Free and simple, type the length, width and depth of your driveway, path or garden bed and get cubic yards, tons and the number of bags right away. The answer already includes 10% extra, because gravel settles and spreads thin in low spots. No sign-up, no email.
Step 1: Measure your area: length and width in feet.
Step 2: Choose a depth in inches. A garden path or bed is usually 2–3 inches. A driveway base is usually 4–6 inches.
Step 3: Press Calculate. You get the exact amount, plus the amount to actually order with 10% extra, in cubic yards, tons and bags.
Gravel (cubic feet) = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (ft)
Depth is in inches, so divide it by 12 first. Example: 3 inches ÷ 12 = 0.25 feet.
Example: a 20 × 10 path, 3 inches deep.
20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 cubic feet = 1.85 cubic yards (divide cubic feet by 27).
Yards to tons: gravel is often sold by the ton, not by the yard. One cubic yard of normal gravel weighs about 1.4 tons (about 2,800 lb). So: Tons = Cubic Yards × 1.4. The exact weight changes a little with the type of stone and how wet it is, your supplier's number wins if they give you one.
Bag guide: most store bags hold 0.5 cubic feet. One cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 54 bags. Bags are fine for a small bed; for a driveway, bulk delivery by the ton is much cheaper.
| Job | Size & Depth | Cubic Yards to Order | Tons to Order | 0.5 cu ft Bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small garden path | 10 × 3 ft, 3 in deep | 0.31 yd³ | 0.43 tons | 17 bags |
| Garden bed / patio base | 10 × 10 ft, 3 in deep | 1.02 yd³ | 1.43 tons | 55 bags |
| Long path | 20 × 10 ft, 3 in deep | 2.04 yd³ | 2.85 tons | 110 bags |
| One-car driveway | 12 × 20 ft, 4 in deep | 3.26 yd³ | 4.56 tons | 176 bags |
Coverage reminder: one cubic yard covers about 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep, 108 sq ft at 3 inches, or 81 sq ft at 4 inches.
1. Mixing up yards and tons. This is the biggest one. A yard and a ton are not the same, 1 cubic yard of gravel is about 1.4 tons. If you order tons using the yard number, you will get about a third too little.
2. Forgetting that gravel settles. Loose gravel compacts under feet and car tyres, and low spots eat extra. This calculator already adds 10% to the order amount.
3. Making a driveway too thin. A thin layer over soft ground quickly gets ruts. Driveways usually need 4–6 inches in total, often in two layers.
4. Buying bags for a big job. A one-car driveway needs about 176 bags. Bulk delivery by the ton is far cheaper and far less carrying at that size.
At 3 inches deep: 0.93 cubic yards exact, or 1.02 cubic yards (about 1.43 tons) with 10% extra. In store bags, that is about 55 bags of 0.5 cubic feet.
About 1.4 tons for normal gravel (about 2,800 lb). Pea gravel is a little lighter, some crushed stone a little heavier, and wet gravel is heavier than dry.
2–3 inches for paths and garden beds, 4–6 inches for a driveway base. This is a general guide, soft ground may need more.
Under about half a cubic yard, bags are simple. Above that, bulk delivery by the ton is usually much cheaper per yard, even with a delivery fee.
Gravel settles, spreads, and fills low spots you cannot see. Ordering 10% extra is the normal way to avoid a thin patch and a second delivery.