Gravel, Crushed Stone & Base Rock Tonnage Calculator (With Compaction)
Gravel and crushed stone are sold by weight, but you plan a driveway or base layer by volume — and compaction after placement means you need more material than the raw volume suggests. This calculator converts your dimensions into compacted tonnage using material-specific density and a standard 15% compaction buffer.
You need approximately 19.88 tons of crusher run (2 truck load(s)) for this 100x10 ft area at 4 in deep.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Area | 1,000 sq ft |
| Depth | 4 in |
| Base volume | 12.35 cu yd |
| Material | crusher run |
| Density | 1.4 tons/yd |
| Compacted total | 19.88 tons |
| Dump truck loads (12-ton) | 2 |
Formula & step-by-step maths
- Density
- Material-specific tons per cubic yard
- 1.15
- 15% compaction factor
Why compaction factor is essential
Loose gravel settles and compacts under vehicle weight and vibration over time, meaning a driveway measured at exactly 4 inches loose will end up thinner once compacted unless extra material is added upfront. The 15% compaction factor built into this calculator accounts for that settling so your final depth matches your target.
Choosing the right material for the job
Crusher run (dense road base) is the standard choice for driveway sub-base because its mix of stone sizes and fines locks together tightly when compacted; pea gravel and river rock are decorative and drain well but shift underfoot, making them poor structural base materials. Decomposed granite compacts to a firm, walkable surface popular for garden paths.
How depth requirements differ: driveways vs walkways
Driveways generally need 4-6 inches of compacted base gravel to support vehicle weight without rutting, while pedestrian walkways can often get by with 2-3 inches. Always check your local frost depth and soil drainage conditions, since poor drainage may require a deeper base regardless of traffic type.
Estimating dump truck loads for delivery
A standard tandem dump truck carries about 12 tons of material per load, so dividing your total tonnage by 12 gives a quick estimate of how many deliveries to schedule. Larger tri-axle trucks can carry up to 16-18 tons, so confirm your supplier's specific truck capacity before finalizing a delivery order.
Reference: tons needed for driveway (10 ft wide, 4 in deep, crusher run)
| Driveway length | Volume (cu yd) | Tons (compacted) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 6.17 cu yd | 9.93 tons |
| 75 ft | 9.26 cu yd | 14.9 tons |
| 100 ft | 12.35 cu yd | 19.87 tons |
| 150 ft | 18.52 cu yd | 29.8 tons |
| 200 ft | 24.69 cu yd | 39.73 tons |
| 250 ft | 30.86 cu yd | 49.68 tons |
People also ask
How many tons of crusher run do I need for a 100 ft driveway 4 inches deep?
A 100 ft long, 10 ft wide driveway at 4 inches deep needs approximately 19.9 tons of crusher run including the 15% compaction factor, or about 2 dump truck loads at 12 tons each.
Why does gravel tonnage include a compaction factor?
Because loose gravel volume shrinks once compacted by rollers or vehicle traffic, so ordering exactly the loose volume you calculated would leave you short of material once the surface settles to its final compacted depth.
What's the difference between pea gravel and crusher run for a driveway?
Crusher run contains angular stone fragments and fines that compact into a stable, load-bearing surface ideal for driveways, while pea gravel is smooth and rounded, drains well but shifts under vehicle weight and is better suited for decorative paths.
How deep should a gravel driveway base be?
Most residential gravel driveways use 4-6 inches of compacted base material, sometimes with an additional top-dress layer of decorative stone, depending on soil conditions and expected vehicle weight.
How many dump truck loads do I need for my driveway?
Divide your total calculated tonnage by 12 (a standard tandem truck's capacity) and round up — most residential driveways need 1-3 truck loads depending on length and depth.
Does decomposed granite compact the same way as crusher run?
Decomposed granite compacts well for pedestrian paths and patios due to its fine particle mix, but it isn't rated for vehicle loads the way angular crusher run is, so it's not recommended as a driveway base material.
Why is my gravel estimate different from my supplier's quote?
Suppliers may use slightly different density figures for their specific stone or account for local compaction standards differently — treat this calculator as a solid planning estimate and confirm the exact figure with your supplier before ordering.
