Gravel Calculator

Cubic yards = length × width in feet × depth in inches ÷ 324: a 16 × 12 ft patio 3 inches deep takes 1.78 cubic yards, or 1.87 with 5% extra, about 2.61 tons of pea gravel.

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 Depth of the finished layer. Name

Gravel type Weight of a cubic yard of gravel (tons) Filled in for the gravel type you choose. 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 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

1.87 cubic yards of pea gravel (2.61 tons)

192 sq ft measured

Your measured layout

Patio: length and width across the top, depth down through the gravel. Shown for the first area; the totals count every area.

Your shopping list

1.87 cubic yards of pea gravel (2.61 tons)

Quantities and package details

Patio: 192 sq ft × 3 in = 48 cu ft
Volume before extra: 48 cu ft (1.78 cu yd)
Cubic yards to order: 1.87
Tons to order: 2.61
Bags of 0.5 cu ft: 101

That is 101 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

Patio: 192 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 12 = 48 cu ft
48 cu ft ÷ 27 = 1.78 cu yd; with 5% extra = 1.87 cu yd
1.87 cu yd × 1.4 tons a yard = 2.61 tons
50.4 cu ft ÷ 0.5 cu ft a bag = 100.8, rounded up to 101 bags

Not measured yet? Common jobs

A rough starting point, worked out with this calculator. Usual sizes and depths, with this calculator's 5% extra and 1.4 tons a cubic yard. Use a row to load its size into the calculator, then change it to your measurements.

Gravel for common jobs
Job	Size	Cubic yards	Tons	Bags of 0.5 cu ft
Garden path	3 × 30 ft, 2 in	0.58	0.82	32
Flower bed	4 × 12 ft, 3 in	0.47	0.65	26
Round fire-pit area	12 ft across, 3 in	1.1	1.54	60
Patio	12 × 16 ft, 3 in	1.87	2.61	101
One-car driveway topping	12 × 50 ft, 3 in	5.83	8.17	315
Two-car driveway topping	20 × 50 ft, 3 in	9.72	13.61	525

Common questions

How much gravel do I need?

Multiply length × width in feet by the depth in inches, divide by 12 for cubic feet and by 27 for cubic yards. A 12 × 16 ft patio 3 inches deep is 48 cubic feet, or 1.78 cubic yards before any extra.

How many tons is a yard of gravel?

About 1.4 tons for pea gravel, #57 stone and decomposed granite, a little less for river rock, and only about 0.6 tons for lava rock, which is light and porous. So 2 cubic yards of pea gravel weighs about 2.8 tons. Quarries sell by the ton: ask for the weight of a yard of the product you buy and enter it here.

Which gravel should I use?

Pea gravel (about 3/8 inch, smooth and round) for paths, play areas and seating areas; it rolls underfoot, so give it an edging. River rock (3/4 inch and up, smooth) for beds, dry creek beds and around downspouts, not for walking. #57 stone (about 3/4 to 1 inch, crushed and angular) locks together for a driveway topping and drains well around pipes and footings. Decomposed granite (fine, sandy) packs firm for a path or patio you walk on every day. Lava rock for planters and roof gardens, where a light load matters.

How deep should gravel be?

About 2 inches for a path and 2 to 3 inches for a decorative bed. A gravel driveway is built in layers, usually 4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed stone under 2 to 3 inches of gravel.

How much does a bag of gravel cover?

A 0.5 cubic foot bag covers 3 square feet at 2 inches deep, or 2 square feet at 3 inches. A cubic yard is 54 of those bags.

How to plan the quantity

Area × depth gives the volume: square feet × inches ÷ 12 = cubic feet, and cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Add each part of the job as its own area.

Quarries and landscape yards sell gravel by the ton or by the cubic yard. To turn yards into tons, multiply by the weight of a yard of that product; about 1.4 tons is typical for gravel, and the supplier will tell you theirs.

Paths and decorative beds take 2 to 3 inches. A gravel driveway is built in layers, usually 4 to 6 inches of crushed stone under 2 to 3 inches of gravel: add each layer as its own area, or use the crushed stone calculator for the base.

Choose the gravel type and the calculator fills in its typical weight: pea gravel, #57 stone and decomposed granite about 1.4 tons a cubic yard, river rock about 1.35 and lava rock about 0.6. The volume is the same whatever the type; only the tons change.

Before you order

Wet gravel weighs more than dry, so a load sold by the ton holds a little less when it is wet.
Landscape fabric, edging and the delivery fee are separate purchases. Ask the supplier for the minimum load and how close the truck can tip.