How Gravel Is Measured and Sold
Volume = length × width × depth; weight = volume × density.Bulk gravel is sold by the ton (sometimes by the cubic yard), bagged rock by the 0.5 cu ft bag, and the two never line up with the measurements in your head — a 12 × 25 ft driveway at 4 inches is 3.7 cubic yards but about 5 tons of crushed stone. Densities vary by stone and moisture; the calculator uses typical values (90–100 lb/cu ft) and your supplier’s number should get the final word on the order.
How Deep Should Gravel Be?
2 inches refreshes a decorative layer; 3–4 inches is the walkway and patio standard — enough to stay put under foot traffic on landscape fabric; 4–6+ inches supports driveways, ideally as two compacted lifts of #57 crushed stone over a compacted base. Angular crushed stone locks together under compaction; rounded pea gravel and river rock drift and are better where nothing has to bear weight. For the sibling material projects, the mulch calculator covers beds and the concrete calculator covers slabs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
A ton of typical crushed stone is about 20 cubic feet (2,000 lb ÷ 100 lb/cu ft). Spread 2 inches deep, that covers roughly 120 square feet; at the 4-inch driveway standard, about 60 square feet. Multiply your square footage by depth in feet and divide by 20 to estimate tons directly.
Do I need landscape fabric under gravel?
For paths, patios, and driveways, yes — fabric suppresses weeds and stops stone from sinking into soft soil over time. Use a heavy-duty woven or non-woven geotextile (not thin plastic sheeting, which traps water and tears). Skip fabric only under concrete slabs, where the base and pour do the work.
Pea gravel or crushed stone for a driveway?
Crushed stone — angular #57 locks together under compaction and holds ruts at bay. Pea gravel's rounded pieces roll, rut, and migrate into the yard with every turn of a tire; it belongs in beds, walkways where bare feet happen, and decorative borders, not under cars. For driveways: compacted base, then #57 in two 2–3 inch lifts.