How Much Gravel Do I Need?

By the WriteFlux Team · Last updated: October 28, 2026

Quick Answer

It starts with a tape measure: length × width × depth is all the formula needs.

Most gravel questions are really one question: how much do I order? Order too little and the job stops while you pay for a second delivery. Order too much and you own a pile of stone you have to move twice. This guide gives you the formula, a calculator, and the lookup tables — in cubic yards, tons and bags, because suppliers sell in all three.

Calculate Your Gravel: Cubic Yards, Tons and Bags

Type in your measurements. The calculator uses the standard gravel weight of 1.40 tons per cubic yard and a 50-lb bag size of about 0.5 cubic feet — the same figures used everywhere on this site.

For shaped areas, several materials or a price estimate, use the full gravel calculator — it handles circles, triangles and multiple areas.

The Gravel Formula, Step by Step

Every gravel calculation is the same five steps. Here they are, carried through one example — a 10 × 10 ft patio area at 2 inches deep:

1. Work out the area. Length × width in feet: 10 × 10 = 100 sq ft. (For a circle, use 3.14 × radius × radius. For an odd shape, split it into rectangles and add them up.)
2. Convert the depth to feet. Divide inches by 12: 2 ÷ 12 = 0.167 ft. This is the step people most often skip — and it is the one that wrecks the answer.
3. Find the cubic feet. Area × depth: 100 × 0.167 = 16.7 cubic feet.
4. Convert to cubic yards. Divide by 27: 16.7 ÷ 27 = 0.62 cubic yards.
5. Convert to the unit you will order in. Tons: 0.62 × 1.40 = 0.86 tons. Bags: 16.7 ÷ 0.5 = 34 bags. Then add 10% for settling and uneven ground.

Working on a slope or uneven ground? Take depth readings in several spots and use the average — a single measurement at the shallow end is the most common reason an order comes up short.

How Deep Should Your Gravel Be?

Depth is the biggest variable in the whole calculation — doubling the depth doubles the order. These are the standard depths for the common projects:

Project	Gravel depth	Notes
Decorative beds and borders	2–3 inches	Over landscape fabric; depth is about covering, not strength
Garden paths and walkways	2–3 inches	Deeper than 3 inches feels loose underfoot
Patio (loose gravel surface)	2 inches of surface gravel	Over a 4-inch compacted crushed-stone base
Driveway top-up (existing base)	2–3 inches	Surface layer only — the base is already there
New gravel driveway	6–12 inches total	Built in layers: 4–6 inches of base plus 2–4 inches of surface
Shed base	4–6 inches	Compacted crushed stone, level and slightly larger than the shed
French drain	Fills the trench	Trenches are commonly 12 inches deep or more — see the worked example below

Driveways are the one project where depth is a build, not a single layer. Our driveway gravel calculator prices each layer separately, the way a contractor would order it.

Can I just put gravel over dirt?

For a light garden path, yes — with limits. Gravel laid straight on soil will sink and mix into the dirt over time, especially after rain, so the path gets thin and muddy. A sheet of landscape fabric underneath, solid edging at the sides, and compacting the gravel after spreading will slow that down a lot. For anything heavier — a driveway, a parking spot, or under a shed — do not skip the groundwork: clear and level the soil, lay fabric, build up compacted base layers, and only then add the surface gravel. That is what keeps the gravel where you put it.

Gravel base for a shed or greenhouse

A shed or greenhouse needs a flat, well-drained pad, not just a pile of gravel. Mark out the footprint, clear the grass and topsoil, and level the ground. Make the pad slightly larger than the shed itself so water runs off instead of pooling at the walls. Lay landscape fabric to stop weeds and mixing, then spread the gravel in thin layers, compacting each layer before adding the next. Check the level again across the whole pad before the shed goes on — a pad that looks flat to the eye can still be an inch out.

Gravel Coverage Chart: Yards and Tons

If you already know your area, this chart skips the formula. Coverage per cubic yard never changes; coverage per ton uses the standard 1.40 tons per cubic yard.

Depth	1 cubic yard covers	1 ton covers
1 inch	324 sq ft	231 sq ft
2 inches	162 sq ft	116 sq ft
3 inches	108 sq ft	77 sq ft
4 inches	81 sq ft	58 sq ft
6 inches	54 sq ft	39 sq ft

The Gravel Order Table

The lookup most people actually want: common project sizes at the three standard depths, with all three ordering units side by side. Figures are exact amounts — add 10% before ordering.

