Landscaping
Gravel Calculator
Work out gravel volume and weight from area, depth and the material's density.
Result
Gravel compacts by roughly 20% when rolled, so the loose volume you order exceeds the finished depth. The waste allowance here covers part of that, increase it for a properly compacted base.
Get a Free Business AuditWhat moves the number
- Depth, which for a trafficked surface is greater than for a decorative bed.
- Material density, since gravel is frequently sold by weight and calculated by volume.
- Whether a sub-base is needed underneath, which is a separate quantity.
Where this one goes wrong
Calculating volume and ordering by weight without converting. Aggregate is commonly sold by the ton and laid by the cubic yard, and the conversion depends on the specific material's density rather than a single figure.
Before you quote
- Whether the area will carry vehicles, which changes depth and sub-base entirely.
- Whether edging is needed to retain the gravel.
- Whether a membrane is going underneath.
Questions
About this calculator
How do I convert volume to tons?
With the specific material's density, which the supplier can give you. Different aggregates differ enough that a general conversion produces a meaningful error on a large order.
How deep should gravel be?
Deeper for anything driven on than for a decorative bed, and over a proper sub-base if vehicles are involved. Gravel laid thin on soft ground disappears into it.
Is a membrane worth it?
Under a decorative gravel bed it slows weeds and stops the gravel migrating into the soil. Under a trafficked surface a geotextile has a structural role and is a different product.
The formula
cubic yards = length × width × (depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27
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How to use this calculator
- Length (ft) (ft). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 60 ft.
- Width (ft) (ft). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 12 ft.
- Depth (inches) (in). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 4 in.
- Waste / compaction allowance (%). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 10%.
- Cost per cubic yard delivered ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $52.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to cubic yards needed, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Length (ft) | 60 ft |
| Width (ft) | 12 ft |
| Depth (inches) | 4 in |
| Waste / compaction allowance | 10% |
| Cost per cubic yard delivered | $52 |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Cubic yards needed main result | 9.8 |
| Cubic feet | 264.0 |
| Approximate tons | 13.7 |
| Estimated cost | $508.44 |
You need about 9.8 cubic yards (13.7 tons), costing roughly $508.44 delivered.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only cost per cubic yard delivered, this is what happens to cubic yards needed. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Cost per cubic yard delivered ($) | Cubic yards needed |
|---|---|
| $26 | 9.8 |
| $39 | 9.8 |
| $52 example above | 9.8 |
| $78 | 9.8 |
| $104 | 9.8 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Length (ft) (ft)
- Measured in ft, starting at 60 ft.
- Width (ft) (ft)
- Measured in ft, starting at 12 ft.
- Depth (inches) (in)
- Measured in in, starting at 4 in.
- Waste / compaction allowance (%)
- A percentage, between 0 and 60, starting at 10%.
- Cost per cubic yard delivered ($)
- A money amount, starting at $52.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Cubic yards needed | The headline result. A decimal figure. |
| Cubic feet | A decimal figure. |
| Approximate tons | A decimal figure. |
| Estimated cost | A money figure. |
Seasonality is not in this
Coverage and material figures assume the area you enter. Slope, access for machinery, existing growth and the time of year all affect both quantity and labour, and none of them appear in a calculation like this.
Keep going
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Open calculatorEstimating is the easy part
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