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Bag size, density and extra for compaction
Densities vary by quarry and moisture, so use your supplier's figure if they give one. Add about 10% extra for base you'll compact.
Gravel you need
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- Volume–
- Bulk order (rounded up to ½ ton)–
- Or buy bags–
Estimate only. Weight per yard varies by supplier and moisture; the density used is shown above.
Bulk or bags: what it costs
Default prices are typical US prices for common gravel, checked October 2026. They are not quotes: change them to your supplier's prices. Decorative rock costs more.
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How the gravel calculator works
Area in square feet × depth in inches ÷ 12 gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. Stone is often sold by the ton, so the calculator multiplies the yards by the material's weight per cubic yard. For example, 100 sq ft at 3 inches is 25 cu ft, or 0.93 cubic yards, which is about 1.25 tons of gravel at 1.35 tons per yard.
Bags are sold by volume, so the bag count is cubic feet divided by the bag size, rounded up. Most bagged gravel and sand comes in 0.5 cu ft bags of about 50 lb.
Densities used
| Material | Tons per yd³ | Source |
|---|
Loose, dry figures. Sources: the Aggregate Markets material density table; crusher run is the middle of the 1.3–1.5 tons per yard range suppliers give for base with fines. Wet material can weigh 10–15% more.
How many tons are in a yard of gravel?
Usually about 1.3 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard for loose, dry gravel, crushed stone or sand. Wet material and stone with lots of fines weigh more, so ask your supplier for the figure they load by.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
At 1.35 tons per cubic yard, one ton is about 20 cubic feet. That covers roughly 80 sq ft at 3 inches deep, or 120 sq ft at 2 inches.
How many bags of gravel make a ton?
About 40 bags of 0.5 cu ft, since a ton of gravel is roughly 20 cubic feet.
How deep should gravel be?
About 2 to 3 inches for a pea gravel path or decorative bed; deeper and it's hard to walk on. Under pavers or a shed, use at least 4 inches of compacted base. Driveways are built in layers: see the driveway gravel calculator.