Gravel Calculator
Estimate gravel volume, weight, bags, and total cost for driveways, paths, drainage, and landscaping. Supports rectangular, circular, and ring-shaped areas in imperial or metric.
Area & gravel setup
Shape
Dimensions
Common depth: 2–4 in (5–10 cm) for paths, 4–6 in (10–15 cm) for driveways, 2 in (5 cm) for drainage layers.
Bag & pricing
Visual preview & breakdown
Plan area: 200 ft² · Depth: 2 in
Buying guide
- Bulk is cheaper: For more than ~1 yd³, ordering by the ton usually beats bagged.
- Add 5–10% waste: Gravel compacts, settles into base, and spills off the edges.
- Driveways: Aim for 4–6 in (10–15 cm) total depth, often in two layers — base + top.
- Paths and patios: 2–3 in (5–8 cm) over a compacted base is typical.
- Check delivery minimums: Some yards have a 1-tonne or 1-yard minimum order.
Good to know
Gravel densities vary by stone type, moisture, and how tightly it's packed. The presets are typical averages — check the yard's spec sheet for the most accurate weight per volume.
About the Gravel Calculator
The Gravel Calculator helps you estimate how much gravel you need for any project — driveways, garden paths, drainage trenches, French drains, fire pits, dog runs, or decorative borders. Enter the shape and dimensions of the area, pick a gravel type, and it returns the volume, weight, number of bags, and total cost.
It supports three shapes — rectangles (most patios and driveways), circles (fire pits and tree wells), and rings (round garden beds with a centre feature) — and switches cleanly between imperial (cubic yards, tons, gallons) and metric (cubic metres, tonnes, litres).
How to Use the Gravel Calculator
- Pick your unit. Switch between feet/inches or metres/cm.
- Choose a shape. Rectangle for most paths and patios, Circle for fire pits, Ring for ring-shaped beds.
- Enter the dimensions. Length, width, and depth — or diameter for circles. Depth is in inches or centimetres because gravel layers are usually shallow.
- Pick the gravel type. Tap a chip (pea, river rock, crushed, decorative, sand mix, quartzite) or type a custom density in lb/ft³ or kg/m³.
- Add waste %. 5–10% covers normal spill and compaction.
- Set bag size and pricing. Both bag and bulk prices update side-by-side so you can pick the cheaper option.
- Read the results. The volume, weight, bag count, and cost all update live as you change inputs.
Common Use Cases
Gravel driveway
Rectangle, 50 × 12 ft, 4 in deep, crushed stone — works out to about 7.4 yd³ and 10 tons.
Garden path
Rectangle, 20 × 3 ft, 2 in deep, pea gravel — about 0.4 yd³, easily handled in bags.
Fire pit base
Circle, 6 ft diameter, 4 in deep — a clean ring of crushed stone makes a stable, drainable base.
Ring around a tree
Ring, outer 14 ft / inner 6 ft, 3 in deep, decorative gravel — clean look with minimal weeding.
French drain
Long rectangle, 3 × 1 ft, 12 in deep, washed crushed stone — also pairs well with a perforated pipe.
Shed or playhouse pad
Rectangle, 10 × 8 ft, 4 in deep, crushed stone — gives a level, drainable base under pavers or a foundation grid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much gravel do I need per square foot?
It depends on depth. At 2 inches deep, 1 ft² needs about 0.17 ft³ of gravel (≈ 17 lb). At 4 inches, it doubles to 0.33 ft³ (≈ 33 lb). Use the calculator to skip the maths.
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
Roughly 1.3–1.4 tons per cubic yard for most landscape gravel (crushed stone, pea, river rock). Heavier stones like quartzite can reach 2 tons per yard.
How deep should gravel be?
Driveways: 4–6 inches (10–15 cm), often in two layers. Paths and patios: 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) over a compacted base. Drainage: 4–12 inches depending on flow. Decorative top dressing: 1–2 inches.
Bags or bulk — which is cheaper?
For small jobs under ~1 yd³, bags are practical and not much more expensive. For anything bigger, bulk delivery (cubic yard or tonne) is usually 40–60% cheaper per unit. The calculator shows both side-by-side.
Why is there a waste / compaction percentage?
Gravel settles and compacts after spreading, especially under traffic. Adding 5–10% means you won't be short at the end. For driveways with heavy compaction, use 10–15%.
What's the difference between pea gravel, crushed stone, and river rock?
Pea gravel is small, smooth, and round — easy on bare feet, but rolls under load. Crushed stone has sharp edges that lock together — best for driveways and patios. River rock is larger and decorative, but doesn't compact well.
Does this support metric?
Yes — toggle the unit switch at the top. Densities switch to kg/m³, bags switch to 20 kg / 25 kg / 1-tonne bulk, and results display in cubic metres and tonnes.