--- title: "Gravel Calculator: How Much Stone Do You Need for a Driveway or Patio?" site: ProCalc.ai type: Blog Post category: Landscaping domain: Construction url: https://procalc.ai/blog/gravel-calculator-driveway-patio-stone-guide markdown_url: https://procalc.ai/blog/gravel-calculator-driveway-patio-stone-guide.md date_published: 2026-04-12 read_time: 10 min tags: gravel, driveway, landscaping, stone, construction --- # Gravel Calculator: How Much Stone Do You Need for a Driveway or Patio? **Site:** [ProCalc.ai](https://procalc.ai) — Free Professional Calculators **Category:** Landscaping **Published:** 2026-04-12 **Read time:** 10 min **URL:** https://procalc.ai/blog/gravel-calculator-driveway-patio-stone-guide > *This file is served for AI systems and search crawlers. Human page: https://procalc.ai/blog/gravel-calculator-driveway-patio-stone-guide* ## Overview Gravel orders go wrong in two ways: ordering by volume when your supplier sells by weight, or guessing the depth. Here is the correct calculation method for any project. ## Article Gravel orders are one of the most commonly miscalculated material purchases in landscaping. The errors usually come from one of two places: using the wrong depth (most people underestimate how deep 4 inches actually is) or not accounting for the difference between volume and weight — because your supplier may quote either, and they are not interchangeable without knowing the material's density. Our  handles the conversion between cubic yards, cubic feet, and tons. This guide covers the method for any gravel project. The basic formula Volume (cubic yards) = Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Depth (ft) / 27 Always convert depth from inches to feet first: divide by 12. Example: 20 x 40 ft driveway, 4 inches deep Depth in feet: 4 / 12 = 0.333 ft Volume = 20 x 40 x 0.333 / 27 = 266.4 / 27 = 9.87 cubic yards Add 10% waste and settling: 9.87 x 1.10 = 10.86 → order 11 cubic yards Recommended depths by application Application Recommended depth Notes Driveway (new base) 6-8" 4" compacted base + 2-4" surface Driveway (top-dressing existing) 2-3" Replenishing settled gravel Patio or walkway 3-4" On compacted subgrade Garden paths 2-3" Decorative, light foot traffic only French drain fill Fill to spec Often 6-12" or full trench depth Pipe bedding 4-6" below + cover Per local code Playground base 9-12" Safety standard for fall protection New driveways need more depth than most homeowners expect. A 4-inch surface layer looks substantial, but the recommended total depth for a stable driveway is 6-8 inches minimum — often using a compacted gravel base layer of 4-6 inches topped with 2-3 inches of surface gravel. Converting cubic yards to tons Many gravel suppliers sell by the ton, not by the cubic yard. The conversion depends on material density. Weight (tons) = Volume (cubic yards) x Density (tons/cubic yard) Material Density (lbs/cubic yard) Density (tons/cubic yard) Pea gravel (dry) 2,835 1.42 Crushed limestone 2,565 1.28 Crushed granite 2,700 1.35 River rock 2,700 1.35 Sand (dry) 2,700 1.35 Decomposed granite 2,565 1.28 Recycled concrete 2,025 1.01 Example: 11 cubic yards of crushed limestone Weight = 11 x 1.28 = 14.1 tons Gravel types and their best uses Type Size Best use Notes Pea gravel 3/8" Paths, play areas, drainage Rolls easily; not ideal for driveways Crushed stone #57 3/4" Driveways, drainage, base Most versatile; compacts well Crushed stone #21A 3/4" with fines Driveways, base layer Fines help it compact and bind River rock 1-3" Decorative, erosion control Does not compact; purely decorative Recycled concrete Variable Driveway base, fill Cost-effective; can contain rebar Decomposed granite Fine aggregate Paths, patios Compacts firm; can stain concrete Estimating delivery and spreading Standard dump truck: Typically carries 10-14 cubic yards or 12-18 tons. Larger tri-axle trucks carry up to 18 cubic yards. A 10-yard load of #57 crushed stone weighs approximately 13-14 tons. Spreading coverage at different depths: 1 cubic yard covers... At 2" deep At 4" deep At 6" deep Square footage 162 sq ft 81 sq ft 54 sq ft One cubic yard at 4-inch depth covers an 81 sq ft area — about a 9x9 ft space. For a 1,200 sq ft driveway at 4 inches, you need approximately 15 cubic yards before the waste factor. Settling and compaction Fresh gravel settles 10-20% after installation, especially under vehicle traffic. A driveway surfaced with 3 inches of fresh pea gravel will settle to approximately 2.5 inches after a few weeks of use. Budget for topping off after the first season. Compacted materials like #21A with fines settle less than clean stone like pea gravel or #57. For highest stability, use a plate compactor during installation. Calculate exact quantities for any project size and shape with the  — it outputs cubic yards, cubic feet, and tons based on your selected material. --- ## Reference - **Blog post:** https://procalc.ai/blog/gravel-calculator-driveway-patio-stone-guide - **This markdown file:** https://procalc.ai/blog/gravel-calculator-driveway-patio-stone-guide.md ### AI & Developer Resources - **LLM index:** https://procalc.ai/llms.txt - **LLM index (full):** https://procalc.ai/llms-full.txt - **MCP server:** https://procalc.ai/api/mcp - **Developer docs:** https://procalc.ai/developers ### How to Cite > ProCalc.ai. "Gravel Calculator: How Much Stone Do You Need for a Driveway or Patio?." ProCalc.ai, 2026-04-12. https://procalc.ai/blog/gravel-calculator-driveway-patio-stone-guide ### License Content © ProCalc.ai. Free to reference and cite. Do not republish in full without attribution.