How much gravel do I need?
To calculate gravel needed, multiply the area to cover by the depth of the gravel layer. This gives a volume. Multiply that volume by the material’s bulk density to estimate its weight, then add any allowance and round to your supplier’s order size.
- Measure your area. Enter length and width, or choose Total area if you already know the square metres or square feet. For a circular bed, calculate π × radius² and enter that as the total area.
- Enter the gravel depth. Use centimetres in metric mode or inches in imperial mode. Measure the gravel layer, rather than the whole excavation. Use the depth specified for your project.
- Add other sections. Split an L-shaped driveway or garden into rectangles without overlaps. Add each section with its own depth; the gravel estimator combines their volumes.
- Check density and ordering units. Enter your supplier’s bulk density, choose metric tonnes, US short tons, cubic metres, cubic yards or bags, and enter an order increment if needed.
- Build your budget. Add your quoted material price, delivery and labour. Choose whether your entered tax rate applies to material only or all entered costs.
Gravel calculator in yards and tons
Buying gravel by the yard means buying a cubic yard of material. Square feet measure area; cubic yards measure volume. You need a depth to convert an area into a gravel quantity.
Length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324
Volume (m³) × bulk density (kg/m³) = weight (kg)
Weight (kg) ÷ 1,000
Weight (kg) ÷ 907.18474
Example: a 20 ft × 10 ft area at 2 inches deep
Before allowance, the area needs 20 × 10 × 2 ÷ 324 = 1.235 cubic yards. With 10% extra, the required volume is about 1.358 cubic yards. At an illustrative bulk density of 1,600 kg/m³, that is about 1,661 kg, 1.661 metric tonnes or 1.831 US short tons. Supplier rounding can increase the order further.
How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
One cubic yard is 0.764554857984 m³. At the calculator’s example density of 1,600 kg/m³, it weighs about 1,223 kg, or 1.223 metric tonnes / 1.348 US short tons. This is an example, rather than a fixed conversion for every gravel product. To convert yards to tons, use the bulk density of the material you are buying.
The results show both metric tonnes and US short tons. Match the supplier / price unit to your quote: a US short ton is 2,000 lb, while a metric tonne is 1,000 kg.
Driveway gravel calculator: estimate each layer
Use the calculator to estimate gravel for a driveway, parking area or path from its measured area and specified layer depth. A driveway with a wider entrance, turning area or separate parking space can be entered as several rectangles.
If the project uses different materials for its base and top layer, calculate each material separately with its own density and price. The areas within one estimate share the same material density. Add the resulting costs together only after checking that delivery and labour have been counted once.
The calculator estimates material quantities. It does not choose a driveway construction depth, assess the ground or convert a compacted layer into a loose delivery volume. Get those specifications and any compaction allowance from your supplier or installer.
Gravel driveway cost calculator
Choose the unit your supplier sells in, enter the quoted rate, and add delivery and labour. The gravel cost calculator prices the rounded order quantity, so a 1.76-tonne requirement with a 0.1-tonne order increment is priced as 1.8 tonnes.
For an illustrative quote of 65 per metric tonne, 1.8 tonnes costs 117. Add delivery of 30 and labour of 100 for a subtotal of 247. If a 20% tax rate applies to material only, tax is 23.40 and the project total is 270.40. These are example inputs in one currency, rather than local market prices. Use 0% tax if your entered prices already include it.
Pea gravel and landscape rock calculator
The same area × depth calculation works for pea gravel, decorative gravel, river rock and slate chippings spread as a layer. Enter the dimensions of the bed or path and the depth specified for that product. Use the supplier’s bulk density to turn the volume into a weight or bag count.
Pea gravel calculator example
A 5 m × 4 m garden area at 5 cm deep needs 1 m³ before allowance. Adding 10% gives 1.1 m³. If the product’s bulk density is 1,600 kg/m³, the estimated weight is 1,760 kg, requiring 71 whole 25 kg bags.
Keep the area and depth, but replace the example density with the value for your pea gravel.
Landscape rock in square feet
Select Feet / inches, choose Total area and enter the bed’s square footage. Enter the depth in inches. The calculator shows the required cubic yards and weight, which you can compare with a bulk or bagged quote.
For decorative rock or river rock, stone size alone does not tell the calculator the bulk density or required depth.
For a pea gravel cost estimate, select Bag and enter the price of one bag, or select the supplier’s bulk unit and enter that rate. Bag weight can be entered in kilograms or pounds. A bulk bag’s actual labelled weight is used; the calculator does not assume every bulk bag contains one tonne.
Crushed rock and crusher run calculator
To estimate crushed rock, crushed gravel or crusher run, enter the area and layer depth, then use the bulk density supplied for that specific aggregate. Product names such as ¾-inch gravel, #57 stone, base rock and crush and run do not provide a weight conversion on their own.
