Calculate cubic yards and tons of gravel, crushed stone, sand, topsoil, or mulch. Enter your area dimensions and material type for accurate quantity estimates.
Grade lasers and rotary lasers help verify aggregate base depth across large areas. Shop grading equipment at Express Tools.
Shop Express Tools →Aggregate and gravel quantities are calculated as: length × width × depth (in feet) ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Tons are calculated by multiplying cubic yards by the material's unit weight — crushed stone and gravel weigh approximately 1.4 tons per cubic yard; sand is around 1.3 tons/CY; topsoil is about 1.0–1.2 tons/CY. This gravel calculator is used by contractors for driveway base, road base, drainage backfill, and landscape aggregate projects. Always order 10% extra to account for compaction, uneven subgrade, and material settling. A compacted gravel driveway typically requires a 4-inch base of crushed stone or road base topped with 2 inches of finish gravel.
| Material | Weight (tons/CY) | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone (3/4") | 1.35–1.50 | Driveway base, road base, drainage |
| Pea gravel | 1.40–1.50 | Decorative, drainage beds, playgrounds |
| Washed sand | 1.25–1.35 | Concrete mix, bedding, fill |
| Road base (compacted) | 1.40–1.55 | Unpaved roads, parking lots |
| Rip rap (large stone) | 1.50–1.80 | Erosion control, channel lining |
| Topsoil | 0.90–1.20 | Finish grade, landscaping, seeding |
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Start free trialCalculate cubic yards first (length × width × depth ÷ 27), then multiply by the material's weight per cubic yard. Crushed gravel is approximately 1.4 tons per CY. A 20×10 ft area at 4 inches deep needs about 2.47 CY or ~3.5 tons.
A gravel driveway should have 4-6 inches of compacted base material (crushed stone or road base) topped with 2-4 inches of finish gravel. Total depth of 6-10 inches is typical for residential driveways.
Crushed gravel has angular edges that compact and interlock well - ideal for driveways and base layers. Pea gravel is smooth and rounded - used for decorative purposes, drainage, and landscaping. Crushed stone compacts much better for structural use.
One ton of gravel covers approximately 80-100 square feet at 2 inches deep, or 50-60 square feet at 3 inches deep. Use this calculator for exact quantities based on your dimensions.