Gravel Calculator for Driveway

How much gravel for a driveway?

A standard 60 × 12 ft single-car driveway needs about 9 cubic yards (12.5 tons) per 4-inch layer: and a properly built new driveway is three layers, roughly 37 tons total. Topping up an existing drive is one 2–3" lift, a third of that. This calculator converts your dimensions to yards and tons for the stone you're actually buying, because suppliers sell by the ton and density varies by 15% between stones.

The three-layer build that doesn't rut

Driveways fail from the bottom. The lasting recipe: 4" of #3 large stone (golf-ball to fist size) as the base, compacted; 4" of #57 (quarter-size, drains well) in the middle; 2–3" of crusher run (stone with fines that locks tight) on top. Skipping straight to pretty top stone on dirt buys you potholes by spring. Run this calculator once per layer with each stone's density.

Tons vs. yards: ordering without the awkward call

Volume is yards; trucks and invoices are tons. The conversion is the stone's density: crushed stone ~1.4 t/yd³, pea gravel ~1.3, limestone base ~1.5. A tandem dump truck carries 10–14 tons, which is why the calculator shows truckloads: two loads spaced a day apart lets you spread and compact the first before the second arrives.

Related tools

Setting posts along the drive? Concrete for fence posts. Pouring a concrete apron instead: construction cost estimator. Quoting gravel work: job costing calculator + contractor markup.

How the gravel volume is calculated

Compaction factors and why raw volume lies

Loose gravel compacts 15–25% after installation. A driveway requiring 10 cubic yards of compacted #57 stone actually needs 11.5–12.5 yards delivered. Skipping this factor is the single most common ordering mistake. Fine crusher run (¾-minus) compacts closer to 20–25% because fines fill voids aggressively. Coarse decorative pea gravel compacts only 10–12%. Always apply the correct factor for each layer, not a blanket estimate.

Load ratings, drainage codes, and what inspectors check

IRC Section R403 does not govern gravel driveways directly, but local jurisdictions often require a minimum 4-inch compacted base depth for any surface subject to vehicle loads. Commercial properties face stricter thresholds: AASHTO guidelines recommend 6–8 inches of compacted aggregate base for driveways serving vehicles over 10,000 lb GVW. Drainage slope must meet a minimum 2% cross-fall (¼ inch per foot) to prevent standing water and surface rutting. Some counties also require a stormwater permit if impervious area added exceeds 500 sq ft - gravel is typically exempt because it drains, but verify locally before breaking ground.

Material cost benchmarks and what the calculator excludes

Crushed limestone #57 runs $30–$45 per ton delivered within 30 miles of most quarries as of 2025. Crusher run (base layer) is cheaper at $20–$35 per ton. Pea gravel and decorative river rock spike to $55–$80 per ton. Delivery fees add $50–$120 per load for a standard 14-ton tandem. The calculator returns volume and weight only - it does not price haul distance, gate fees, fuel surcharges, or compaction equipment rental (plate compactor rental averages $90–$140 per day). Use the construction cost estimator to build a full line-item budget and the job costing calculator to track spend against that estimate once work begins.

Edge conditions the tool does not model

The calculator assumes a rectangular footprint with uniform depth. Tapered driveways, curved edges, crowned cross-sections, and French drain trenches alongside the surface all require manual geometry adjustments before entering dimensions. A driveway with a 3-inch crown across a 12-foot width adds roughly 8% more material than a flat calculation suggests. Sub-base soft spots - common in clay soils - may require geotextile fabric plus an additional 2–4 inches of coarse fill below the calculated base layer.