Gravel Driveway Calculator
A gravel driveway is two lifts: 4–6″ of crusher run compacted as a base, then 2–3″ of #57 or pea gravel on top. Run the calculator once per lift and order each separately — they come from different piles.
Order 11.75 t — quarries sell by the ton (some by the ½ ton); a tri-axle carries about 20 tons.
- Area
- 600 ft²
- Volume (200.0 ft³)
- 7.41 yd³
- Net weight @ 1.50 t/yd³
- 22,222 lb · 11.11 t
- Waste / settling 5%
- + 0.56 t
- Order quantity
- 11.67 tons
- Truckloads
- 1 × tri-axle dump (≈20 t)
- Metric
- 5.66 m³ · 10.58 tonnes
- 50 lb bag (0.5 ft³)
- 420 bags
- Materials + delivery$25–$60 / ton · Aug 2026
- $379 – $790
- Installed (with labor)typ. $847
- $554 – $1,257
How to calculate gravel by hand
Tons = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 × density (t/yd³)
Worked example
- Area: 20 ft × 10 ft = 200 ft².
- Volume: 200 ft² × (3 in ÷ 12) = 50 ft³ = 1.85 yd³.
- Weight: 1.85 yd³ × 1.4 t/yd³ (#57 stone) = 2.59 tons.
- Waste 5%: 2.59 × 1.05 = 2.72 tons → order 2.75 tons.
- Bagged instead: 52.5 ft³ ÷ 0.5 ft³ = 105 × 50 lb bags.
- 1 ton of #57 at 3″ deep
- ≈ 77 ft²
- 1 ton of #57 at 4″ deep
- ≈ 58 ft²
- 1 yd³ of #57 stone
- ≈ 2,800 lb · 1.4 t
- 1 yd³ crusher run
- ≈ 3,000 lb · 1.5 t
Questions crews ask
How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
For a new driveway plan 4–6″ of crusher run base plus 2″ of #57 stone. A 12 × 50 ft driveway needs about 11 tons of base at 4″ and 5 tons of top stone — 16–17 tons total, or roughly one tri-axle load.
What is the best gravel for a driveway?
Crusher run (crushed stone with fines) for the base because it locks together when compacted. #57 stone or pea gravel for the surface for looks and drainage — pea gravel rolls under tires on slopes, so #57 is the safer pick.
How thick should a gravel driveway be?
6–8″ total: 4–6″ of compacted base and 2–3″ of top stone. Soft or clay subgrade needs the thicker base and ideally a geotextile fabric first. Refresh the top layer with 1–2″ every 2–4 years.