Gravel Calculator (Driveway & Landscaping)
Calculate cubic yards and tons of gravel needed for a driveway, walkway, or landscaping project. Supports rectangle or circle areas, six gravel types with US densities, and estimated material cost.
CONSTRUCTIONEstimate exactly how much gravel to order for a driveway, walkway, or landscape bed. Enter the area dimensions and depth, pick a gravel type (pea gravel, crushed stone #57, crushed limestone, river rock, decomposed granite, or bank run), and get cubic yards, tons, 50-lb bag equivalents, and estimated delivered cost.
The math is area × depth ÷ 27 = cubic yards, then yards × density = tons. Worked example: a 20 ft × 30 ft driveway at 4 inches deep covers 600 ft² of surface area. Volume = 600 × (4/12) = 200 cubic feet = 7.41 cubic yards. With crushed stone #57 at 1.5 tons per cubic yard, you need about 11.1 tons. At $35 per ton delivered that is roughly $389 in material - and works out to 444 fifty-pound bags if you bought it bagged instead of bulk (which would cost 3-4x more). Always add 10-20% extra to the calculated quantity to account for compaction and supplier moisture variance.
Gravel Calculator (Driveway & Landscaping)
Calculate cubic yards and tons of gravel needed for a driveway, walkway, or landscaping bed. Includes 50-lb bag equivalents and estimated material cost.
Buying Gravel by Yard vs Ton
In the US, landscape gravel is sold either by the cubic yard (volume) or by the ton (weight). Yards are easier to visualize for planning - one cubic yard fills a 9-square-foot area at 3 inches deep. Tons are how trucks weigh out the load. Convert between them with the material density: pea gravel and decomposed granite run about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, crushed stone #57 and river rock about 1.5, crushed limestone and bank run about 1.55.
Pick the gravel type for the job. Pea gravel is smooth, rounded, and decorative - great for borders and play areas but it migrates underfoot and is poor for driveways. Crushed stone #57 (3/4-inch angular stone) is the workhorse for driveways and French drains - the angular faces lock together and stay put. Decomposed granite packs into firm walkways and patios. River rock is decorative for dry creek beds and drainage. Crushed limestone is common where it is locally quarried and compacts well for base layers.
Always order 10-20% more than the geometric calculation. Loose gravel settles and compacts under traffic, and supplier moisture content can shift the weight per yard by 5-10%. For driveways, install a geotextile fabric underneath and a 2-3 inch base of larger crushed stone before topping with the finished gravel - this prevents the rock from sinking into the subsoil over the first few winters.
Density varies by supplier and moisture content. Always quote your local supplier for exact yardage and delivery cost before ordering.