Gravel Calculator

Gravel is estimated by volume and sold by the cubic yard or the ton: measure the area, multiply by the depth, then convert. Work out a rectangular or circular driveway, path or patio in cubic yards, tons, cubic feet and cubic metres, plus the estimated cost — with a waste allowance and a choice of material density built in so you order enough.

%
$
Gravel needed — cubic yards
Tons — approximate
Cubic feet — ft³
Cubic metres — m³
Estimated cost — by the ton

How to Calculate Gravel

Pick the shape, measure, and read the yards and tons.

1

Choose the shape

Use Rectangle for a driveway, path or patio where you enter length and width, and Circle for a round bed or fire-pit surround where you enter a diameter instead.

2

Enter the dimensions

Measure length and width in feet and the depth in inches — the two unit selectors handle the mix, so you never convert by hand. Set a quantity if you are covering several identical areas.

3

Read yards, tons and cost

You get cubic yards, tons, cubic feet and cubic metres, with the tonnage set by the material you choose, and — with a price per ton — the estimated cost. A waste allowance is added on top so you order enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
Gravel for a driveway is length times width times depth, with the depth converted to the same unit, then turned into cubic yards and tons because gravel is sold both ways. Measure the driveway in feet and the depth in inches, and the calculator does the conversion: it multiplies the area by the depth to get cubic feet, divides by 27 to get cubic yards, then multiplies by the material density to get tons. For example a 40 by 12 foot driveway at 3 inches deep is 480 × 0.25 = 120 cubic feet, about 4.44 cubic yards, or roughly 6.2 tons of pea gravel before any waste allowance. Add a waste margin of about five percent so an uneven sub-base or spillage does not leave you short, and round up when you order.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
Roughly 1.3 to 1.4 tons, but it varies by the type and moisture of the stone, so treat the figure as approximate. Pea gravel is close to 1.4 tons per cubic yard, crushed stone about 1.35, and washed river rock nearer 1.3, because rounder and larger stones pack a little less densely. The calculator lets you pick the material so the tonnage matches what you are actually buying, and it shows both the cubic-yard and the ton figure. If your supplier quotes a different weight per yard, trust their number for ordering — local stone density and how wet it is on delivery both nudge the result up or down.
What depth of gravel should I use?
For most jobs a gravel layer of 2 to 4 inches is typical, and the right depth depends on the traffic it carries. A garden path or a decorative border is fine at about 2 inches, a walkway or patio base is usually 2 to 3 inches, and a driveway that takes cars wants around 4 inches, often built up in layers over a compacted sub-base. Deeper is not always better, because loose gravel much past 4 inches tends to rut and shift underfoot. Enter your chosen depth in the calculator and it works the volume out from there, so you can compare 2, 3 and 4 inch options and see how the tonnage and cost change.
How do I calculate gravel for a rectangle versus a circle?
The only thing that changes between the two shapes is how you work out the area; the depth and the conversion to yards and tons are identical. For a rectangle the area is simply length times width. For a circle it is pi times the radius squared — π × r² — where the radius is half the diameter, so a 10 foot circle has a radius of 5 and an area of about 78.5 square feet. Switch the calculator between Rectangle and Circle and it asks for the right dimensions, then multiplies the area by your depth to get the volume. For an irregular area, split it into rectangles and circles, calculate each, and add a quantity or total the results.
Is buying gravel in bulk cheaper than bags?
For anything beyond a small job, bulk gravel delivered by the ton or cubic yard is almost always cheaper per unit than buying bags. Bagged gravel makes sense for a small border, a few planters or a repair, where handling loose stone is awkward and a delivery would carry a minimum charge. Once you need a cubic yard or more — a driveway, a patio base or a long path — the per-ton price of bulk stone, even with a delivery fee, usually beats buying and hauling dozens of bags. Use the calculator's price field to cost the bulk option by entering your local price per ton, then compare that against what the same volume would cost in bags.

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