To work out how much gravel you need, multiply the area by the depth to get the volume, then multiply by the material's bulk density to get the weight. This calculator does both in metric and imperial, for gravel, sand, crushed stone or topsoil.
Reviewed: June 20, 2026 · Author: Naveen P N, Founder — AI Calculator · Verified against: volume & density relations, recomputed in code.
Volume & weight
Keep the depth in the same family of units as the area — the calculator handles feet-and-inches or metres-and-centimetres for you. One cubic yard is 0.7646 m³, and one tonne is 1.102 US tons, so results are shown in both. Because bulk density depends on stone size and moisture, the tonnage is an estimate; pick the closest material for a better figure.
Worked examples
20 ft × 10 ft path at 4 in deep (gravel):
5 m × 4 m area at 10 cm deep:
10 m × 3 m driveway at 15 cm:
Add roughly 5–10% to these figures for compaction and spillage. For a driveway, the gravel usually sits on a compacted sub-base, so measure the finished gravel depth only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Area × depth for volume, × density for weight. 20×10 ft at 4 in ≈ 2.47 yd³ ≈ 3.1 tons.
× bulk density. 2 m³ × 1.5 = 3 tonnes (≈ 3.3 US tons).
~2 in for top-ups, 4 in for paths, 6 in+ for driveways.
Add 5–10% for compaction and spillage.
~1.4–1.5 t/m³; sand/stone ~1.6; topsoil ~1.3.