Project size	Depth	Cubic yards	Tons	50-lb bags
10 × 10 ft	2 in	0.62	0.86	34
10 × 10 ft	3 in	0.93	1.30	50
10 × 10 ft	4 in	1.23	1.73	67
10 × 12 ft	2 in	0.74	1.04	40
10 × 12 ft	3 in	1.11	1.56	60
10 × 12 ft	4 in	1.48	2.07	80
12 × 20 ft	2 in	1.48	2.07	80
12 × 20 ft	3 in	2.22	3.11	120
12 × 20 ft	4 in	2.96	4.15	160
12 × 40 ft	2 in	2.96	4.15	160
12 × 40 ft	3 in	4.44	6.22	240
12 × 40 ft	4 in	5.93	8.30	320

Worked Examples for Real Projects

A 12 × 40 ft driveway top-up at 3 inches

Area 480 sq ft × 0.25 ft deep = 120 cubic feet = 4.44 cubic yards = 6.22 tons. With 10% extra, order about 7 tons. Because a driveway is layered, that surface stone is usually #57 over the existing base — the crushed stone calculator works in those grades.

A 10 × 10 ft pea gravel patio at 2 inches

The formula example above: 0.62 cubic yards = 0.86 tons = 34 bags of surface gravel, laid over a 4-inch compacted base (which needs its own 1.23 cubic yards of base stone). Pea gravel has its own sizes and depths — see the pea gravel calculator for patio and play-area figures.

A 3 × 30 ft garden path at 2 inches

Area 90 sq ft × 0.167 ft = 15 cubic feet = 0.56 cubic yards = 0.78 tons = 30 bags. Small jobs like this are where bags genuinely make sense — no delivery fee, no leftover pile.

A 10 × 12 ft shed base at 4 inches

Area 120 sq ft × 0.33 ft = 40 cubic feet = 1.48 cubic yards = 2.07 tons = 80 bags. Eighty bags is exactly the point where bulk delivery usually beats the store — see the break-even below.

A 50 ft French drain trench, 1 ft wide and 1 ft deep

Trench volume: 50 × 1 × 1 = 50 cubic feet = 1.85 cubic yards. The 4-inch pipe itself displaces about 0.16 cubic yards, so the gravel you need is about 1.7 cubic yards = 2.4 tons. This is the calculation most guides skip — they quote the trench size and forget the pipe takes up space inside it.

Cubic Yards vs Tons vs Bags: What Should You Order?

Suppliers sell gravel three ways, and the right choice is mostly about job size:

• By the ton — how most quarries and landscape yards sell it. You need the weight, which is why every table here includes tons. If a supplier has quoted you tons and you want to check the yardage behind it, our guide to how many tons are in a cubic yard converts in both directions.
• By the cubic yard — some yards load by the bucket instead. Same material, different ruler.
• By the bag — big-box stores sell 50-lb bags of about 0.5 cubic feet. Convenient, and by far the most expensive way to buy gravel.

The money difference is bigger than most people expect. A cubic yard bought as bags is 54 bags; at a typical big-box price of about $5.50 a bag, that is roughly $300 per cubic yard. The same yard in bulk typically runs $40–60, plus delivery. The break-even is early: once a job passes about a quarter of a cubic yard (roughly 14 bags, about $75), bulk usually wins whenever a yard delivers to your area. Below that, bags win on convenience — no delivery fee, no leftover pile.

How Much Extra Should You Order? Overage and Compaction

The formula gives you the exact volume of a perfect, level box. Real ground is neither. Add:

• 10% for most paths, beds and top-ups — settling and small measuring errors.
• 10–15% for new driveways and bases on uneven ground.
• Up to 30% where a thick base will be heavily compacted — compacted stone takes up less space than the loose pile you ordered, so a 6-inch loose layer does not stay 6 inches after the plate compactor passes over it.

Ordering a little extra is cheap insurance: a second delivery usually costs more than the spare half-ton would have.

Getting It Home: Wheelbarrows, Pickups and Delivery

First, picture the amount. One cubic yard of gravel is a loose pile roughly 5–6 feet wide and about 2 feet high — and it weighs about 2,800 lb.

• Wheelbarrow: one cubic yard is 9–14 loads, depending on barrow size (about 9 for a 3-cu-ft barrow, 14 for a 2-cu-ft one). Work out your loads before the pile lands in the wrong spot.
• Pickup truck: the bed has room, but the weight is the limit. Most half-ton pickups carry roughly 1,500–2,000 lb of payload — about half a cubic yard of gravel per trip. A full yard in one load is how springs get bent.
• Delivery: for anything over a yard, delivery is usually the sensible option. Ask about the minimum load and where the truck can tip — a pile placed 20 feet closer saves a lot of wheelbarrow trips.

