How Much Gravel is Needed For Your Driveway?

by DoItYourself Staff

When estimating the amount of gravel required to cover your driveway, your estimate will depend on the type of gravel you choose. Different grades are found in particles from fine to course, ranging from 2mm to 64mm. The volume of gravel must also be calculated according to the size of the rocks. Choose the gravel you'd like to use before digging the depth of your driveway; this will save in over or under buying of product, and unnecessary digging.

Size and Coverage

Gravel should be a minimum of 4" deep. The smaller the gravel, the more even the coverage will be. If rocks are on the larger side, allow for an additional half inch. Using two inches as the depth, the measurements below are a guide to the amount of gravel coverage per ton.

Gravel Size 1/4" to 1/2"

100 sq. ft. per ton

Gravel Size 1/2" to 1"

90 sq. ft. per ton

Gravel Size 1 1/2" to 2"

80 sq. ft. per ton

Measuring the Driveway

To measure the driveway in cubic feet, multiply length by width by depth.

For cubic yards, divide the total cubic feet by 27.

One cubic yard of gravel is equal to 1.13 ton. Multiply total cubic yards by 1.13 to convert to tons.

Tips

Work out the measurements for an underlay separately. Road base is recommended as a bottom layer. As decorative gravel is more expensive than road base, using a 2" layer of road base overlaid with 2" of gravel, will greatly reduce costs.