How Much Gravel Do I Need for a Driveway?
Gravel for a driveway is sold by the ton or cubic yard. A 50×12 ft driveway at 6 in deep needs about 12 cubic yards, or roughly 17 tons of crushed stone with a 10% waste allowance. Use the Gravel Driveway Calculator for your exact size.
Ready to run the numbers? Use our Gravel Driveway Calculator or the Gravel Calculator to get an instant material estimate.
Measure the driveway
Multiply length × width in feet for the square footage. A single-car driveway is often about 12 ft wide; a two-car drive is 20–24 ft wide. Measure the actual paved area, including any turnarounds or parking bays.
Depth — base and surface layers
A gravel driveway is usually 4–6 in total, ideally in two layers: a coarse base of larger crushed stone, then a finer compacted surface layer. For a driving surface, use crushed stone with fines (often called road base or item 4) — it packs firm. Round pea gravel shifts under tires and is better for paths.
- 4 in — light foot and occasional car traffic on firm soil.
- 6 in — standard for regular vehicle use.
- 8 in — soft or wet soil, or heavy truck and RV traffic.
Convert to tons
Suppliers quote gravel by the ton or the cubic yard. Convert volume to yards, then multiply by density. Crushed stone averages about 1.4 tons per cubic yard; pea gravel is lighter at about 1.3.
Source: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet. Crushed stone ≈ 1.4 tons/yd³; pea gravel ≈ 1.3.
A 50×12 ft driveway at 6 in deep = 300 ft³ = 11.1 yd³. With 10% waste: 12.2 yd³ × 1.4 = 17.1 tons to order.
Choosing gravel and scheduling delivery
- One cubic yard covers about 54 ft² at 6 in deep.
- Order by the ton for delivery; confirm the density with your supplier for large orders.
- Bulk deliveries often have a 2–3 yard minimum — split an order with a neighbor if needed.
- Compact each layer with a rented plate compactor before adding the next.
Frequently asked questions
How much gravel do I need for a 50×12 driveway?
At 6 in deep, a 50×12 ft driveway needs about 12.2 cubic yards, or roughly 17 tons of crushed stone with a 10% waste allowance. The calculator gives both units for any size.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
4–6 in total, in two layers — a coarse base and a finer compacted surface. Use 6 in for regular vehicle traffic and 8 in for soft soil or heavy trucks.
How many square feet does a ton of gravel cover?
At 6 in deep, one ton of crushed stone (about 0.7 cubic yards) covers roughly 38 ft². At 4 in deep it covers about 57 ft². Coverage rises as the layer gets thinner.
Calculators for this guide
Put these numbers to work with the free calculators referenced above.