Gravel Calculator
Enter the size of the area and a depth and get gravel in tons at a weight you can see and change, rounded up once to the supplier's ton step, with the working shown for an example. An area that is not a rectangle can be drawn with Draw a shape.
Estimates for planning, not professional advice. Read the full notice.
The drawing did not open. Length and width are still here.
Area: shape and size
Skip the drawingDrag a round corner to move it. The small hollow diamond on a side is its curve handle: drag it across the side to curve the side (it is not a corner). To add a corner (a new point), tap the side itself, then choose Add a point here. Tapping a corner or a side opens its actions. Drag empty space to move the view; pinch, or Ctrl and the mouse wheel, to zoom. The keys are listed under Keys.
Keys
- Tab
- next corner; each says how far it is from corner 1
- Arrow keys on a corner
- move it one square; ten with Shift; 1/16 in with Alt
- Delete or Backspace
- remove the corner; its two sides join in one straight side
- + on a corner
- add a corner halfway along the next side
- Arrow keys on the drawing
- move the view; farther with Shift
- + and - on the drawing
- zoom in and out
- 0 on the drawing
- show the whole shape
- Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on a Mac)
- undo, except inside a typed field (it keeps its own)
- Ctrl+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Y
- redo
- Escape while dragging
- put it back where it was
- Enter on a corner or side
- go to its actions
- Escape in the actions
- close them and go back to the drawing
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- Area
- 1,000 ft²
- Perimeter
- 140 ft
- Cut-out edges
No area until the shape is fixed.
Estimate for planning, from what you entered and the product data shown. Check product labels and your supplier before you buy.
Shape: Rectangle Change
Sides
Corners
Cut-outs
Feet and inches, like 12' 6"
Example: a gravel area
19 tons to order (18.5 tons exact)
- Gravel in the area 333.33 ft³
- Tons at the weight above 18.5 tons
- Tons at the supplier's step 19 tons
Your project
Enter a size to see your total.
Each product is rounded up once for the whole project, so the total can be less than the items bought alone added together. A line counted from a cut layout (sheets, boards or tiles laid out piece by piece) is counted for each item and added.
Shopping list
| Item | Size | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel by the ton | 1 ton | 19 tons |
Save on this device
Saved projects
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Worked example: a gravel area
Show the working
- Area 20 ft × 50 ft = 1,000 ft²
- Volume at the depth 1,000 ft² × 4 in = 333.33 ft³
- Add the waste allowance, once 333.333333 ft³ + 0 % waste = 333.33 ft³
- Cubic yards: divide by the cubic feet in a yard 333.333333 ft³ ÷ 27 ft³ in a yd³ = 12.35 yd³
- Tons: multiply by the weight of a cubic yard 12.345679 yd³ × 1.5 ton/yd³ = 18.5 tons
- Round up once, to the supplier's ton step 18.5 tons = 19 tons
Assumptions
The figures behind the example. Sourced figures link to their source below; a default is a starting value to check against your label or supplier.
| Assumption | Value | Details and changes |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel, crushed stone or No. 57 stone weight | 1.5 ton/yd³[1][2] | |
| Default Penn State's calculator uses 1.50 tons per loose yard for AASHTO 57. Sources differ, so the other figures are named as options. | ||
| Landscape waste or overage | 0% | |
| Default No silent overage. Check your label or supplier. | ||
| Supplier's smallest ton step | 1 ton | |
| Default Suppliers sell by the ton in steps. Check your label or supplier. | ||
| Dump truck load | 12 yd³[3] | |
| Default TxDOT: single-axle trucks normally carry 6 yd3, tandem-axle trucks usually 12 or 14. | ||
| Pickup bed volume | No default | |
| Default Ask your supplier or measure your bed. The options are the level-full figures from the Town of Conway, Massachusetts, bed graphic; heaped loads are not offered. Check your label or supplier. | ||
| Truck payload | No default | |
| Default Ask your supplier, or read the payload on the label in your truck's door jamb. Check your label or supplier. | ||
| Pea gravel weight | No default | |
| Default Ask your supplier for the weight per yard. Check your label or supplier. | ||
Feet and inches, like 12' 6"
Weights from the sources
Weight of a cubic yard of gravel or crushed stone as each source gives it
| Source and case | Weight per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Penn State, AASHTO 57 stone, loose, as shipped | 1.5 ton/yd³ |
| Ohio DOT, gravel size 57, loose | 2,500 lb/yd³ |
| Ohio DOT, limestone size 57, loose | 2,400 lb/yd³ |
| MoDOT, granite or limestone, loose: from | 2,410 lb/yd³ |
| MoDOT, granite or limestone, loose: to | 2,590 lb/yd³ |
| New Mexico EMNRD, gravel from a quarter inch to two inches (the source does not say loose or compacted) | 1.42 ton/yd³ |
| Caltrans, loose | 1.5 ton/yd³ |
The calculator starts from the Penn State figure. The sources differ, and one of them says nothing about loose or compacted, so each row names its own wording. The Caltrans compacted figure is left out because an order is for loose material.
