Driveway Gravel Calculator
Enter your measurements
Results
- Material needed2.47 cubic yards
- Volume66.67 cubic feet
- Weight3.46 tons
Estimated cost
per cubic yard, delivered
Range covers bulk crushed stone or gravel delivered per cubic yard, the basis suppliers and this calculator use. The low end reflects crusher run or road base in quarry-dense regions; the high end reflects clean decorative stone or remote-delivery freight. Many suppliers also quote by the ton (roughly $20-$50), so convert using product density before comparing.
Estimate only — prices vary by region, supplier, and season. Get a local quote before buying.
The driveway gravel calculator tells you how much crushed stone to order before you call a supplier, so you avoid both a costly second delivery and the waste of over-ordering material that can't be returned once it's dumped. Enter your driveway's length, width, and intended depth, and it converts those dimensions into cubic feet, cubic yards, and tons — the three units bulk suppliers use when quoting a load. Gravel is almost always sold and delivered in bulk by the ton or the cubic yard, though home-improvement stores carry 50-lb bags for small patch jobs. Density varies by product, which is why the calculator reports weight separately: crusher run (a mix of crushed stone and stone dust) typically runs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, while clean washed stone such as #57 weighs a little less. Because suppliers quote one way and you may have measured another, seeing all three units side by side keeps your order from getting lost in translation between the yard and your wallet.
How it’s calculated
Volume = Area × Depth. Cubic yards = volume ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × material density. Bags = volume ÷ bag size.
Worked example
For a single-car driveway 50 feet long by 12 feet wide finished at a 4-inch depth — a typical compacted base layer for a new install — the calculator returns 200 cubic feet of material, or 7.41 cubic yards. At a standard crusher-run density of about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, that works out to 10.37 tons, which is the figure to give a bulk supplier when requesting a delivered quote. Most yards require a 5- to 10-ton minimum per drop, so this job fits comfortably in a single tandem-truck load. Add roughly 10 percent if your subgrade is uneven, since that base is what determines whether the surface stone above it stays put.
Inputs
- Length
- 50 ft
- Width
- 12 ft
- Depth
- 4 in
Result
- Material needed
- 7.41 cubic yards
- Volume
- 200 cubic feet
- Weight
- 10.37 tons
- Estimated material cost
- $207 – $556
Materials & pricing near you
In the US, bulk gravel and crushed stone is sold by the ton at quarries and landscape yards, though suppliers often quote by the cubic yard when you call — the two units aren't interchangeable because weight depends on stone type. Crusher run (also sold as "road base," "crush and run," or "dense-grade aggregate," #21A in many states) is the cheapest and most common driveway base; clean #57 stone for a top surface costs more. Prices tend to be lowest near the limestone belts of the Midwest, Southeast, and mid-Atlantic, and highest where loads must be hauled far, such as parts of New England and Hawaii. Bulk delivery usually carries a 5- to 10-ton minimum, and orders below that can add a short-load surcharge of $50 or more. Residential gravel work rarely needs a permit, but check local rules near a wetland or public right-of-way.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should gravel be on a driveway?
For a new driveway on undisturbed soil, a total depth of 8-12 inches is standard: roughly 6-8 inches of compacted crusher run base topped with 2-4 inches of clean surface stone. To refresh or top-dress an existing gravel driveway, 2-3 inches is usually enough. The depth field accepts any value, so run the calculator once for each layer if you're building it up in courses, then add the results.
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
It depends on the product. Crusher run and dense-grade aggregate typically weigh 1.35-1.45 tons per cubic yard because the stone dust packs the voids. Clean washed stone such as #57 or pea gravel runs lighter, roughly 1.2-1.35 tons per cubic yard. This calculator uses about 1.4 tons per cubic yard; if your supplier quotes by the ton, ask which density they use for that specific product and adjust your order to match.
What size gravel is best for a driveway?
#57 crushed stone (about 3/4 inch) is the most popular top surface because it drains well and locks together under tire traffic. Crusher run (3/4-inch stone blended with fines) is the standard base course, since the fines bind when compacted into a hard, stable layer. Avoid large smooth river rock 1.5 inches and up on a driveway — it won't compact, shifts under tires, and makes a poor walking surface.
How do I estimate gravel for an irregular or curved driveway?
Break the shape into rectangles — main run, widened apron, turnaround — and run the calculator for each section, then add the totals. For a gently curved drive, measure the centerline length with a measuring wheel, use your average width, and add about 10 percent for the curved edges. If the subgrade has soft spots or low areas that need extra fill, bump the overage to 15-20 percent rather than the usual 5-10 percent.