Can I skip the compaction factor if I'm not using a machine compactor?
No, even foot and vehicle traffic over time will compact loose gravel somewhat, so skipping the buffer risks ending up with a thinner final layer than planned, especially under regular vehicle use.
How much does gravel weigh per cubic yard?
Gravel density varies by material, roughly 1.25 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard for common landscaping and driveway stone, which is why material type is a required input for an accurate tonnage estimate.
Is river rock a good base material or only decorative?
River rock is primarily decorative and used for drainage, borders, or accent areas — it does not compact into a firm base layer the way angular crusher run does, so avoid it for structural driveway sub-base.
Three worked examples
Same engine, three different starting points — useful if you want to see how sensitive the answer is before you type your own numbers in.
Example 1: length 78 ft, material type "Pea Gravel #57"
On the lower / more conservative end. You need approximately 13.84 tons of pea gravel (2 truck load(s)) for this 78x10 ft area at 4 in deep.
Example 2: length 100 ft, material type "Dense Road Base / Crusher Run"
A typical middle-of-the-road setup. You need approximately 19.88 tons of crusher run (2 truck load(s)) for this 100x10 ft area at 4 in deep.
Example 3: length 130 ft, material type "River Rock"
On the higher / more demanding end. You need approximately 24.92 tons of river rock (3 truck load(s)) for this 130x10 ft area at 4 in deep.
Quick answers about the Gravel & Crushed Stone Tonnage
What exactly does the Gravel & Crushed Stone Tonnage work out?
Gravel and crushed stone are sold by weight, but you plan a driveway or base layer by volume — and compaction after placement means you need more material than the raw volume suggests. You enter length, width, depth and material type and the result panel updates straight away, so you can compare two or three versions of the same question in a few seconds.
What do I need before I start?
Only 4 fields: length, width, depth and material type. Nothing else is needed and nothing is stored.
How is it calculated — why compaction factor is essential?
Loose gravel settles and compacts under vehicle weight and vibration over time, meaning a driveway measured at exactly 4 inches loose will end up thinner once compacted unless extra material is added upfront. The same maths runs inside this page, so hand-checking the result on paper gives you the identical figure.
Why do two calculators give me different answers for gravel & Crushed Stone Tonnage?
Crusher run (dense road base) is the standard choice for driveway sub-base because its mix of stone sizes and fines locks together tightly when compacted; pea gravel and river rock are decorative and drain well but shift underfoot, making them poor structural base materials. Different sites pick different assumptions, so always check which method a calculator states before you trust the gap between two numbers.
What does the "Reference: tons needed for driveway (10 ft wide, 4 in deep, crusher run)" table on this page tell me?
It is the reference range this tool works against — 6 rows from "50 ft" (6.17 cu yd) up to "250 ft" (30.86 cu yd). Use it to sanity-check whether the number you just calculated sits where you expected it to.
Which material type should I pick?
The dropdown offers 4 choices — Pea Gravel #57, Dense Road Base / Crusher Run, River Rock and Decomposed Granite. Pick the one that matches your real situation rather than the one you would like to be true; material type usually moves the final figure more than any other single input, so it is worth running it twice with the option above and below your guess.
Do I have to press a button or reload the page to see the result?
No. Gravel & Crushed Stone Tonnage runs completely inside your browser, so the moment you change a value the cards recalculate — there is no submit step, no page reload and no waiting for a server round trip. That also means it keeps working on a weak or intermittent mobile connection.
Is it free, and do you keep what I type?
It is free with no sign-up, no app install and no usage limit. Nothing you enter into Gravel & Crushed Stone Tonnage leaves your device — the calculation is JavaScript running locally, so there is no upload of your figures to DrHint or anyone else.
Can I use it on a phone?
Yes — the layout stacks to a single column on small screens and the number fields open the numeric keypad on both Android and iOS. Many people bookmark this page or add it to their home screen and re-open it whenever the question comes up.
Anything to be careful about with the result?
A 100 ft long, 10 ft wide driveway at 4 inches deep needs approximately 19. Treat the output as a well-grounded estimate for planning, not as a professional, legal or medical decision on its own.
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