Gravel Calculator
Calculate how much gravel, sand, topsoil, or mulch you need — in cubic yards, tons, and bags — for any area and depth.
ft
ft
in
Material needed
1.85cubic yards
50
cubic feet
2.6
tons (approx)
25
2 ft³ bags
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How the gravel calculator works
Cubic yards = (Length × Width × Depth in feet) ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × material density.
We find the volume of material by multiplying length × width × depth, then convert to cubic yards (27 cubic feet per yard). Bulk material is usually sold by the cubic yard or by the ton, so we also estimate weight using the typical density of each material.
- Gravel: roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
- Driveways: 3–4 inches of gravel is common per layer.
- Bagged vs bulk: over about 1 cubic yard, bulk delivery is far cheaper than bags.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27 cubic feet. So a 2-cubic-foot bag is about 1/13.5 of a cubic yard — you'd need roughly 13–14 bags to equal one yard.
How deep should gravel be?
For walkways, 2–3 inches is fine. For driveways, plan 4 inches or more, often in multiple compacted layers.