Calculate gravel volume, estimated US short tons and optional material cost for a rectangular area. The default 20 x 10-foot area at 4 inches with an example 10% allowance is 2.7160 cubic yards. At the selected 1.4 short tons per cubic yard it is 3.8025 short tons. Volume, weight and compaction are separate decisions; check your supplier’s product data before ordering.
How the gravel calculator works
Net cubic feet = length (feet) x width (feet) x depth (inches) / 12.
Net cubic yards = cubic feet / 27.
Planned cubic yards = net cubic yards x (1 + allowance / 100).
Estimated short tons = planned cubic yards x short tons per cubic yard.
Material cost = estimated short tons x quoted price per short ton. One cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet. A US short ton is 2,000 pounds; it is not a metric tonne.
Gravel volume chart by area and depth
Our calculated chart shows net cubic yards before allowance. Depth columns are examples, not a layer specification. Calculate separate base and surface layers separately.
| Area | 2 inches | 4 inches | 6 inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.6173 yd³ | 1.2346 yd³ | 1.8519 yd³ |
| 200 sq ft | 1.2346 yd³ | 2.4691 yd³ | 3.7037 yd³ |
| 400 sq ft | 2.4691 yd³ | 4.9383 yd³ | 7.4074 yd³ |
| 500 sq ft | 3.0864 yd³ | 6.1728 yd³ | 9.2593 yd³ |
| 1000 sq ft | 6.1728 yd³ | 12.3457 yd³ | 18.5185 yd³ |
| 2000 sq ft | 12.3457 yd³ | 24.6914 yd³ | 37.0370 yd³ |
Weight factors used by the presets
The four presets match approximate figures published by American Rock Supply, a supplier.1 They are starting values, not universal material densities. Rebulk’s loose-density chart uses different values for some materials: crushed stone 1.35 and pea gravel 1.30 short tons per cubic yard.2 The disagreement is why a supplier’s exact material factor matters.
| Selected material | Preset short tons/yd³ | Equivalent pounds/yd³ |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone, 3/4 inch | 1.40 | 2,800 |
| Crusher run / road base | 1.50 | 3,000 |
| Pea gravel | 1.40 | 2,800 |
| River rock | 1.35 | 2,700 |
If your supplier gives a different factor, multiply the calculator’s planned cubic yards by that value separately. For example, 3 cubic yards x 1.35 = 4.05 short tons, while 3 x 1.40 = 4.20. The material dropdown does not accept a custom density. Do not use solid-rock density: bulk density includes the air spaces between pieces.2
Three checked examples
1. A 20 x 10 pad at 4 inches
Net volume: 20 x 10 x (4 / 12) = 66.666667 cubic feet, or 2.469136 cubic yards. An example 10% allowance gives 2.716049 cubic yards. At the crushed-stone preset, 2.716049 x 1.4 = 3.802469 short tons. At a made-up $40/short-ton quote, material cost is $152.10, before delivery and other charges. The cost uses unrounded weight.
2. A 30 x 3 path at 2 inches
With allowance set to zero, 30 x 3 x (2 / 12) = 15 cubic feet, or 0.555556 cubic yard. The pea-gravel preset gives 0.555556 x 1.4 = 0.777778 short ton. At an example $50/short-ton quote, material cost is $38.89. This is a measurement example, not a recommendation for a particular path depth.
3. A 12 x 12 pad at 6 inches
Net volume is 12 x 12 x (6 / 12) = 72 cubic feet, or 2.666667 cubic yards. An example 5% allowance gives 2.8 cubic yards. At the road-base preset of 1.5 short tons per cubic yard, weight is 4.2 short tons. At an example $30/short-ton quote, material cost is $126.00. The numbers do not specify a safe shed or vehicle foundation.
