're not caught off guard by a supplier quoting in a different unit than you were expecting.
How it’s calculated
Volume in cubic yards is area (in square feet) times depth (converted from inches to feet), divided by 27 cubic feet per cubic yard. Weight is then estimated by multiplying cubic yards by roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard — a typical density for common crushed gravel, though the exact figure varies somewhat by material type and how tightly it's compacted.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should a gravel driveway base be?
4 to 6 inches is a common depth for a base layer under a driveway, sometimes built up in multiple compacted layers for better stability; a decorative gravel path on top of existing ground can often get by with 2 to 3 inches.
Why does gravel weight vary — is 1.4 tons per cubic yard always accurate?
It's a reasonable average for common crushed gravel, but actual weight varies by material (river rock, crushed limestone, pea gravel) and by how compacted it is — for a large or expensive order, it's worth confirming the specific product's density with your supplier.
Should I compact the gravel before calculating the finished depth?
Loose gravel compacts down somewhat once driven or walked on, so ordering slightly more than the bare finished-depth calculation — or accounting for compaction in the depth you enter — helps avoid ending up with a thinner layer than planned.
Do I need a landscape fabric layer under gravel?
It's commonly recommended under driveways and paths to prevent the gravel from sinking into the soil over time and to reduce weed growth — it doesn't change the gravel volume calculation itself, but it's worth budgeting for separately.
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