Gravel Calculator
How much gravel to order, in tons or bags, for the stone you picked, with compaction counted if the layer gets packed down.
Why our numbers are more realistic
Most gravel calculators we checked use one fixed weight per stone and add nothing for compaction or waste. Here's what changes:
| Typical calculator | This calculator | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Volume only, or one fixed weight per stone with no range | Tons for the stone you chose, rounded up to 0.1, with a range of about ±7% | Suppliers sell by weight, and weight varies by stone, quarry and moisture. Calculators we reviewed put #57 stone anywhere from 1.2 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard; on 400 sq ft at 4 in, that spread is more than a ton. |
| No compaction, or an optional field | Adds 20% for crusher run and 10% for clean stone when the layer is compacted, and 20% for decomposed granite on every use | Stone delivered loose packs down when it's compacted, so a compacted layer takes more stone than its depth times its area. Leave that out and a driveway or paver base comes up short. |
| A paver base sized to the patio only | Digs the base 6 in past the pavers on every side | Paver makers' installation guides call for the base to run 6 to 8 in past the edge of the pavers, so the border pavers and edging sit on solid base. On a 12 × 12 ft patio that's about 17% more stone. |
| Exact volume, nothing extra | Adds 10% on paths and loose cover, 5% on a compacted base | Stone never spreads perfectly even, and some is lost at the edges and pressed into the soil. |
How this works
Cubic yards = area × depth (in inches ÷ 12) ÷ 27, then × (1 + compaction) × (1 + extra). Tons = cubic yards × the stone's weight, rounded up to 0.1 ton.
- Paver base: dug 6 in past the pavers on every side (8 in for bases over 6 in), like the paver calculator. With only a total area, we assume a square.
- Weight per cubic yard, loose: crusher run 1.45 tons (a state highway manual: 1.43 to 1.48 dry), #57 stone 1.4, pea gravel 1.4, river rock 1.4. Crusher run is best sourced; the others come from a lab report and trade figures, so mind the range. Wet stone weighs more, so ask your supplier for their figure.
- Decomposed granite: it's laid damp and packed down even on a path, so it always gets 20% for compaction, the low end of the 20 to 30% trail builders add. Depths follow the DG maker we checked: 3 in compacted for foot traffic, 4 in for vehicles, over 4 to 6 in of compacted road base. Weight varies; we use a DG supplier's 1.4 tons per cubic yard, so ask your yard for theirs.
- Compaction, for driveway and paver bases: 20% for crusher run, 10% for clean stone. Highway figures show compacted crushed stone weighing 25 to 30% more per cubic yard than loose; a hand-compacted home job packs less, so we use a lower figure. The evidence is for crushed stone, so treat the 10% as rough for pea gravel and river rock.
- Extra: 10% for loose paths and decorative cover, 5% on top of compaction for a base. No one publishes a figure for this, so it's a planning allowance for stone lost at the edges, pressed into the soil or spread unevenly. A base gets less because the compaction allowance already gives it a margin.
- Landscape fabric: it covers the area plus the stone's depth turned up at each edge, in strips the width of the roll. Seams overlap 6 in under a path or bed and 12 in under a driveway or base (geotextile guidance gives 12 to 18 in on firm ground, 2 to 3 ft on soft). Each strip is cut from a whole roll, so a short leftover is scrap.
- Steel edging: 10 ft pieces, rounded up, with 4 stakes each, the high end of the 3 to 4 most come with. With length and width, we edge the whole outline unless you enter a length.
- Bags: every bagged pea gravel, river rock, all-purpose gravel and paver base we found holds 0.5 cu ft and weighs 40 to 50 lb, depending on the brand. So we count bags from the volume, not the weight: cubic feet ÷ 0.5, rounded up. That's about 3 sq ft per bag at 2 in. Bags aren't sold as #57 or crusher run; the nearest are all-purpose or drainage gravel and paver base.
Common questions
Is 6 in enough under pavers?
For a patio or walkway on most soils, yes. Under a driveway, or on clay where the ground freezes, go deeper. The paver calculator sets the base depth from your soil and winters (up to 12 in for a driveway) and adds the bedding sand, pavers and edging.
How many cubic yards in a ton of gravel?
About 0.7. Crushed stone weighs roughly 1.4 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard loose, so a ton fills about two-thirds of a yard.
Do I need landscape fabric under gravel?
Not always. Under a path or a driveway it helps keep the stone from pushing down into the soil, which matters most on soft or clay ground. For weeds, it only slows them: university guidance suggests it isn't a long-term fix, because leaves and dirt collect on top and weeds root there. Lay it on the soil, then the stone, and rake the stone clean now and then.
Is pea gravel or crusher run better under pavers?
Crusher run or #57 stone. Angular stone locks together when it's compacted; rounded pea gravel and river rock shift under load (our guidance). Pea gravel and river rock are fine on top, for a path or decorative cover.
What this doesn't cover
- Plastic edging, which comes in rolls (often 20 ft) with its own stakes, and edging for a paver base, which the paver calculator counts.
- Bases for heavy trucks or RVs, which usually need 8 to 12 in and depend on your soil. Ask a pro or follow your local rules.
- Delivery fees, minimum loads, and truck sizes.
- Slopes, which need extra on the low side.
Sources
- Washington State DOT Design Manual M 22-01, Exhibit 620-1: weights of crushed surfacing, loose and compacted.
- Federal Highway Administration lab report on No. 57 stone: loose and rodded unit weight.
- ToolGrit, aggregate compaction and ordering: trade guidance on compaction and overage.
- Belgard installation guidelines: base running 6 to 8 in past the edge of the pavers.
- Geosynthetics magazine Techline: fabric seam overlaps of 12 to 18 in on firm ground and 24 to 36 in on soft.
- Kafka Granite, Standard Pathway Mix installation: decomposed granite 3 in compacted for foot traffic and 4 in for vehicles, over compacted road base.
- American Trails, building trails with crusher fines: add 20 to 30% for compaction, and about 1 ton per cubic yard before compaction.
- Earth Stone Rock, how much decomposed granite: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
- Lawn Love, how to build a gravel path: fabric overlaps, and edging set about ½ in above the stone.
- Patuxent Nursery, steel edging: 10 ft × 4 in pieces sold with stakes.
- CalculatorSoup gravel calculator, Eartheasy and InvoiceOwl: the weights these calculators use for the comparison.
Numbers last reviewed: October 9, 2026.