If your specification gives a finished compacted depth, ask your supplier how to convert it to the loose quantity to order. The Extra allowance field increases the calculated quantity by your chosen percentage; it does not apply a material-specific compaction model.
For a French drain gravel estimate, length × trench width × gravel depth gives the gross fill volume. This calculator does not automatically subtract the volume occupied by a pipe or other components. Adjust the net quantity separately using your design before ordering drain rock.
Gravel coverage: square feet, tonnes and bags
A gravel coverage calculation works in reverse: area = volume ÷ depth. For gravel sold by weight, first find the volume using weight ÷ bulk density. A tonne or bag does not cover a fixed area at every depth.
| Layer depth | Area covered |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft |
These depths illustrate the arithmetic and are not installation recommendations. At 2 inches, for example, one cubic yard covers 162 sq ft; ten cubic yards cover 1,620 sq ft before allowance.
| Gravel weight | Volume | Area covered |
|---|---|---|
| 20 kg bag | 0.0125 m³ | 0.25 m² |
| 25 kg bag | 0.015625 m³ | 0.3125 m² |
| 800 kg bulk bag | 0.5 m³ | 10 m² |
| 1 metric tonne (1,000 kg) | 0.625 m³ | 12.5 m² |
How much does one ton of gravel cover?
Specify which ton you mean and the depth. At an example density of 1,600 kg/m³ and a depth of 2 inches, one US short ton covers about 120 sq ft before allowance. At 5 cm deep, one metric tonne covers 12.5 m². Change the density or depth and the coverage changes too.
How the gravel volume and cost calculation works
For each section, area = length × width, and base volume = area × depth. The calculator adds the section volumes, then multiplies by (1 + extra allowance ÷ 100). All dimensions are converted to metres before this calculation.
Required weight = volume × bulk density. Whole bags = required weight ÷ bag weight, rounded up. Bulk orders round up to the selected order increment, or use the unrounded quantity when the increment is 0. Material cost = order quantity × unit price.
Project total = material + delivery + labour + the tax you choose to include. If you leave the material price blank, the result labels the cost total as excluding material. The estimate does not add an automatic regional rate, tax or delivery charge.
Content updated 2 November 2026. All examples state their depth, density and allowance assumptions.
Gravel calculator FAQs
How do I calculate gravel from square feet?
Choose Feet / inches and Total area, enter the square feet, then enter depth in inches. Cubic yards = square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324. The calculator adds your allowance and converts volume into weight using your bulk density.
How many tons are in a yard of gravel?
There is no single conversion for every gravel product. One cubic yard is 0.764554857984 m³; multiply by bulk density to get kilograms, then divide by 907.18474 for US short tons or 1,000 for metric tonnes. At an example density of 1,600 kg/m³, a cubic yard is about 1.348 US short tons.
Can I use this as a pea gravel or river rock calculator?
Yes, for a layer with a known area and depth. Enter the bulk density of your pea gravel, river rock or decorative aggregate. Stone size does not automatically determine density, depth or coverage.
How deep should driveway gravel be?
Use the layer depth specified for your driveway by your supplier or installer. The required construction depends on the project and ground conditions. Calculate different materials separately; this tool does not design the foundation or apply compaction automatically.
How much does a 20 kg or 25 kg bag of gravel cover?
Coverage = bag weight ÷ bulk density ÷ depth in metres. At the example density of 1,600 kg/m³ and 5 cm depth, a 20 kg bag covers 0.25 m² and a 25 kg bag covers 0.3125 m² before allowance. Use the density and depth for your actual product.
Is a bulk bag of gravel always one tonne?
The calculator uses the weight you enter. Check the supplier’s stated bag weight rather than assuming a bulk bag is 1,000 kg. Choose kilograms or pounds, enter the weight, and select Bag for a whole-bag order and cost estimate.
Does this gravel cost calculator include delivery and installation?
It includes the delivery and labour totals you enter. Add a material price for a complete project total, and enter each expense once. You can apply your tax rate to material only or all entered costs; use 0% if your prices already include tax.
Can I combine areas with different depths?
Yes. Add each area separately with its own depth. Their volumes are combined before the shared allowance and density are applied. Estimate different gravel products separately.
How do supplier order increments work?
Select the unit used by your supplier and enter the increment. A requirement of 1.76 metric tonnes rounds to 1.8 with a 0.1-tonne increment. Cost uses that rounded order. An increment is a step size, rather than a separate minimum order.
Can I print or share my gravel estimate?
Print estimate opens a printable summary of the measurements and costs. Copy share link creates a link containing the full estimate, including prices. Anyone with the link can see those values. Saved projects and calculations run in your browser.