Gravel & Crushed Stone Coverage Chart
Quick answer: general gravel weighs about 1.5 tons per cubic yard (roughly 3,000 lb), so one ton is about 0.67 cubic yards. A cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches deep. The tables below are the numbers you need to order gravel, crushed stone, sand, or soil by the ton or the yard; for an exact figure on your job, use the gravel calculator or the crushed stone calculator.
Weight per cubic yard, by material
Suppliers quote bulk material by the ton, but you measure your project by volume — so you need the density to convert. These are typical working figures; weight rises with moisture and compaction.
| Material | Tons per cubic yard | Pounds per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Pea gravel | 1.4 | 2,800 |
| #57 stone | 1.4 | 2,800 |
| Gravel (general) | 1.5 | 3,000 |
| Crushed stone (general) | 1.4 | 2,800 |
| Crusher run / #411 | 1.5 | 3,000 |
| River rock | 1.6 | 3,200 |
| Sand | 1.35 | 2,700 |
| Fill dirt | 1.25 | 2,500 |
| Topsoil | 1.1 | 2,200 |
Bulk density varies with stone type, moisture, and compaction, so treat the tonnage as a close estimate — round up when you order.
Coverage per cubic yard, by depth
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet no matter the material, so coverage depends only on depth. This table works for gravel, stone, sand, and soil alike.
| Depth | Coverage per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft |
How many tons of gravel for common areas
At the standard 4-inch depth and about 1.5 tons per cubic yard (general gravel). For a different depth or a lighter material like topsoil, use the calculator.
| Area (at 4 in deep) | Cubic yards | Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 1.23 | 1.9 |
| 200 sq ft | 2.47 | 3.7 |
| 300 sq ft | 3.70 | 5.6 |
| 500 sq ft | 6.17 | 9.3 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 12.35 | 18.5 |
A gravel driveway is usually deeper and built in layers — the gravel driveway calculator handles the base-plus-surface plan.
Recommended depth by use
| Use | Depth |
|---|---|
| Decorative bed or path | 2–3 in |
| Patio or shed sub-base | 4 in compacted |
| Driveway (total, in lifts) | 4–6 in over a base |
| Drainage / French drain | 4+ in of clean stone |
Quick conversions
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
- 1 ton of gravel ≈ 0.67 cubic yard (at ~1.5 tons/yd³)
- Bulk stone ≈ 1.4–1.7 tons/yd³ · sand ≈ 1.35 · topsoil ≈ 1.1
- Suppliers sell gravel and crushed stone by the ton, topsoil and mulch by the yard
- Order about 10% extra for compaction, an uneven subgrade, and spillage
How to use this chart
Work out your area in square feet, pick your depth in the coverage table to get cubic yards, then multiply by the tons-per-yard figure for your material. Or skip the arithmetic: the gravel, crushed stone, and aggregate calculators do it live and let you switch shapes, depths, and subtypes. For bedding sand under pavers, use the sand calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?+
About 1.5 tons for general gravel, ranging from roughly 1.4 to 1.7 tons per cubic yard depending on the stone type and moisture. Pea gravel and #57 stone run lighter (~1.4), river rock heavier (~1.6). Crushed stone is about the same at 1.4–1.5 tons per cubic yard.
How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?+
Roughly 3,000 pounds — about 1.5 US tons — for general gravel. It ranges from about 2,800 lb (pea gravel, #57 stone) to 3,400 lb (wet or dense stone). Sand is about 2,700 lb per cubic yard and topsoil about 2,200 lb.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?+
At about 1.5 tons per cubic yard, one ton of gravel is roughly 18 cubic feet — enough to cover about 108 square feet at 2 inches deep, 72 sq ft at 3 inches, or 54 sq ft at 4 inches. Coverage halves as you double the depth.
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?+
About 0.67 cubic yards per ton, because general gravel weighs around 1.5 tons per cubic yard. Suppliers usually sell gravel and crushed stone by the ton, so use the weight figure when you order in bulk.
Do gravel and crushed stone weigh the same?+
Close. General gravel is about 1.5 tons per cubic yard and crushed stone about 1.4–1.5, so they weigh nearly the same. The difference is shape — crushed stone is angular and compacts into a firmer base, while gravel is rounded and shifts more under load.