Pickup trips
Trips for the example gravel in a pickup, by bed size, by volume and by weight
| Bed | Bed volume | Trips by volume | Trips by weight (example payload 1,600 lb — use the figure on your truck's door-jamb label) | Trips needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact pickup, 4 by 6 ft bed, filled level | 1.33 yd³ | 10 | 24 | 24 |
| Compact pickup, 4 by 7 ft bed, filled level | 1.56 yd³ | 8 | 24 | 24 |
| Full-size pickup, 5 by 7 ft bed, filled level | 1.94 yd³ | 7 | 24 | 24 |
| Full-size pickup, 5 by 8 ft bed, filled level | 2.22 yd³ | 6 | 24 | 24 |
Source: [8]
The bed volumes are the Town of Conway, Massachusetts, figures for a bed filled level, not heaped. The payload is an example that is yours to replace with the figure for your own truck, and the trips by weight use the gravel weight in the assumptions.
Common jobs
Gravel for common jobs in yards, tons and dump truck loads
| Job (size × depth) | Cubic yards | Tons at the weight above | Tons at the supplier's step | Dump truck loads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triangle 10 ft base, 6 ft high × 3 in | 0.28 yd³ | 0.42 tons | 1 ton | 1 |
| Path 30 ft × 3 ft × 2 in | 0.56 yd³ | 0.83 tons | 1 ton | 1 |
| Base layer under a 10 ft × 10 ft slab, 4 in deep | 1.23 yd³ | 1.85 tons | 2 tons | 1 |
Each row is worked out on its own. The path depth is the calculator's default, and the base layer is a size as typed, with no claim about what a slab needs.
Questions
Should I order gravel by the ton or by the yard?
Suppliers sell it either way. The calculator gives tons, at the weight in the assumptions rounded up to the supplier's ton step, and the worked example also shows the cubic yards behind them. The two agree only as far as the weight does, so ask your supplier which unit they sell and what their material weighs.
Will a yard of gravel fit in a pickup?
The pickup trips table gives the bed volumes the Town of Conway, Massachusetts, publishes for beds filled level, and the trips by volume and by weight for the example job. The calculator does not count trips; the payload in the table is an example, and the trips by weight use the gravel weight in the assumptions.
Why do the sources give different weights for gravel?
They measure different materials and in different ways. Penn State, Ohio and MoDOT give loose weights for particular stones, New Mexico gives a single figure for a range of gravel sizes without saying whether it is loose or compacted, and Caltrans gives its own loose figure. The weights table lists each with its wording, and the calculator lets you change the weight.
How do suppliers round a gravel order?
Many sell bulk gravel in steps, by the half ton or the ton, or by the quarter, half or whole yard. The calculator rounds up once, to the ton step in the assumptions, so check it against what your supplier says.
Sources (8)
-
DGLVR Materials Calculator, data file road-aggregate-fill-materials.xml (opens in new tab), Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, data entry dated Monday, March 20, 2017 (value is in the calculator's data file, not in prose).
Code or government.
“Transcribed from the entry AASHTO 57 (PennDOT 2B) of the calculator's data file: 1.50 tons per cubic yard.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 1) -
DGLVR Materials Calculator (opens in new tab), Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, web page (page text, undated; calculator data dated March 20, 2017).
Code or government.
“the estimates generated will always appear as cubic yards of loose material and US tons as-shipped (loose) ... The volume to weight conversion factors used for the calculator are averages from across PA, based on observations by Center field staff.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 2) -
Seal Coat and Surface Treatment Manual, Section 5: Haul Trucks, Size (opens in new tab), Texas Department of Transportation, web manual page, undated.
Code or government.
“The single-axle trucks normally carry 6 cubic yards of aggregate. The bed capacity for tandem-axle trucks is usually 12 or 14 cubic yards.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 3) -
Construction and Material Specifications, Item 410.06, Table 410.06-1 (opens in new tab), Ohio Department of Transportation, 2023 C&MS (January 1, 2023; online version 07/17/2026); the PDF prints the cubed unit as a replacement glyph, restored here as yd3.
