Gravel & Crushed Stone Calculator (Yards and Tons)

Enter the area and depth. The calculator gives the volume in cubic yards and converts it to tons using a density for the material you choose, or your supplier’s own conversion.

Gravel & crushed stone calculator

How it works

Volume = length × width × depth in inches ÷ 12 → cubic feet
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
Tons = cubic feet × density (lb per cu ft) ÷ 2,000

Default densities: gravel, dry 105 lb/cu ft (about 1.42 tons per cubic yard) and wet 125 lb/cu ft (Engineering ToolBox); compacted crushed stone 1.8 tons per cubic yard, the Illinois DOT conversion factor for compacted crushed stone.

Worked example

A 20 × 10 ft pad, 4 in deep, in dry gravel:

Length: 20 ft
Width: 10 ft
Depth: 4 in
Material: Gravel, dry (105 lb/cu ft)
Extra for spreading and settling: 0%
Price per ton (optional): $0

The calculator gives:

Cubic yards: 2.47 cu yd
Tons (approx.): 3.50 tons at 1.42 t/yd³
Cubic feet: 66.7 cu ft
Metric: 1.89 m³, 3.18 tonnes

20 × 10 × 4 ÷ 12 = 66.7 cu ft, or 2.47 cu yd. At 105 lb/cu ft that is 7,000 lb, 3.5 tons.

Material and waste notes

Bulk density varies with the stone, its size, moisture and how it was loaded. The figures here are general published values (Engineering ToolBox, and IDOT for compacted stone). When you order by the ton, ask the yard for its own conversion and choose “Custom”.
Stone compacts. If you are building a compacted base, either order by compacted density (the “compacted” option) or add an allowance to the loose volume.
A dump truck load is limited by weight as well as volume; ask how many tons or yards one load holds.
For a driveway base or under pavers, thickness depends on the soil and traffic. The paver calculator uses the ICPI minimums.

Frequently asked questions

How many tons of gravel in a cubic yard?

About 1.4 tons for dry gravel at 105 lb/cu ft. Wet gravel is heavier, and compacted crushed stone can be 1.8 tons per cubic yard. Your supplier’s figure is the one to use.

How much area does a ton of gravel cover?

At 1.42 tons per cubic yard, a ton is about 0.7 cubic yards: roughly 57 sq ft at 4 in deep, or 114 sq ft at 2 in.

How many yards of gravel for a driveway?

Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches, and divide by 324. A 50 × 10 ft driveway 4 in deep needs about 6.2 cubic yards.

Sources

Last reviewed: 26 September 2026. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known answers taken from the sources above. Found an error? Please let us know.