Gravel Calculator
Work out how much gravel, crushed stone or sand you need in cubic yards, m³, US tons and tonnes, with bulk bags and cost, using cited densities.
Reviewed by Dany, RightSums team · Updated
Runs in your browser. Free, no sign-up.
home-energy · Daily life · UK & US
Enter each path, drive or base as a rectangle, circle, triangle or L-shape, with the depth in inches or millimetres. The calculator finds the volume in cubic yards and cubic metres, then multiplies by the material's density to give the weight in US tons and metric tonnes. Preset densities come from US state highway department publications, such as Wisconsin DOT's 1.85 tons per cubic yard for compacted crushed stone base, and each one shows its source. There is no official figure for pea gravel, river rock or MOT Type 1, so enter your supplier's. You can change the bulk bag weight and add a price per ton, tonne, cubic yard, m³ or bag. Densities vary with moisture and grading, so check with your supplier.
Accepted inputs
- Material with a cited density, or your own
- Density in tons/yd³, lb/ft³, t/m³ or kg/m³
- Area shape and sizes in ft, in, m or cm
- Depth in inches, feet, mm, cm or m
- Allowance for spillage
- Bulk bag weight in kg
- Optional price per ton, tonne, yd³, m³ or bag
Outputs
- Weight in US tons
- Weight in tonnes and kg
- Volume in cubic yards, cubic feet and m³
- Bulk bags by weight and by volume
- Estimated cost
- Density source
How to use the Gravel Calculator
- Choose the material, which fills in a density from a US highway department publication, or enter your own figure from your supplier.
- Add each area to cover, enter its sides in feet, inches, metres or centimetres, and give its depth.
- The calculator multiplies each area by its depth, adds the areas and your allowance, then multiplies the volume by the density to get the weight.
- It shows the weight in US tons and tonnes, the volume in cubic yards and cubic metres, the bulk bags needed and a cost if you enter a price.
Frequently asked questions
How much gravel do I need?
Multiply the area by the depth to get the volume, then multiply by the density. A path 10 ft by 12 ft and 4 inches deep is 1.48 cubic yards. At Wisconsin DOT's 1.85 tons per cubic yard for compacted crushed stone base, that is 2.74 US tons, or 2.49 tonnes, before any allowance.
How many tonnes of gravel do I need for 5 x 4 metres?
It depends on depth. At 100 mm deep, 5 m by 4 m is 2 m³. Using 1.85 tons per cubic yard, which is 2,195 kg per m³, that is 4.39 tonnes, or 6 bulk bags of 850 kg. By volume, Hanson says a bulk bag of 10 or 20 mm gravel covers 12 m² at 50 mm, so you would need 4 bags.
How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
Wisconsin DOT puts compacted open-graded crushed stone at 1.6 to 1.9 tons per cubic yard, or 1,898 to 2,254 kg per m³. Its research found loose ¾ inch crushed stone at 95 to 104 lb per cubic foot, about 1.28 to 1.40 tons per cubic yard. Moisture and grading change the figure.
How many bulk bags of MOT Type 1 do I need?
We have not found an official density for MOT Type 1, so enter the figure your supplier gives. For example, a 6 m by 4 m base 100 mm deep is 2.4 m³. If your supplier quotes 2.0 tonnes per m³ compacted, that is 4.8 tonnes, or 6 bags of 850 kg. Breedon lists its bulk bag at about 800 kg.
What is the difference between a ton and a tonne?
A US ton, also called a short ton, is 2,000 lb, or 907.18 kg. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 10% heavier. A UK ton, or long ton, is 2,240 lb. So 2.74 US tons of gravel is 2.49 tonnes. The calculator shows US tons and tonnes side by side.
Sources
The rates and rules in this tool come from:
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