Gravel & Stone Calculator
Calculate how much gravel or crushed stone you need — enter your area and depth to get the volume in cubic yards, the weight in tons, and the number of 50 lb bags, with cost.
How much gravel do I need?
Gravel and crushed stone are sold by the cubic yard or ton in bulk and in bags. Find the volume by multiplying the area in square feet by the depth in inches and dividing by 324 for cubic yards. The calculator above also gives the weight in tons — gravel runs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard — and the number of 50 lb bags.
cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324 · tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.4
Gravel depth & weight
| Use | Typical depth |
|---|---|
| Walkway / drainage | 2–3 inches |
| Driveway (total) | 4–6 inches (in layers) |
| 1 cubic yard | ≈ 1.4 tons · ≈ 54 × 50 lb bags |
Gravel compacts, so order a little extra. For other bulk materials, see the mulch, sand and soil calculators, or the cubic yards calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much gravel do I need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards. The calculator above also converts that to tons — gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard — and to 50 lb bags, so you can order bulk or bagged.
How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
A cubic yard of gravel or crushed stone weighs roughly 2,600–2,900 pounds — about 1.3 to 1.45 tons. The calculator uses about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, which is typical for common driveway and drainage gravel.
How deep should gravel be?
For a walkway or drainage bed, 2–3 inches is usually enough. A gravel driveway is normally built up in layers to a total of about 4–6 inches over a compacted base. Set your depth above to match the job, and remember gravel compacts, so order a little extra.
How many bags of gravel are in a cubic yard?
A 50 lb bag of gravel holds roughly 0.5 cubic feet, and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes about 54 bags to make a yard. For anything more than about a dozen bags, bulk gravel by the yard or ton is usually much cheaper.