Enter your area and depth to get the cubic yards and tons of gravel you need — pea gravel, crushed stone, or #57 — plus how much area a single yard covers.
2–3 in for a top-up; 4–6 in for a new driveway base.
All three are estimated at ~1.4 tons per cubic yard of dry, loose stone.
You need about
2.59 tons
1.85 cubic yards
Volume assumes 27 cu ft per cubic yard and ~1.4 tons per yard for loose gravel. Order about 10% extra for spread, compaction, and uneven ground, and confirm the exact weight with your supplier before delivery.
Gravel is priced by the cubic yard but delivered by the ton, so a good estimate needs both numbers. The math is just volume and a density conversion:
The 1.4 tons-per-yard figure is a planning density for pea gravel, crushed stone, and #57 stone; moisture, compaction, and stone size shift the real weight, so confirm with your supplier. Need the square footage first? Use the square footage calculator, then bring that number back here.
Pea gravel is small, rounded, and comfortable underfoot — good for paths, patios, and play areas. Crushed stone has angular edges that lock together, so it compacts well for driveways and bases. #57 stone is a specific crushed size (roughly 3/4 inch) that drains freely and is a workhorse for driveways, drainage, and under concrete. All three weigh close to 1.4 tons per cubic yard when dry and loose, which is why this calculator uses a single density with a per-material label. For a deeper base, order in layers and compact each lift before adding the next.
Material tonnage is the start of a quote, not the finish. Once you know the yards and tons, add delivery, machine or hand spreading, base prep, and your labor and margin so the job actually pays. Gravel work pairs naturally with grading, drainage, and edging, so it is a common add-on for crews getting started. If you are building a business around this kind of work, read how to start a landscaping business for the licensing, insurance, and pricing basics, and price the finished job with the job pricing calculator.
About 1.4 tons. Dry, loose gravel — pea gravel, crushed stone, and #57 stone — weighs roughly 2,800 lb per cubic yard, which is 1.4 tons. Wet or densely packed stone weighs more, so treat 1.4 as a planning number and confirm the exact weight with your supplier.
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so coverage depends on depth. At 2 inches deep a yard covers about 160 sq ft (27 ÷ 0.167). At 3 inches it covers about 108 sq ft, and at 4 inches about 81 sq ft. Deeper layers cover less area per yard.
For a new gravel driveway, plan on 4 to 6 inches of stone, often built in layers over a compacted base. A top-up on an existing driveway usually needs just 2 to 3 inches. Deeper layers hold up better under vehicle weight and on soft or wet ground.
Multiply cubic yards by about 1.4. First find volume: area in square feet times depth in feet, divided by 27, gives cubic yards. Then cubic yards times 1.4 gives tons. For example, 100 sq ft at 3 inches is 0.93 cubic yards, or about 1.30 tons.
Yes. The Gravel Calculator is completely free, with no signup and no credit card. It runs entirely in your browser. When you are ready to quote and schedule the delivery or install, Fieldtics has a free plan too so you can send the estimate and book the job.
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