How much gravel do I need?
Turn area and depth into cubic yards first, then add waste and check how the supplier rounds bulk stone.
Area, depth, and the ÷27 step
Gravel orders start with a flat area and a depth. Measure the length and width of the path, patio base, or driveway section you are filling. Multiply length times width for square feet, or enter a single area if you already measured with a wheel.
Depth is almost always in inches on residential jobs. Four to six inches is a common rule of thumb for a compacted base under pavers or a firm path—it is experience, not a structural pavement design. Enter the inches you plan to place, not the loose pile height before compaction.
Convert to cubic yards with one chain: area × depth ÷ 12 gives cubic feet; cubic feet ÷ 27 gives cubic yards. Waste sits on top of that net volume so cuts, uneven subgrade, and spill are covered.
Worked example from the gravel calculator
A 20 ft by 10 ft area at 4 in deep, with 5% waste and dry crushed stone at 105 lb/ft³, needs 2.59 yd³ to buy (70.00 ft³). That is about 3.68 US tons and 140 bags at 0.5 ft³ each. Many suppliers round bulk orders to the next 0.5 yd³, which would be 3.00 yd³ on this job.
Open the gravel calculator with the same numbers to change waste, switch between bags and bulk, or adjust density.
Half-yard rounding and bags
Bulk crushed stone often sells in 0.5 yd³ steps. The shopping list shows the calculated buy volume and, for bulk, the next half yard the supplier would charge. Bagged path stone is usually sold in 0.5 ft³ bags; the bag count rounds up so you do not come up one bag short.
Compacted base under pavers
When you size a paver patio, the base course is still gravel by volume. The paver calculator sends base area and depth to the same gravel engine with a higher waste allowance for compaction.
A compacted paver base course at 221 ft², 4 in deep, with 20% waste for compaction and trimming, buys 3.27 yd³ in the same engine as the gravel calculator. That is the V17 example from the paver base link—not a pavement design thickness.
That 20% waste is a planning allowance (Y-21 on the methodology page), not a pass/fail compaction test.
This guide explains the measurement the calculators use. It is not a design review or a soil report.
Use it on a calculator
FAQ
How do I get from square feet to cubic yards?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches, divide by 12 to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. The gravel calculator does that chain for you and adds waste on top. A 20 by 10 ft patch at 4 in deep is the V1 example on this page.
Why do suppliers talk about half-yard steps?
Many yards sell bulk crushed stone in 0.5 yd³ increments. The calculator shows both the math volume and a bulk line rounded up to the next half yard when you choose bulk. Bagged stone is counted separately at the bag size you enter, often 0.5 ft³ per bag on paths.
Is 105 lb per cubic foot the right weight?
Dry crushed stone is modeled at 105 lb/ft³ on this site, matching the ToolBox dry gravel figure used in the methodology table. Wet stone weighs more. Use the density field if your quote sheet lists a different dry weight, and re-run the tons line before you order.
How much extra should I allow for a paver base?
A compacted base under pavers is not a pavement design, but installers often plan extra for compaction and trimming. The paver calculator links to gravel with about 20% waste on the base area. The V17 example on this page buys 3.27 yd³ for 221 ft² at 4 in deep with that allowance.
By Home Yard Calc Editorial Team · Sources listed on the methodology page · Last updated October 26, 2026