An allowance is not a compaction conversion
The allowance field adds volume. It does not measure how much a loose layer shrinks when compacted. Rebulk distinguishes loose bulk density from compacted density and warns that moisture, gradation and compaction move planning figures.2 If your intended depth is a finished compacted depth, ask for a compatible compacted density or a supplier-approved loose-to-compacted conversion. Do not automatically combine a compacted density with an extra shrinkage allowance that already covers the same change.
Measure low spots instead of assuming a percentage will cover them. For a 200-square-foot area averaging half an inch deeper, the added geometry is 200 x (0.5 / 12) = 8.333333 cubic feet. For several nonoverlapping rectangles at the same depth, add unrounded volumes. For different layers, keep depth and material separate. See our driveway depth guide and driveway quantity guide.
Optional price and national reference
*National price reference, not a quote: GoodGravel’s September 2026 sample covers 1,364 listings from 68 sites across 26 states and leans toward landscape supply yards. It reports per-short-ton medians of $30 for crushed stone and $24 for crusher run; the middle halves are $22-$49 and $15-$39 respectively.3 These medians are not arithmetic national averages. The old $24-$52 shorthand mixed material categories rather than describing one stone’s price range.
Prices are for material before delivery. Use a current quote for the exact material, quantity and billing unit. A per-yard quote cannot be entered as a per-ton price unchanged: divide price per cubic yard by short tons per cubic yard to compare on the same basis. For example, an $84/yard quote at 1.4 short tons/yard is $84 / 1.4 = $60/short ton. Delivery, tax, minimum orders, placement and labor are not included here. See the gravel driveway cost guide.
Metric mode and price units
The metric switch converts length and width to meters, depth to centimeters and the price field to dollars per metric tonne. Results show cubic meters and metric tonnes first, with US results alongside. One US short ton is 0.907185 metric tonne; the equivalent price per tonne is the price per short ton divided by that factor. The dollar currency does not change.
The material dropdown retains its labeled US preset units; the form converts the geometry and price back for its calculation. For the default example, equivalent metric dimensions are 6.096 x 3.048 meters by 10.16 centimeters. With 10% allowance, the planned volume is about 2.0766 cubic meters and estimated weight about 3.4495 metric tonnes. An example $40/short-ton price is about $44.0924/metric tonne and gives the same $152.10 cost.
FAQ
How many tons are in one cubic yard of gravel?
There is no single value for all products. This calculator’s presets range from 1.35 to 1.50 US short tons per cubic yard, sourced to one supplier; other density tables differ.1, 2 Ask your supplier for the exact stone and loose or compacted basis.
What does blank price or allowance mean?
Blank price or zero skips the cost calculation. Blank allowance means zero added volume. Negative prices and negative allowances are rejected rather than silently ignored. Length, width and depth must all be positive.
Does it round to a truckload or supplier order increment?
No. It shows estimated volume and weight, not an order quantity rounded to a truckload, half ton or other increment. Confirm the usable payload, delivery access, minimum order and scale weight with your supplier. Do not order the yard and ton results as two separate quantities.
Can this choose my gravel or driveway design?
No. The calculator does not check soil, drainage, traffic loads, geotextile specifications or structural layer design. Selecting a material changes the weight estimate, not whether that stone suits the job. Check the project design and local conditions separately.
Sources
- American Rock Supply: Gravel Calculator (supplier planning weights used in our material presets)
- Rebulk: Bulk Material Density Chart (loose density, void spaces, conversion and variability)
- GoodGravel: Gravel Prices by State, September 2026 (sampled supply-yard medians, material only)
What you’ll need
A plain checklist. Needs vary by project, so follow the instructions on your materials.
- Specified separation geotextile, if required by your design – do not assume a decorative weed barrier meets a load-bearing separation specification.
- Edging or border – holds the gravel in place so the edges do not spread.
- Rake and shovel – to spread and level the stone.
- Plate compactor (often rentable) – a compacted base stays put under traffic.
- Tape measure and stakes – so the area and depth you enter are real measurements.
- Work gloves and eye protection – stone and dust are rough on hands and eyes.
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