How do I measure an irregular area?

Split it into rectangles, circles, and triangles, work out each area, and add them together. For a curved bed or path, measure the length along the middle and average several widths. The Gravel Calculator also handles circles, rings, triangles, and tapered shapes directly.

Should I plan for the depth before or after compaction?

Plan for the finished, compacted depth you want. Loose stone settles when it's compacted or driven on; the 10% waste allowance covers typical settling on firm ground, and 15% is safer on soft or uneven ground.

Gravel Coverage Chart: Square Feet per Ton & Cubic Yard

Last updated September 28, 2026

Suppliers sell gravel by the cubic yard or by the ton, but your project is measured in square feet and inches. These charts convert between them, for bulk loads, bags, and metric units, so you can sanity-check any quote or estimate.

Quick answer: one cubic yard of gravel covers 324 sq ft at 1 in deep, 162 sq ft at 2 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in, and 81 sq ft at 4 in. A ton of crushed stone covers about 77% as much: roughly 83 sq ft at 3 in.

Coverage by depth

One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, and coverage falls in proportion as depth increases. The per-ton column uses crushed stone (#57) at about 2,600 lb per cubic yard, so a ton covers roughly 77% as much area as a cubic yard.

Depth	1 cubic yard covers	1 ton covers (crushed stone)
1 in	324 sq ft	249 sq ft
2 in	162 sq ft	125 sq ft
3 in	108 sq ft	83 sq ft
4 in	81 sq ft	62 sq ft
6 in	54 sq ft	42 sq ft
8 in	41 sq ft	31 sq ft
12 in	27 sq ft	21 sq ft

Figures are for loose material placed at the stated depth, before any allowance for compaction or waste.

How much gravel for common areas

Find your area and depth to read off the cubic yards you need before waste. Multiply by 1.1 to add 10% extra, then by 1.3 (crushed stone) or 1.4 (pea gravel) to convert to tons.

Area	2 in	3 in	4 in	6 in
100 sq ft	0.62	0.93	1.23	1.85
200 sq ft	1.23	1.85	2.47	3.70
300 sq ft	1.85	2.78	3.70	5.56
500 sq ft	3.09	4.63	6.17	9.26
1,000 sq ft	6.17	9.26	12.35	18.52

Cubic yards, before waste. For areas in between, add rows together: 700 sq ft is the 200 and 500 rows combined.

Weight by gravel type

Gravel is heavier or lighter per yard depending on the stone, its size, and how much fine material is mixed in. These are the typical values the Gravel Calculator uses. Your supplier's actual weight can differ, especially for wet or freshly screened stock.

Gravel type	Weight per cubic yard	Tons per cubic yard	1 ton covers at 3 in
Crushed Stone (#57)	2,600 lb	1.3	83 sq ft
River Rock	2,650 lb	1.325	82 sq ft
Crushed Limestone	2,700 lb	1.35	80 sq ft
Pea Gravel	2,800 lb	1.4	77 sq ft
Decomposed Granite	2,800 lb	1.4	77 sq ft

Coverage per bag

Bagged gravel is usually sold in 0.5 ft³ bags, and 54 of them make a cubic yard. Bags are handy for small areas, but the count climbs quickly: a 10 × 10 ft area at 3 in deep takes 50 bags, or 55 with 10% extra.

Depth	One 0.5 ft³ bag covers	Bags per 100 sq ft
1 in	6.0 sq ft	17
2 in	3.0 sq ft	34
3 in	2.0 sq ft	50
4 in	1.5 sq ft	67

Bag counts are before waste and rounded up to whole bags.

Metric coverage

One cubic meter of gravel covers 20 m² at 5 cm deep. Note that a US ton (2,000 lb, about 907 kg) is lighter than a metric tonne (1,000 kg), so a tonne covers about 10% more ground than a ton.

Depth	1 m³ covers	1 tonne covers (crushed stone)
5 cm	20.0 m²	13.0 m²
7.5 cm	13.3 m²	8.6 m²
10 cm	10.0 m²	6.5 m²
15 cm	6.7 m²	4.3 m²

How to use the chart

Measure the area in square feet (length × width).
Pick your depth from the chart, then divide your area by the coverage figure.
Add about 10% for settling, compaction and an uneven sub-grade.
Round up to the increment your supplier sells.

Example: a 20 ft × 10 ft path is 200 sq ft. At 3 in deep, one cubic yard covers 108 sq ft, so you need about 1.85 yd³. With 10% waste that is roughly 2.04 yd³, or about 2.7 tons of crushed stone.

Working backward from a quote: one ton of crushed stone covers about 62 sq ft at 4 in deep, so a 5-ton load covers roughly 310 sq ft before waste.

Why real coverage comes up short

Compaction. Loose stone settles when it's compacted or driven on, so a 4 in loose layer finishes thinner. Stone with fines, such as crusher run, settles the most.
Uneven ground. Every dip in the subgrade has to be filled before the surface is level.
Soft soil. On clay or wet ground, some stone is pushed down into the soil, especially without geotextile fabric.
Edges and handling. Stone spills past the edging, sticks in the truck bed, and gets tracked away.

That's why our calculators add 10% by default. Use 15% on soft or uneven ground.

Typical depths by project

Project	Typical gravel depth
Decorative beds	2–3 in
Walkways and garden paths	2–3 in
Loose-gravel patio	3–4 in over a compacted base
Driveway on firm soil	4–6 in, in two layers
Driveway on clay or wet soil	8–12 in, over geotextile fabric
Base under pavers	4–6 in for patios, 6–8 in or more for driveways
Base under a concrete slab	4 in, compacted
French drain	2–3 in under the pipe, then around and over it

See how much gravel for a driveway for layer-by-layer driveway builds, and types of gravel and sizes for which stone suits each project.

Related guides and calculators

Frequently asked questions

No. A cubic yard measures volume (27 ft³) and a ton measures weight (2,000 lb). A cubic yard of most gravel weighs about 1.3–1.4 tons, so a ton of gravel is only about three-quarters of a cubic yard.