Calculate how much gravel you need in cubic yards and cubic feet. Enter length, width and depth; add your supplier's density for a tonnage estimate.
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 20 ft × 20 ft, 4 in deep | 4.94 yd³ · 133.33 ft³ |
| 50 ft × 12 ft, 4 in deep | 7.41 yd³ · 200 ft³ |
| 30 ft × 10 ft, 3 in deep | 2.78 yd³ · 75 ft³ |
The volume of material you need is exact, it is your measured length, width and depth. The weight is not. Aggregate, soil and stone are sold by the ton but their density varies with moisture content, gradation, and how much the load has compacted, and published figures from different suppliers disagree by wide margins. Any single number printed here would look authoritative and be wrong for someone.
So this page gives you the volume in cubic yards and cubic feet, which is what you actually order against, and converts to weight only if you supply the density from your own supplier’s spec sheet. Ask the yard for their pounds-per-cubic-yard figure, they will have one, and it will be right for the pile you are buying from. Dividing that number by 2,000 gives tons.
Depth is worth a second thought before you order. Measured loose, material settles and compacts; a depth that looks right before compaction is often thin afterwards, which is why most guides specify a compacted depth rather than a poured one.
Divide cubic feet by 27. One cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet.
Because density varies with moisture, gradation and compaction, and published figures disagree. Enter the pounds-per-cubic-yard figure from your own supplier and the page will convert it.
No. Sub-grade is uneven and material compacts after placement. Ordering 5–10% over the calculated volume is normal trade practice.
Length × width × depth in feet, divided by 27. A 20 ft × 20 ft area 4 in deep is 20 × 20 × 0.333 = 133 cubic feet, or 4.94 cubic yards. Round up, because the ground underneath is uneven and gravel compacts once it is spread.
tons = cubic yards × density ÷ 2,000. The density has to come from the material you are actually buying, it varies with moisture, gradation and compaction, and published figures from different suppliers disagree by wide margins. Enter the pounds-per-cubic-yard figure from your supplier's spec sheet in the density field above and the conversion is done; the yard will give you that number, and it will be right for the pile you are buying from.
Measure the length and width, decide on a depth, and calculate the volume. Depth is the figure that gets guessed: material compacts after it is placed, so a depth that looks right before compaction is usually thin afterwards. Most guidance specifies a compacted depth for exactly this reason, check what your installer or local guidance calls for before you order.