CalcCoverageHow much gravel do I need?
Gravel is ordered two ways: by volume (cubic yards) at the yard, and by weight (tons) on the delivery ticket. The bridge between them is density — a cubic yard of typical ¾-inch crushed stone weighs about 1.4 tons.
Cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324 · Tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.4
Example: a 20 × 10 ft driveway refresh at 4 inches deep is 200 × 4 ÷ 324 = 2.47 cubic yards ≈ 3.5 tons — about 3.8 tons with the 10% allowance included.
Depth by job
| Job | Depth |
|---|---|
| Path or patio base (top layer) | 2 in (5 cm) |
| Driveway top-up over existing stone | 3–4 in (7–10 cm) |
| New driveway (each compacted layer) | 4 in (10 cm) |
| French drain trench fill | Fill the trench — measure its full volume |
Density varies with the stone: river rock and pea gravel run a little lighter, dense crushed limestone a little heavier. The 1.4 tons per yard figure is the standard planning number; if your supplier quotes a different one, trust theirs — they weigh their own stone.