Crushed Stone Calculator

Cubic yards = length × width in feet × compacted depth in inches ÷ 324, plus extra for compaction: a 40 × 12 ft driveway base 4 inches deep is 5.93 cubic yards, 6.52 with 10% extra, or 9.13 tons.

Your measurements

Example

Use the unit shown for each box, or type another one: 12 ft 6 in, 150 in, 3.8 m and 600 mm all work, as do the marks on a tape measure.

Area 1

Shape Length (ft) Width (ft) Depth Enter the depth after compacting; the extra below covers what the compactor packs down. Name

Weight of a cubic yard of crushed stone (tons) About 1.4 tons is typical. Quarries and landscape yards sell by the ton: use their figure for the product you buy. A figure in tonnes a cubic meter × 0.843 gives tons a cubic yard.

Details Extra, bag size and your prices

Extra for compaction and uneven ground (%) Bag size (cu ft) Printed on the bag. Most bagged gravel, stone and sand hold 0.5 cu ft. Your price per ton ($) Your price per cubic yard ($) Your price per bag ($)

Example: replace these measurements

Your order

6.52 cubic yards of crushed stone (9.13 tons)

480 sq ft measured

Your measured layout

Driveway base: length and width across the top, depth down through the crushed stone. Shown for the first area; the totals count every area.

Your shopping list

6.52 cubic yards of crushed stone (9.13 tons)

Quantities and package details

Driveway base: 480 sq ft × 4 in = 160 cu ft
Volume before extra: 160 cu ft (5.93 cu yd)
Cubic yards to order: 6.52
Tons to order: 9.13
Bags of 0.5 cu ft: 352

That is 352 bags. For a cubic yard or more, a bulk delivery from a landscape yard or quarry is usually simpler: ask for their minimum load and delivery fee.

The calculation

Driveway base: 480 sq ft × 4 in ÷ 12 = 160 cu ft
160 cu ft ÷ 27 = 5.93 cu yd; with 10% extra = 6.52 cu yd
6.52 cu yd × 1.4 tons a yard = 9.13 tons
176 cu ft ÷ 0.5 cu ft a bag = 352, rounded up to 352 bags

Not measured yet? Common jobs

A rough starting point, worked out with this calculator. Usual sizes and depths, with this calculator's 10% extra and 1.4 tons a cubic yard. Use a row to load its size into the calculator, then change it to your measurements.

Crushed stone for common jobs
Job	Size	Cubic yards	Tons	Bags of 0.5 cu ft
Walkway base	3 × 30 ft, 4 in	1.22	1.71	66
Shed base	10 × 12 ft, 4 in	1.63	2.28	88
Patio base	12 × 16 ft, 4 in	2.61	3.65	141
One-car driveway base	12 × 50 ft, 6 in	12.22	17.11	660
Two-car driveway base	20 × 50 ft, 6 in	20.37	28.52	1,100

Common questions

How many tons of crushed stone do I need?

Work out cubic yards (length × width in feet × depth in inches ÷ 12 ÷ 27), add extra for compaction, then multiply by the weight of a yard. At about 1.4 tons a yard, a 10 × 12 ft shed base 4 inches deep takes about 2.3 tons with 10% extra.

Why order extra crushed stone?

Loose stone packs down when it is compacted, and the ground is never perfectly flat. The calculator adds 10%; ask your supplier how much their base material compacts and change the extra to suit.

How thick should a crushed stone base be?

Often 4 inches under a walkway, patio or shed and 6 inches or more under a driveway, more on soft ground. Lay and compact it in layers of about 2 to 4 inches.

What is #57 stone?

A washed crushed stone about 1/2 to 1 inch in size, common for drainage and under slabs. For a base that locks together when compacted, quarries sell a mix with fines, called crusher run, road base or dense grade depending on the region.

How to plan the quantity

Area × compacted depth gives the volume: square feet × inches ÷ 12 = cubic feet, and ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Multiply by the weight of a yard of your stone for tons; about 1.4 tons is typical.

Loose stone packs down when it is compacted, so order more than the finished volume. The default adds 10%; ask your supplier how much their base material compacts.

Lay and compact a base in layers of about 2 to 4 inches. A walkway or shed base is often 4 inches; a driveway base is often 6 inches or more, more on soft ground.

Before you order

This counts stone only. Fabric under the base, edge restraints and the plate compactor rental are separate.
Stone sizes are named differently from one quarry to the next (#57, 3/4 inch clean, crusher run, road base): ask which they sell for a compacted base.