Gravel calculator.
Estimate gravel, crushed stone or aggregate in cubic yards, US tons and metric tonnes across one or several measured areas.
Your inputs
Measurement schematic, not to scale. Use your own dimensions and product specification.
Use measurements from your plan and properties from your chosen product. Any prefilled values are illustrative.
A clear estimate starts here.
Enter your dimensions and product details to see the quantity and purchase breakdown.
How to use this gravel calculator
Use this gravel tonnage calculator for a measured layer of gravel, stone or aggregate. The footprint and depth determine volume; your supplier density determines weight. US short tons and metric tonnes are labelled separately.
- Measure one rectangle or enter several non-overlapping sections, each with its specified depth.
- Use density for the exact supplier material and the same volume basis as your measurements.
- Enter your chosen allowance, then subtract usable compatible stock already available.
- If purchasing by bulk volume increments, enter the supplier increment. Read volume and weight separately before comparing supplier quotes.
Formula and assumptions
How this calculation works.
Sum non-overlapping measured areas at their own specified depths. Apply your allowance once, subtract compatible usable stock, and optionally round the remaining bulk volume to the supplier increment. Multiply by your supplier density to estimate mass. Density must refer to the same loose or installed volume basis as your inputs; this calculation does not select a base depth or compaction specification.
A worked example
Illustrative inputs only. Product properties and design dimensions are not recommendations for your project.
- Measure
- One rectangular section
- Length
- 4 m
- Width
- 5 m
- Layer depth
- 100 mm
- Bulk density
- 1,600 kg/m³
- Waste allowance
- 10 %
- Area to exclude
- 0 m²
- Usable gravel already available
- 0 m³
- Supplier volume order increment
- 0 m³
Gravel volume to purchase: 2.2 m³
Volume, weight and supplier rounding answer different questions
Geometry produces volume. Weight depends on your supplier’s density for the selected material; the name “gravel” alone does not establish that density.
- Use the depth already specified for your job; this tool does not choose a structural base.
- Confirm whether the supplier quotes mass or volume. Density varies with product and condition.
- Subtract existing stock only when it is usable for the same material task. Review delivery increments separately.
What changes when one measurement changes?
Using the worked example above, change only layer depth from 100 to 150mm. Product specifications and all other inputs stay the same.
Gravel volume to purchase: 2.2 → 3.3m³
Both results are computed by the same current calculator engine. These are illustrative dimensions, not material or design recommendations.
Calculation version and responsibility
Formula version: 2. Input schema: 2. Output schema: 2. Material data: user-supplied. Safety text: 1.
The method uses your dimensions and supplied product properties. Software tests check arithmetic examples and validation; this does not establish professional review of a design. Read the calculation policy.
Before you purchase
Use dimensions from your plan and properties from your chosen product. Any design spacing, section or fixing pattern must already be specified.
Sections must not overlap. Excluded area is deducted within each section before multiplying by thickness or counting identical sections.
Method: dimensional arithmetic and user-supplied specifications. Software checks: 2026-10-04. Calculation and review policy.
A US unit example
A 10 ft × 20 ft area at a specified 3 in depth needs 50 ft³ = 1.8519 yd³ before allowance. At an illustrative supplier density of 100 lb/ft³, it weighs 5,000 lb = 2.5 US short tons, approximately 2.268 metric tonnes. The density and depth in this example are not material defaults.
Common questions
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
There is no fixed mass for every gravel. Multiply one cubic yard by your supplier density, then divide pounds by 2,000 for US short tons or kilograms by 1,000 for metric tonnes.
Can I use this for pea gravel or crushed stone?
Yes, when you provide the applicable density and already specified layer depth. Stone, gravel and aggregate names do not create different volume formulas.
Does the allowance predict compaction?
The allowance is supplied by you. This tool does not model compaction or select a finished layer specification. Check that loose and installed volume data are not mixed.