How to measure the area
Measure in feet and pick the shape closest to your area. For a rectangle, measure length and width. For a circle such as a fire-pit pad or tree ring, measure straight across through the center. For a triangle, measure one side as the base and the perpendicular distance from that side to the opposite corner as the height, not the length of a sloped side. Odd shapes can be broken into these pieces and the results added together; the square footage calculator helps with more complex layouts.
Measure depth after any excavation and before the gravel goes in. If the ground is uneven, take several depth readings and use the average.
Worked example: a 10 × 10 ft area, 3 in deep
With the defaults (crushed stone, 10% extra, priced per ton):
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 10 × 10 | 100 sq ft |
| Volume | 100 × 3 in ÷ 12 | 25 cu ft |
| Add 10% | 25 × 1.10 | 27.5 cu ft (1.02 cu yd) |
| Weight | 1.02 cu yd × 1.4 tons | 1.43 tons |
| Bags | 27.5 ÷ 0.5 cu ft | 55 bags |
| Bulk cost | 1.43 tons × $30 | $42.78 + delivery |
| Bagged cost | 55 × $6.50 | $357.50 |
The bag price here is an editorial estimate. Even so, the gap is large: bags often cost several times as much per cubic yard as bulk stone. A delivery fee narrows that gap, which is why the calculator lets you enter one.
Choosing a depth
The scenario table recalculates for 2, 3, 4 and 6 in. For the same 100 sq ft with 10% extra:
| Depth | Volume | Weight | 0.5 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 0.68 cu yd | 0.95 tons | 37 |
| 3 in | 1.02 cu yd | 1.43 tons | 55 |
| 4 in | 1.36 cu yd | 1.90 tons | 74 |
| 6 in | 2.04 cu yd | 2.85 tons | 110 |
Volume scales directly with depth, so going from 3 in to 6 in doubles the order. Decide depth by use: a decorative bed or path needs less than a surface that carries vehicles.
Crushed stone vs pea gravel
Crushed stone has angular faces that lock together when compacted. It stays put on paths and driveways and makes a firm base under pavers or sheds. Pea gravel is small and rounded, comfortable underfoot and good for play areas and drainage, but it rolls and migrates. It needs a solid edge to stay in place and is a poor choice on slopes or anywhere you want a firm surface.
Both are taken at about 1.4 tons per cubic yard here, with a published range of roughly 1.3–1.5. In the 2026 price data, bulk pea gravel runs $30–$55 per ton against $10–$50 for crushed stone.
Ordering tips
- Ask the supplier whether they sell by the ton or the cubic yard, and set the price basis to match. The calculator gives both.
- Ask about minimum delivery quantities. Some yards will load a pickup truck for small orders, which avoids the delivery charge.
- Have the load dumped as close to the work area as possible, on a tarp if it lands on a lawn. Moving 1.4 tons by wheelbarrow takes dozens of trips.
- Put down landscape fabric under decorative gravel to slow weeds and keep stone from sinking into soil.
What’s not included
Excavation, edging, landscape fabric, compaction equipment and delivery (unless you enter a fee). If the gravel is a base for a patio, the paver patio calculator adds bedding sand, pavers and edging. For planting beds, use the mulch calculator.
How this calculator works
- Area: rectangle = length × width; circle = π × (diameter ÷ 2)²; triangle = ½ × base × height.
- Volume = area × depth ÷ 12 × (1 + extra%), converted to cubic yards by dividing by 27.
- Tons = cubic yards × density. Bags = volume in cu ft ÷ 0.5, rounded up.
- Bulk cost = tons or cubic yards × your price + delivery; bag cost = bags × bag price.
Assumptions and limitations
- Crushed stone and pea gravel are both taken at 1.4 tons per cubic yard (typical of the published 1.3–1.5 range). Wet or very fine material weighs more.
- Bulk prices default to the midpoint of national 2026 ranges and exclude delivery unless you enter a fee.
- Bagged gravel is assumed to come in 0.5 cu ft bags at an editorial estimate of $5–$8 per bag.
- The extra percentage covers compaction, uneven subgrade and spillage; it is not a precise compaction factor.
These results are planning estimates, not quotes. Local prices, site conditions and building codes vary, so get written estimates from licensed contractors before you commit to a budget.
Try your own numbers. Every price and assumption above is editable in the estimator.
Back to the gravel estimatorFrequently asked questions
How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?
How many 0.5 cu ft bags make a cubic yard?
How deep should gravel be for a path or driveway?
Sources and data
Prices are US national ranges reviewed October 2026 (data version 2026.10). A few values are editorial estimates where no single published source exists; the Cost Index marks each one. Read our methodology and editorial policy.