How Much Gravel Do I Need for a Driveway?
By Nick · Updated
Multiply the driveway's length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. A 12 × 50 ft driveway at 6 inches deep needs 11.1 cubic yards of gravel, which is 13.4 to 15 tons of crushed stone. If 6 inches is the depth after compacting, order about a third more.
Work out your own drivewayKey figures
- A gravel driveway needs at least 6 inches of gravel for most conditions.
Source: University of Wisconsin–Madison, Gravel PASER Manual (2015)
- Loose crushed stone weighs 2,410 to 2,700 lb per cubic yard, or 1.21 to 1.35 tons.
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
- Spreading 8 inches of stone compacts to about 6 inches.
Source: Penn State Center for Dirt & Gravel Roads, DSA Tech Bulletin (2025)
- At 6 inches deep, one cubic yard covers 54 square feet.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
At least 6 inches of gravel for most conditions.
That figure comes from a university manual for rating gravel roads, which sets 6 inches as the minimum thickness. Soft or wet ground needs more; if your driveway ruts every spring, plan for a deeper layer.
Source: University of Wisconsin–Madison, Gravel PASER Manual (2015)
How do you work out the gravel for a driveway?
Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, and divide by 27 to turn cubic feet into cubic yards.
For a 12 × 50 ft driveway, 6 inches deep:
- Depth in feet: 6 ÷ 12 = 0.5 ft
- Volume: 12 × 50 × 0.5 = 300 cubic feet
- Cubic yards: 300 ÷ 27 = 11.11 cu yd
If the driveway is not a rectangle, split it into rectangles, triangles and circles, work out each one, and add them up. The calculator does this for you.
How many tons of gravel is that?
Multiply the cubic yards by 1.21 to 1.35 tons per yard for loose crushed stone.
Gravel is often sold by the ton. 11.11 cubic yards × 2,410 to 2,700 lb ÷ 2,000 lb per ton = 13.4 to 15 tons. Wet stone weighs more, so ask your supplier what their stone weighs per yard if you need an exact load.
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
Do you need extra gravel for compaction?
Yes. Stone settles when it is packed down, so order about a third more than the finished depth.
One published spec spreads 8 inches of stone to finish at 6 inches compacted. For the 12 × 50 ft example, a finished 6 inches means ordering for about 8: 14.8 cubic yards.
Source: Penn State Center for Dirt & Gravel Roads, DSA Tech Bulletin (2025)
How much gravel do common driveway sizes need?
At 6 inches deep, before any allowance for compaction:
| Driveway | Square feet | Cubic yards | Tons (crushed stone) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 20 ft | 200 | 3.7 | 4.5 to 5 |
| 12 × 24 ft | 288 | 5.3 | 6.4 to 7.2 |
| 12 × 50 ft | 600 | 11.1 | 13.4 to 15 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 400 | 7.4 | 8.9 to 10 |
| 20 × 50 ft | 1,000 | 18.5 | 22.3 to 25 |
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
Other questions
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?
About 0.74 to 0.83 cubic yards per ton of loose crushed stone.
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
Can I use bagged gravel for a driveway?
You can, but it adds up fast: the 12 × 50 ft example at 6 inches is 300 cubic feet, or 600 bags of 0.5 cubic feet. Bulk delivery is the usual way to buy driveway amounts.
How much area does a cubic yard of gravel cover?
27 square feet at 12 inches deep, 54 at 6 inches, 81 at 4 inches and 108 at 3 inches.
How we worked this out
Volumes are length × width × depth with exact unit conversions (NIST Handbook 44). Weights use the published loose weight of crushed stone. Every figure on this page is calculated by the same code as the gravel calculator and checked by our automated tests.
Sources
- University of Wisconsin–Madison, Gravel PASER Manual (2015)
- Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014)
- Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
- Penn State Center for Dirt & Gravel Roads, DSA Tech Bulletin (2025)
- NIST Handbook 44 (2024), Appendix C