How to use the Gravel Calculator
- Measure each area once, then add its material layers from top to bottom.
- Choose whether each depth is loose or finished. For finished depths, enter the supplier-confirmed loose-to-finished volume ratio; handling allowance is applied afterwards.
- Enter each product’s density, bulk or bag prices, minimum, order increment and truck limits. Review required, delivered and billed quantities separately.
- Keep delivery notes and ticket quantities with the project. Save locally or export the complete order as PDF, CSV or an editable file; printing includes layer profiles.
Plan a layered gravel order
A base course and decorative finish can cover the same footprint but require different products. Measure the footprint once, add its layers, and assign each layer to a product. The order manifest groups the same product across areas while keeping separate products, densities and deliveries apart.
Loose depth versus finished depth
A finished layer can require more loose volume than its geometric size. Enter the ratio supplied for your material: a ratio of 1.2 means 1.2 cubic yards loose for each cubic yard finished. It does not mean 20% volume loss; if a supplier specifies a 20% loss from loose volume, the corresponding ratio is 1 ÷ 0.8 = 1.25. The calculator applies the ratio only to finished-depth layers, then adds the separate handling allowance. There is no universal compaction ratio; the FHWA gravel roads manual discusses the distinction between loose stockpile volume and finished depth.
Truck loads, minimum orders and delivery tickets
Enter the supplier’s truck volume and payload capacities. The number of loads is the larger of the volume-based and weight-based counts, rounded up. Minimum billing changes the charge; minimum delivery changes the amount arriving on site. Order increments round the planned order upwards before load counts and per-load delivery fees are calculated. Products travel separately in this estimate. Reopen a saved order to record ticket quantities and compare the delivered volume against the estimated job need.
Compare delivered bulk gravel with bags
A lower material price does not always mean a cheaper order. This calculator compares bulk material plus your delivery quote against whole bags, and applies a supplier minimum to the bulk cost. Enter prices from your own supplier; tax, labor and bag transport are excluded unless included in your quotes. Any finished-to-loose ratio is entered explicitly. Saved projects stay in this browser on this device, so you can reopen the measurements and try a new quote later.
How to calculate gravel
Volume = length × width × depth. Measure length and width in feet and convert the depth from inches to feet (divide by 12). Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Gravel is often sold by the ton: multiply cubic yards by the density — about 1.4 tons per cubic yard for gravel. A 20 × 10 ft path at 3 inches deep is 50 cu ft = 1.85 cu yd ≈ 2.6 tons.
How deep should gravel be?
- Walkways and patios: 2–3 inches of pea gravel or decomposed granite over a compacted base.
- Driveways: 4–6 inches of crushed stone base topped with 2–3 inches of finer gravel; up to 12 inches total for new driveways on soft ground.
- Drainage and French drains: fill around the pipe, usually 6–12 inches.
Material densities used
Gravel and pea gravel ≈ 1.4 US tons/yd³, crushed stone and sand ≈ 1.35 US tons/yd³, topsoil ≈ 1.1 US tons/yd³ and mulch ≈ 0.4 US tons/yd³. Wet material is heavier, so ask your supplier for their figure and type it into the density box for a precise answer.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
Divide the loose volume by the spread depth. At 1.4 US tons per cubic yard, one US ton is about 0.71 yd³, which covers about 77 sq ft at 3 inches deep or about 58 sq ft at 4 inches. Use What does a quantity cover? under Price the order to check a delivery ticket, a leftover pile or a supplier minimum with your own product’s density; it also shows how deep that quantity would sit across the areas already using it.