Gravel Calculator: Cubic Yards, Tons & Bags
Buying stone can be confusing because one supplier sells by the yard, another by the ton, and the bags at the hardware store use cubic feet. Let’s turn your path, border or driveway dimensions into numbers you can actually shop with.
You’ll see the math and a printable diagram, not just an unexplained tonnage guess.
Enter the area and gravel depth
Start with a rectangular section. Break L-shaped areas into sections and add their quantities separately.
How to turn a path into yards of stone
Area: 20 ft × 4 ft = 80 square feet
With 10% extra, the example needs 22 cubic feet or about 0.81 cubic yards. At an assumed 1.5 US tons per cubic yard, that’s about 1.22 tons. The actual weight depends on the stone and the supplier.
Why cubic yards and tons aren’t interchangeable
The dimensions tell us the volume with ordinary geometry. Tons require a separate bulk-density figure, which changes with stone type, gradation, moisture and compaction. Some gravel suppliers quote by the cubic yard, others by the US ton. Ask for the actual material’s bulk density before converting your volume into a weight-based order.
The explanation at Inch Calculator also separates those two steps: calculate the volume, then apply an appropriate material-density value.
Gravel for a driveway, path or decorative bed?
Those are different jobs. Decorative pea gravel, compactable crushed stone, and drainage aggregate don’t all behave the same way. The gravel calculator deliberately cannot choose your stone, safe depth, base layering, drainage slope, or compaction requirements. Check the appropriate manufacturer’s installation directions or a qualified contractor for load-bearing work.
What does the extra 10% mean?
It’s an editable example of an allowance for irregular edges or measurement uncertainty, not a required compaction percentage. Set it to zero if your project plan already accounts for everything, or use a professional project’s specified quantity.
Is bagged gravel worth it?
For a small patch or garden accent, bags may be easier to transport. For a longer path or driveway, local bulk delivery may be simpler, but it can have minimum quantities and delivery fees. Our optional price fields use only the supplier amounts you enter, not live store data.
Can I use this for a circle?
For a circle, calculate its square-foot area first: 3.1416 × radius × radius. Multiply that by depth in feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. This form is for rectangles, so you may want to measure curved areas in sections.
Tools for moving and spreading gravel
Heavy-duty rakes, garden carts, edging and gloves may be more sensible online purchases than hauling pallets of stone. This is an optional category search, not a recommendation for a particular untested item.
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