Crushed Stone Calculator
Enter your area and depth — get tons, cubic yards, bags, and bagged-vs-bulk cost for crushed stone in seconds.
A typical loose dry density. Suppliers vary — ask for yours, or pick Custom.
Add 10% for compaction & settling (recommended for driveways and bases)
Bags are convenient for small areas; bulk by the ton is dramatically cheaper once you pass a fraction of a cubic yard. Enter your local prices — we'll show which wins and by how much.
At a 2″ depth, one ton of this gravel covers roughly 114 sq ft. Coverage halves as you double the depth — about 57 sq ft per ton at 4″. Computed from the selected density. Driveways usually want about 6″ total over firm ground.
Round, smooth stone is comfortable underfoot and good-looking, but it shifts under load. Angular crushed stone locks together and stays put. Pick the type above to see specific guidance for driveways, paths, and drainage.
Compare gravel types.
The stone most US homeowners actually buy — size, typical weight, rough cost by the ton, and what each is for.
| Gravel type | Stone size | ~ Tons / yd³ | ~ Cost / ton | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pea gravel | 3/8" | ~1.3 | $30–50 | Patios, paths, play areas — not driveways |
| Crushed stone #57 | 3/4" | ~1.4 | $25–40 | Driveways, drainage, base layers |
| Crusher run / #411 | 0–3/4" | ~1.4 | $20–35 | Driveway base — compacts tight (has fines) |
| River rock | 1–3" | ~1.35 | $50–100 | Dry creek beds, drainage, decorative borders |
Cost ranges are typical US bulk prices and vary by region, stone, and haul distance. Weights are typical loose densities — confirm with your supplier.
How crushed stone is sold & measured.
Crushed stone is mechanically broken rock with sharp, angular faces. The most common landscaping grade is #57 — stone screened to roughly 1/2 to 1 inch with no fine particles, so it drains freely. In small amounts it comes in 0.5 cubic foot bags; for a driveway or base you buy it loose by the ton from a local stone yard.
To estimate either, start from volume. Measure your area, pick a depth, and the calculator works out the cubic feet, converts to cubic yards (27 cubic feet to a yard), and then to tons using the stone's density. From there it counts bags and prices the job both ways.
How deep should crushed stone go?
Depth depends on the job. A decorative bed or drainage cover wants 2–3 inches. A driveway needs the most: about 6 inches of stone total on firm ground and more on soft ground, where it's built in layers — a coarse crusher-run base underneath and #57 on top. For a French drain, plan on 6–12 inches of stone around the pipe.
Going deeper than you need is the most common way to overspend, because every extra inch is more tons. Going too shallow on a driveway is the most common way to get ruts. When in doubt for a drive, plan a compacted base plus a surface layer rather than one thick blanket.
Angular stone locks together.
The jagged faces of crushed stone interlock when compacted, so the surface holds firm under traffic. That's why driveways, paver bases, and drainage trenches use crushed stone (#57) or crusher run rather than rounded gravel, which rolls and shifts. The lack of fine particles in #57 also lets water drain straight through, which is what makes it the standard choice around drains and under slabs.
If you need a tighter, more compactable surface — like a driveway base — crusher run (#411), which includes stone dust, packs down harder than clean #57.
Why add a compaction allowance?
Crushed stone settles and packs down. When you compact a base, or when traffic and rain pack a fresh layer, the same stone takes up less space — so a driveway or base should be ordered a little over the bare geometric volume. Adding roughly 10% covers compaction and settling and saves a second delivery. A loose drainage bed that won't be compacted needs little or none. The toggle applies that 10% when you want it.
Frequently asked questions.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of crushed stone?
For #57 stone, roughly 1.4–1.5 tons per cubic yard (about 2,800–3,000 lbs). Dense crushed limestone can run a little heavier. The calculator uses the density of the type you pick, and you can enter a custom density if your supplier gives you one.
How much does a ton of crushed stone cover?
At a 2-inch depth, one ton of #57 covers roughly 114 square feet. Coverage halves as you double the depth, so expect about 57 sq ft per ton at 4 inches. For a driveway at about 6 inches you'll need more — roughly 38 sq ft per ton — and the calculator shows the exact figure for your depth.
Is crushed stone #57 good for a driveway?
Yes — it's one of the standard choices. The angular stones interlock under traffic and the open grading drains well. On soft ground it's usually laid over a compacted crusher-run base for the firmest result. Rounded gravels like pea gravel and river rock don't hold up the same way on their own.
Should I compact crushed stone?
For a driveway or a structural base, yes — light compaction helps the angular stones lock together. For a French drain or pure drainage bed, no: compacting fills the voids and defeats the drainage. When you're ordering for a base, add about 10% with the compaction toggle so settling doesn't leave you short.
Should I buy crushed stone in bags or in bulk?
Bags are worth it only for very small jobs. By the ton, bulk crushed stone is dramatically cheaper per unit — a cubic yard is 54 of the 0.5 cu ft bags — so the break-even comes quickly, usually well under a cubic yard even with delivery. The cost panel above compares both with your local prices.
Methodology & sources
Volumes are standard geometry; the cubic-feet result is divided by 27 for cubic yards and multiplied by the selected density for weight. Per-type densities are typical loose-dry values that sit inside the authoritative aggregate bulk-density range; where a project needs a precise figure, the custom-density field accepts a supplier's number. All arithmetic was verified with Python's Decimal to avoid floating-point drift.
Density & aggregate references (.edu / .gov):
- Pennsylvania State University — Aggregate Technician Certification Program (bulk density / unit weight, AASHTO T19) — link
- Michigan Department of Transportation — Standard Specifications for Construction, Section 902: Aggregates — link
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration — AC 150/5370-10, Item P-208 Aggregate Base Course — link
Pricing: bagged 0.5 cu ft gravel from Home Depot and Lowe's (US), checked June 2026. Bulk $/ton and delivery are editable planning defaults — local stone-yard quotes vary, so the fields are yours to change.
Last methodology review: June 2026.
Independence: Sources are cited for reference only. The universities, agencies and retailers named on this page do not sponsor or endorse MaterialCalcs, and we are not affiliated with them. Retail prices were checked by hand and vary by store and region.