Code or government.
“The Department will measure the cubic yards of aggregate used loose in the vehicle at the point of delivery or calculate it by converting from weight using the following conversion factors: ... Gravel, Size No. 4 and 57 2500 lb/yd3 ... Limestone, Size No. 4 and 57 2400 lb/yd3”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 4) -
Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors, Compacted and Loose Weights of Various Materials (opens in new tab), Missouri Department of Transportation (Engineering Policy Guide attachment; the table is a Michigan LTAP table hosted by MoDOT), file modified December 12, 2024; PDF p. 5, a rotated page; the loose rows were read from the PDF text with glyph positions (HC1, November 12, 2026).
Code or government.
“LOOSE WEIGHTS OF VARIOUS MATERIALS ... Granite or Limestone 89 2,410 67 ... 93 2,500 69 ... 96 2,590 72 ... Sand 97 2,630 73 ... 110 2,960 82”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 5) -
Conversion Factors for Construction Materials and Common Minerals (opens in new tab), New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, undated one-page table, adapted from BLM H-3890-1 Handbook for Mineral Examiners.
Code or government.
“To convert cubic yards to short tons, multiply the commodity production cubic yardage by the conversion factors listed below. ... Base course 1.25 ... Fill Dirt 0.8 ... Gravel ¼" – 2" 1.42 ... Sand 1.45 ... Top Soil 0.8”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 6) -
Maintenance Manual Volume One, Appendix, Section 20 Aggregate per Mile (opens in new tab), California Department of Transportation, July 2014.
Code or government.
“Quantities based on-- 1.5 tons = 1 cu. yd. ... Loose tons = 1.5 X actual yardage. Compact tons = 2.0 X actual yardage.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 7) -
Combined bulky waste pricing and truck size graphic (created by Cedar Grove Composting) (opens in new tab), Cedar Grove Composting (Washington) produced this graphic; it is posted on the Town of Conway, Massachusetts, website, bulky waste pricing effective January 1, 2025.
Code or government.
“Compact Pickup: 4'x6' bed filled to top of bed = 1.33 Cu Yd ... Compact Pickup: 4'x7' bed filled to top of bed = 1.56 Cu Yd”
“Full-Size Pickup: 5'x7' filled to top of bed = 1.94 Cu Yd ... Full-Size Pickup: 5'x 8' filled to top of bed = 2.22 Cu Yd”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 8)
These are summaries of what the sources say, not professional advice. Codes and product data change. Check with your building department and the product label about your own project.
Sources
- [1] Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, DGLVR Materials Calculator, data file road-aggregate-fill-materials.xml. Checked November 12, 2026. https://dirtandgravel.psu.edu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/road-aggregate-fill-materials.xml
- [2] Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, DGLVR Materials Calculator. Checked November 12, 2026. https://dirtandgravel.psu.edu/general-resources/dglvr-materials-calculator/
- [3] Texas Department of Transportation, Seal Coat and Surface Treatment Manual, Section 5: Haul Trucks, Size. Checked November 12, 2026. https://www.txdot.gov/manuals/mnt/scm/equipment_inspection/haul_trucks-i1008556/size-i1008586.html
- [4] Ohio Department of Transportation, Construction and Material Specifications, Item 410.06, Table 410.06-1. Checked November 12, 2026. https://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/ConstructionMgt/OnlineDocs/Specifications/2023_CMS_07172026_for_web_Letter%20size.pdf
- [5] Missouri Department of Transportation (Engineering Policy Guide attachment; the table is a Michigan LTAP table hosted by MoDOT), Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors, Compacted and Loose Weights of Various Materials. Checked November 12, 2026. https://epg.modot.org/files/a/ad/Highway_Maintenance_Tables_and_Conversion_Factors.pdf
- [6] New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Conversion Factors for Construction Materials and Common Minerals. Checked November 12, 2026. https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/mmd/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/ConvFctrs.pdf
- [7] California Department of Transportation, Maintenance Manual Volume One, Appendix, Section 20 Aggregate per Mile. Checked November 12, 2026. https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/maintenance/documents/33-appendix-july-2014-a11y.pdf
- [8] Cedar Grove Composting (Washington) produced this graphic; it is posted on the Town of Conway, Massachusetts, website, Combined bulky waste pricing and truck size graphic (created by Cedar Grove Composting). Checked November 12, 2026. https://conwayma.gov/news/newsfile_165_Combined_bulky_truck_size_and_C__D.pdf