What is Gravel/Sand Calculator?

Calculates the exact amount of gravel, sand, or other aggregates you need for landscaping, paving, or construction projects. Enter your area dimensions and desired depth to get volume and weight estimates for common material types.

The calculator handles seven aggregates — gravel, pea gravel, sand, wet sand, crushed stone, riprap, and topsoil — applying realistic densities (gravel ~1.35 tons/yd³, sand ~1.5 tons/yd³), or you can enter a custom density for an unlisted material. Switch between rectangle and circle areas, toggle imperial and metric on the fly (existing values convert automatically), add a price per ton or per cubic yard to estimate cost, and export the breakdown as a CSV for a supplier or quote. A reverse mode goes the other way: give it an area and a weight quoted by your supplier and it returns the depth that load will spread to.

How to use

1. Step 1 — Choose a mode: 'Find amount' works out how much material a space needs, while 'Find depth' starts from an area plus a delivery weight and tells you how deep it spreads. In Find amount, pick a shape (rectangle, circle, or a total area you already know) and fill in the dimensions and depth. Switching between metric and imperial keeps and converts your existing values.
2. Step 2 — Select your material type (gravel, sand, crushed stone, topsoil, etc.) to apply the right density factor, or type a custom density if your supplier quotes a different figure.
3. Step 3 — View the calculated volume in cubic yards/meters and weight in tons/tonnes. Adjust quantities or export the estimate.

When to use

• Ordering material for a driveway, patio base, or French drain trench.
• Estimating bag counts when the supplier sells in 50 lb or 25 kg bags.
• Putting numbers in a landscaping quote before sending it to the client.

Result

A homeowner building a 20 ft × 10 ft patio base needs 4 inches of crushed gravel. The calculator shows they need 2.47 cubic yards or approximately 3.33 tons of material to order.

FAQ

How many tons of gravel do I need per cubic yard?

Roughly 1.35 tons of gravel per cubic yard, but it varies with the type. Pea gravel is closer to 1.4, crushed stone 1.42, sand 1.5, and topsoil only about 1.08. The calculator already applies the right density per material.

What depth should I use for a driveway base?

A residential driveway over firm soil typically needs 4 inches (10 cm) of compacted gravel. Soft clay or heavy vehicles bump it to 6–8 inches (15–20 cm), often layered as a coarser sub-base under a finer top layer.

Do I need to order extra to account for compaction?

Yes. Loose gravel settles by roughly 20% once compacted. If you need a 4-inch finished depth, order material as if you needed 5 inches, or add 15–25% to the calculated volume.

What's the difference between sand, gravel, and crushed stone?

Sand is fine and round, gravel is naturally rounded stone, and crushed stone has angular edges from being mechanically broken. Crushed stone locks together when compacted, which is why it's preferred for bases.

How do I convert tons to bags?

Divide the total weight by the bag weight, or just read the bag count this calculator now shows. One US short ton is 40 bags at 50 lb; one tonne is 40 bags at 25 kg. For 2.47 cubic yards of gravel (about 3.33 tons), that's roughly 134 fifty-pound bags.

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