Common Gravel-Calculating Mistakes

• Forgetting to convert inches to feet. Multiplying length × width × depth-in-inches and dividing by 27 overstates the order twelve-fold. Depth always goes in as feet (inches ÷ 12).
• Ordering the exact figure. No overage means the last corner of the job is bare. Add 10% as a rule.
• Buying bags for a big job. Past about 14 bags, you are likely paying several times the bulk price for the same stone.
• Using one depth for a new driveway. A driveway is layers — base plus surface — each with its own depth and its own amount.
• Measuring once. Ground slopes. Average several depth readings, or one shallow reading will leave you short.

Key Takeaways

• The formula: length × width × depth (all in feet) ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Tons = cubic yards × 1.40. Bags = cubic feet ÷ 0.5.
• Depth decides everything: 2–3 inches for paths and beds, 2 inches over a base for patios, 6–12 inches in layers for a new driveway.
• One cubic yard covers 162 sq ft at 2 inches; one ton covers 116 sq ft at the same depth.
• Add 10% for settling — up to 30% for a heavily compacted base.
• Bags make sense under about a quarter of a cubic yard; bulk wins beyond that.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much will 1 ton of gravel cover?

At the standard 1.40 tons per cubic yard, one ton of gravel covers about 231 square feet at 1 inch deep, 116 square feet at 2 inches, 77 at 3 inches and 58 at 4 inches. Deeper spreads cover less area — the ton does not change, the depth does.

How much does a 50 lb bag of gravel cover?

A 50-lb bag holds about 0.5 cubic feet of gravel. Spread out, that covers roughly 6 square feet at 1 inch deep, 3 square feet at 2 inches, or 2 square feet at 3 inches — which is why bags suit small patches and paths, not driveways or large bases.

How much gravel do I need to cover a 10×10 area?

For a 10 × 10 ft area (100 sq ft): at 2 inches deep you need 0.62 cubic yards (0.86 tons, 34 bags); at 3 inches, 0.93 cubic yards (1.30 tons, 50 bags); at 4 inches, 1.23 cubic yards (1.73 tons, 67 bags). Add 10% before you order.

Is 2 inches of gravel enough?

It depends on the job. Two inches is fine for light garden walkways, decorative beds and as a surface layer over a compacted base. It is not enough for driveways, patios that take furniture, or busy paths — those need the depth and base set out in the depth table above.

How many wheelbarrows is 1 yard of gravel?

One cubic yard of gravel fills about 9 to 14 wheelbarrow loads, depending on the barrow. A common 3-cubic-foot barrow takes about 9 loads, a small 2-cubic-foot barrow about 14, and a large 6-cubic-foot contractor barrow about 5. Each full load is heavy — gravel weighs about 2,800 lb per yard.

Can you fit a yard of gravel in a pickup truck?

The space is not the problem — the weight is. One cubic yard of gravel weighs about 2,800 lb, and most half-ton pickups are rated to carry roughly 1,500 to 2,000 lb in the bed. That makes a half yard a sensible load; a full yard usually means delivery.

How many bags of gravel do I need for a 10×12 shed?

A 10 × 12 ft shed base at the standard 4 inches deep needs 40 cubic feet of compacted stone — 1.48 cubic yards, or 2.07 tons. In 50-lb bags of about 0.5 cubic feet each, that is roughly 80 bags, which is usually the point where bulk delivery works out cheaper.

What’s the cheapest way to get gravel?

Buy it in bulk from a local quarry or landscape yard — bags cost several times more per yard. Recycled crushed concrete is often the cheapest material of all, around $26 a ton in many areas, and it works well for bases and driveways. Picking it up yourself saves the delivery fee.

Can I just put gravel over dirt?

For a light garden path, yes, but it will sink and mix into the soil over time. Landscape fabric underneath, solid edging, and compacting after spreading help a lot. For driveways, parking, or shed bases, do the full groundwork instead: level the soil, lay fabric, and build compacted base layers before the surface gravel.

Conclusion

How much gravel you need comes down to three numbers: your area, your depth, and 10% extra for the real world. Get those right and the order is right — in yards, tons or bags. When you are ready to run your own measurements, the gravel calculator does the whole calculation in one step, and the gravel tonnage calculator converts the result into tons and truck loads for the supplier.