Gravel Calculator
Cubic yards, tons, and bags for driveways, paths, and beds — with the area drawn to scale.
Your estimate
You'll need 5 cubic yards — about 6.85 tons, roughly $325.
360 sq ft at 4 in deep · or 265 bags at 0.5 cu ft each
Area size
Gravel details
Paths 2–3 in · driveways 4–6 in
Subtract beds, pads & obstacles
No openings yet. Add each door or window and its area comes out of the total.
Waste & cost
10% is standard
Your gravel area drawn to scale at the depth you selected.
The breakdown
- Cubic yards to order
- 5 cu yd
- Tons
- 6.85 t
- Total area
- 360 sq ft
- Areas subtracted
- −0 sq ft
- Net area to cover
- 360 sq ft
- Depth
- 4 in
- Raw volume
- 4.444 cu yd
- Waste overage (10%)
- 0.45 cu yd
- Bagged equivalent
- 265 bags
- Estimated cost
- $325
Where to buy
Hand-picked search links for the materials on your list. As an Amazon Associate, ProjectMath earns from qualifying purchases.
Prices and availability are set by the retailer and change often. Always confirm the exact product size matches what this calculator assumed.
How this is calculated
Bulk material is priced by volume, not area, so depth is the whole ballgame. Everything converts through cubic yards, which is 27 cubic feet.
- cubic feet = area × (depth in inches ÷ 12)
- cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
- tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.4 (typical crushed stone density)
- bags = ceil(cubic feet ÷ cubic feet per bag)
Two to three inches is normal for a walkway or top-up; four inches or more for a driveway base that will carry vehicles.
- 1Measure the surfaceMeasure the width and height (or length) of the area in feet, inches, or meters and enter them in the calculator.
- 2Choose a depth2 inches suits a top-up, 3 to 4 inches a path or garden bed, and 4 to 6 inches a driveway base layer.
- 3Convert to yards and tonsThe calculator converts area and depth to cubic yards, then to tons using the density of your gravel type.
- 4Read the shopping listThe calculator rounds up to whole units to buy and multiplies by your price per unit for an estimated total. Copy or print the plan and take it to the store.
Common questions
How much gravel do I need?
Multiply area in square feet by depth in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. This calculator also converts to tons and bags.
How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?
Roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard for typical dry crushed stone. Wet or dense material can reach 1.5 tons.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
4 to 6 inches over a compacted base. Paths and garden beds are fine at 2 to 3 inches.
Is bulk gravel cheaper than bags?
Almost always, once you pass about half a cubic yard. Bags make sense for small repairs and spots a truck cannot reach.