Driveway Gravel Weight
Driveway stone is not one density. The loose surface stone these calculators assume is 1,600 kg/m³, which is 1.35 US tons per cubic yard and 1.60 tonnes per cubic meter. A compacted base of crusher run or road base is heavier, commonly about 1.7 to 1.9 tons per cubic yard. This page uses 2,000 kg/m³ (1.69 tons per cubic yard, 2.00 tonnes per cubic meter) when a layer is described as compacted base. Type that number into the density box. Do not leave the 1,600 default in place for a base you intend to pack.
| Layer | Typical product | Tonnes / m³ | US tons / yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculator default | Loose driveway gravel | 1.60 | 1.35 |
| Compacted base used below | Crusher run, class 5, road base | 2.00 | 1.69 |
| Open wearing course | Clean 3/4 or #57 | 1.60–1.75 | 1.35–1.47 |
Tons under the result are US short tons (2,000 lb). The “t” menu and the tonnes line are metric tonnes. Your supplier’s ticket overrides both.
Layers and Typical Depths
Build from the soil up. The sub-base is the first compacted lift on soft or clay ground. The base is the structural layer that actually carries the car. The top is the stone you see, and it is the thinnest layer. Measure each one and add the tons. Do not enter the sum of the depths as if it were one material.
| Layer | Cars | Trucks or soft soil | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-base | 0–4 in, only if the soil pumps | 4–6 in | Bridges soft ground. Skip it on firm, drained soil. |
| Base | 4–6 in compacted | 8–12 in | The load-bearing layer. Crusher run or class 5. |
| Top | 2–3 in | 2–3 in | The wearing surface. Omit it if the base is the finished drive. |
Single Driveway and Double Driveway
Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324. The single drive below is 10 feet wide and 40 feet long. The double is 20 feet wide and 40 feet long. Base tons use 2,000 kg/m³. Top tons use the calculator default of 1,600 kg/m³. A 14-ton tandem is one truck in the last column.
| Drive | Layer | yd³ | m³ | US tons | Trucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, 10×40 | 6 in base | 7.41 | 5.66 | 12.49 | 1 |
| Single, 10×40 | 2 in top | 2.47 | 1.89 | 3.33 | part of 1 |
| Double, 20×40 | 6 in base | 14.81 | 11.33 | 24.97 | 2 |
| Double, 20×40 | 2 in top | 4.94 | 3.78 | 6.66 | 1 |
Leave the density at 1,600 kg/m³ and the same 10×40×6 in base reads 9.99 tons instead of 12.49. That gap is why the base layer needs its own density.
Worked Example: the Single Drive, Two Layers
For the 10×40 ft single driveway:
- Base: 10 × 40 × 6 ÷ 324 = 7.41 yd³ (5.66 m³). At 2,000 kg/m³ that is 12.49 US tons and 11.33 tonnes.
- Top: 10 × 40 × 2 ÷ 324 = 2.47 yd³ (1.89 m³). At 1,600 kg/m³ that is 3.33 US tons and 3.02 tonnes.
- Together: 9.88 yd³ and about 15.8 US tons. One 14-ton tandem does not cover both layers.
- Half-cubic-foot bags are the wrong unit here: the base alone is 400 bags. Order tons.
Enter 10, 40, and 6 on the straight calculator, set the density to 2000, and the order lines should read 7.41 cubic yards, 5.66 cubic meters, and 12.49 tons. Then run it again at 2 inches and 1600 for the top. A curve, a slope, or an L uses the matching tool with the same two depths. The slope tool divides the plan area by the cosine of the slope, so a steep drive is larger than its footprint.
Cost per Ton, Without a Local Price
Stone cost is your quote times the tons, plus whatever the hauler charges to deliver. This site does not publish a local price. For the single-drive base of 12.49 tons, the arithmetic at three sample quotes is below. Swap in the number on your ticket.
| If the quote is | 12.49-ton base | 3.33-ton top | Both, before delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40 per ton | $500 | $133 | $633 |
| $60 per ton | $749 | $200 | $949 |
| $80 per ton | $999 | $266 | $1,265 |
Delivery, tax, and a second trip are extra. If the yard sells by the cubic yard instead of the ton, multiply yards by the yard price and ignore this table. Size a camper pad on the RV pad calculator, and size crusher run on the crusher run calculator when that is the only product.
How the Shape Tools Measure a Drive
A straight drive is length times width times depth. If the width changes, average the narrow and wide ends. A curve is a ring segment: radius from the chord and the rise, then the area between the inner and outer radii. An L is two rectangles, or two rectangles plus a curved corner. Add the sections. None of the tools add a waste factor. Order about 10 percent more if you are compacting a base, because loose yards shrink when they pack.
- Curve radius: R = (C² / 8H) + (H / 2), with C the chord and H the rise.
- Central angle: θ = 2 × arcsin(C / 2R), in radians.
- Curved area: 0.5 × θ × (outer radius² − inner radius²).
- Slope: plan area ÷ cos(angle), then times depth.
Driveway Gravel Questions
How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
For a 10 by 40 foot single drive, a 6-inch base is 7.41 cubic yards and a 2-inch top is 2.47 cubic yards. A 20 by 40 foot double drive is double those volumes. Calculate the layers separately because the base is denser.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
Four to six inches of compacted base for cars, eight to twelve inches where trucks park or the soil is soft, plus an optional 2 to 3 inch wearing course. A sub-base is only for ground that pumps.
What is the difference between base, sub-base, and top?
The sub-base is the first lift on weak soil. The base is the compacted structural layer, usually crusher run or class 5. The top is the thinner stone you drive on. They are different products and different depths.
How much gravel for a single-car driveway?
A 10 by 40 foot single drive at 6 inches of base is 7.41 cubic yards, 12.49 tons at 2,000 kg/m³. Add 2.47 cubic yards (3.33 tons at 1,600 kg/m³) if you want a 2-inch top.
How much gravel for a double driveway?
A 20 by 40 foot double drive needs 14.81 cubic yards of 6-inch base, about 24.97 tons at 2,000 kg/m³, plus 4.94 cubic yards of 2-inch top. That base is two tandem loads at 14 tons each.
How do I estimate driveway gravel cost per ton?
Multiply the tons by the price on your supplier’s quote, then add delivery. A 12.49-ton base is $500 at $40 per ton, $749 at $60, and $999 at $80, before the haul charge. Those rates are sample arithmetic, not a local price.
What gravel is best for a driveway?
Crusher run, class 5, or another stone-and-fines blend for the base, because it locks. Clean #57 or 3/4 stone can be the top if you want drainage. Pea gravel rolls and is a poor driveway surface.
How many tons of driveway gravel fit in a dump truck?
A small landscape truck is often 5 to 7 tons. A tandem is commonly 12 to 16 tons. The 14-ton figure used in the table is the middle of that tandem range. Ask the hauler for the legal payload on that truck.