How much does a ton of gravel cover?
| Depth | 1 ton covers | Tons per 100 sq ft | Cubic yards per 100 sq ft | 50 lb bags per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 120 sq ft | 0.83 | 0.62 | 34 |
| 3 in | 80 sq ft | 1.25 | 0.93 | 50 |
| 4 in | 60 sq ft | 1.67 | 1.23 | 67 |
| 6 in | 40 sq ft | 2.50 | 1.85 | 100 |
These use 1.35 tons per cubic yard (100 lb per cubic foot) and no extra. At that weight one ton is 20 cubic feet, so it covers 240 square feet divided by the depth in inches. Heavier stone covers less: at 1.5 tons per yard, a ton covers 10% less area.
Common jobs
| Job | Depth | Cubic yards | Tons (at 1.35) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Path, 3 × 30 ft | 3 in | 0.83 | 1.13 |
| Patio base, 10 × 10 ft | 4 in | 1.23 | 1.67 |
| Parking pad, 10 × 20 ft | 4 in | 2.47 | 3.33 |
| Driveway, 12 × 50 ft | 4 in | 7.41 | 10.00 |
| Driveway, 12 × 50 ft | 6 in | 11.11 | 15.00 |
Laying pavers on that base? The paver calculator adds the pavers and bedding sand. Volumes are before any extra for compaction. The depths are examples, not recommendations: a driveway's base depends on your soil, climate, and traffic, so follow your supplier's or local contractor's advice for structural jobs.
How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
It depends on the rock, the size and mix of the pieces, how wet it is, and how tightly it's packed, so there's no single right number. Two reference points:
- Bagged gravel: a 50 lb bag of QUIKRETE All-Purpose Gravel (No. 1151, about 3/8 inch stone) is sold as 0.5 cubic feet. That's 100 lb per cubic foot, or 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) per cubic yard. This calculator uses it as the default.
- Normal-weight aggregate in general: a Penn State civil engineering course table (after Mindess) puts the dry-rodded unit weight of normal-weight concrete aggregates at 1,100 to 1,750 kg per cubic meter, which is about 0.93 to 1.47 tons per cubic yard. Dry-rodded means compacted in a test container; loose stone in a truck weighs less per yard.
Suppliers often bill by the ton, which is weight, while your project is a volume. That's why the supplier's own figure for the product you're buying matters most: if they say a yard of their #57 stone weighs 1.4 tons, enter 1.4.
How the calculator works
Volume is area × depth, with the depth converted from inches to feet. The default 20 × 10 ft area is 200 square feet; at 4 inches that's 200 × 4 ÷ 12 = 66.7 cubic feet. Adding 10% gives 73.3 cubic feet, or 2.72 cubic yards (÷ 27). At 1.35 tons per yard that's 3.67 tons (7,333 lb), or 147 bags of 0.5 cubic feet, rounded up. For a circle, the area is π × radius².
The extra percentage is a judgment call, not a standard. Loose gravel settles when it's raked, driven on, or run over with a plate compactor, and the ground is rarely perfectly flat, so ordering a little more than the bare volume avoids a second delivery. Set it to 0 to see the bare volume.
Bags or bulk?
One cubic yard is 54 bags of 0.5 cubic feet, about 1.35 tons of 50 lb bags. Bags make sense for a small path or a few post bases; for a parking pad or driveway, bulk delivery by the ton is usually far cheaper and saves carrying dozens of bags, but there's often a delivery fee and a minimum load. Compare the total price for your amount.
FAQ
How many tons of gravel do I need for a 10 × 20 area?
At 4 inches deep, 10 × 20 ft is 66.7 cubic feet = 2.47 cubic yards, or 3.33 tons at 1.35 tons per yard. With 10% extra, order about 3.7 tons.
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?
About 0.74 cubic yards (20 cubic feet) at 1.35 tons per yard. Divide 1 by your supplier's tons-per-yard figure: at 1.5 tons per yard, a ton is 0.67 cubic yards.
How many 50 lb bags of gravel are in a yard?
54 bags, if each bag is 0.5 cubic feet (27 ÷ 0.5). Check the volume printed on the bag; it's the number that counts.
Does this work for sand, pea gravel, or river rock?
Yes. The volume math is the same for anything spread to a depth. Only the weight per yard changes, so enter your supplier's figure for tons.
Sources: QUIKRETE, Sand & Gravel Products data sheet (No. 1151: 50 lb bags, about 3/8 in top size); bag volume as listed by retailers, for example Do it Best: Quikrete 0.5 Cu. Ft. 50 Lb. All-Purpose Gravel; Penn State CE 584, Classification of Aggregates, table 1.