By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
A gravel driveway is built in layers: a coarse base that carries the load and a smaller surface stone that sheds water and looks tidy. Calculating each layer separately avoids the usual mistake of ordering a single depth of the wrong stone.
Gravel tonnage and cost for a driveway, by layer.
V = L × W × D W = V × ρ Cost = V × price
Depth is entered in inches. Bulk density is taken as 1,680 kg/m³ (mixed driveway gravel); real material varies with moisture and compaction, so treat the total as an estimate and add 5–10% for settling.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| L, W | Length and width of the area being covered. |
| D | Spread depth of the material. |
| V | Volume in cubic yards (and cubic metres). |
| ρ | Bulk density of the material. |
| W | Total weight, shown in pounds and US tons. |
600 sq ft at 6 inches is 300 cu ft, or 11.1 cu yd — about 18,700 kg, or 20.6 US tons of base gravel.
Continue with the Asphalt Calculator, Crushed Stone Calculator, Road Base Calculator, or the Concrete Driveway Cost Calculator — or browse more driveways & paving and all construction calculators.
Four to six inches of compacted base for cars, 8–12 inches for heavy vehicles, plus a 2-inch surface layer.
Results use standard construction estimating arithmetic: volumes from measured area and depth, unit weights from published material densities, and code-referenced spans or clearances where the page names a code. Quantities are rounded up to whole saleable units and include the stated waste allowance. These tools are planning aids, not structural design, and do not replace a licensed engineer, a local code check, or a contractor's site measurement.
Reference material used to build and check this calculator:
Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
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Content updated: September 2026