What the animation shows
The animation and the step-by-step video above use your numbers. Here is the same walkthrough written out for the default example.
What you enter
- Areas: 10 × 10 ft.
- Depth: 4 in.
- Material density: 2700 lb/yd³. Typical: crushed stone 2,400–2,900; pea gravel ~2,600–2,800; dry sand ~2,600–2,900. Ask your supplier.
- Extra for compaction and uneven base: 0 %. Compacted road base often needs 10–20% more than its loose volume.
What happens, step by step
- Gravel from the pile fills the 10 × 10 ft area, 4 in deep.
- Area times depth: 100 sq ft × 4 in is 1.23 cu yd.
- Each cubic yard weighs 2,700 lb, so the pile is 1.67 tons.
The answer: weight is 1.67 tons.
How it’s calculated
- Volume = area × depth × (1 + extra %)
- Tons = cubic yards × density (lb/yd³) ÷ 2,000
Worked example
A 10 × 10 ft area, 4 in deep, 2,700 lb/yd³ gravel.
Inputs
- Areas
- 10 × 10 ft
- Depth
- 4 in
- Material density
- 2700 lb/yd³
- Extra for compaction and uneven base
- 0 %
- Price per ton
- 0 $/ton
Results
- Weight
- 1.67 tons
- Volume
- 1.23 cu yd
- Area
- 100 sq ft
Assumptions and limits
- US short tons (2,000 lb).
- Density is for the material as delivered (loose).
Verify the result against the applicable local code, adopted code edition, manufacturer instructions and project requirements. See our methodology.
Questions
How many tons of gravel do I need?
A 10 × 10 ft area 4 in deep is 1.23 cubic yards — about 1.67 tons at 2,700 lb per cubic yard.
How deep should driveway gravel be?
Driveways commonly use 4–6 in of compacted base plus a 2–3 in top layer; soft soils may need more.