How much gravel do I need for a driveway?

Multiply length × width × depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, and multiply by about 1.4 for tons. A 100 × 12 ft driveway built 11 inches deep in three layers needs about 41 cubic yards, roughly 57 tons, before allowing for compaction.

How deep should a gravel driveway be?

About 8 to 12 inches in total for a new driveway on soil: 4 to 6 inches of large base stone, 3 to 4 inches of medium stone, and 2 to 3 inches of a fine, compactable top layer. Resurfacing an existing driveway usually takes 2 to 3 inches.

What is the best gravel for a driveway?

Angular crushed stone, because the sharp edges lock together. Rounded stone like pea gravel or river rock rolls and ruts. A top layer with fines in it, such as crusher run or #411, packs into a hard surface.

How much extra gravel should I order for a driveway?

Order 10 to 20 percent more than the measured volume. Stone compacts under a roller or plate compactor and the subgrade is never perfectly flat.

How wide is a gravel driveway?

Single-car driveways are usually 10 to 12 feet wide, and two-car driveways about 18 to 20 feet. Add width at curves and where cars turn.

Driveway Gravel Calculator: How Much Gravel for a Driveway

A gravel driveway is built in layers, so run the calculator once per layer. Start with the depth for the layer you are ordering; the guide below shows typical depths and stone for each.

The three layers of a gravel driveway

Most gravel driveways that hold up for years are built in three layers. Each one uses a smaller stone than the one below it.

Layer	Typical stone	Depth	Job
1. Base	#3 or #2 crushed stone (about 1 to 2.5 in pieces)	4–6 in	Spreads the load and lets water drain through
2. Middle	#57 crushed stone (about 3/4 in)	3–4 in	Fills the gaps in the base and gives a firm bed
3. Top	#411, crusher run or 3/4 minus (stone plus fines)	2–3 in	Packs into a hard, smooth surface

Stone numbers and names change from region to region. Tell your supplier it is for a driveway and which layer you are ordering, and they will point you to their equivalent.

On soft or clay soil, lay a woven geotextile fabric on the cleared subgrade before the base layer. It keeps the base stone from sinking into the mud.

Worked example: a new 100 × 12 ft driveway

The driveway is 1,200 square feet. Using typical loose weights:

Layer	Depth	Cubic yards	Approx. tons
Base (#3 stone, about 1.35 t/yd³)	4 in	14.8	20.0
Middle (#57, about 1.35 t/yd³)	4 in	14.8	20.0
Top (crusher run, about 1.5 t/yd³)	3 in	11.1	16.7
Total	11 in	40.7	56.7

Add 10 to 20 percent for compaction and uneven ground, and this driveway needs roughly 45 to 49 cubic yards, or about 62 to 68 tons. That is several truckloads: a tandem dump truck typically carries somewhere around 13 to 15 tons, but ask your supplier what their trucks hold.

Resurfacing an existing driveway

If the base is still firm and you are only filling ruts and refreshing the top:

Grade or rake the existing surface and fill potholes first.
Spread 2 to 3 inches of the top-layer stone.
Crown the center slightly (a rise of about 1/4 inch per foot of half-width is a common target) so water runs off to the sides.

For a 100 × 12 ft driveway, 2 inches of crusher run is about 7.4 cubic yards, or around 11 tons.

Measuring a driveway that is not a rectangle

Curves: measure the length along the center line and use the average width.
Turnarounds and parking pads: measure them as separate rectangles and add them.
Circular turnaround: use the circle option on the main gravel calculator and subtract any island in the middle.

Before you order

Check access. A loaded tandem dump truck is heavy and needs a firm route and overhead clearance to tip.
Ask whether the supplier will “spread” the load as it tips (tailgate spreading), which saves a lot of shoveling.
Rent a plate compactor or roller for the base layers; compacting each layer separately makes the driveway last.

See the gravel driveway cost calculator to turn these quantities into a budget using your local prices.

Tons per cubic yard are averages for dry, loose stone. Quarries publish their own figures; use those when you order by the ton.

Illustration of a long gravel driveway curving up to a farmhouse

Questions people ask

How much gravel do I need for a driveway?: Multiply length × width × depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, and multiply by about 1.4 for tons. A 100 × 12 ft driveway built 11 inches deep in three layers needs about 41 cubic yards, roughly 57 tons, before allowing for compaction.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?: About 8 to 12 inches in total for a new driveway on soil: 4 to 6 inches of large base stone, 3 to 4 inches of medium stone, and 2 to 3 inches of a fine, compactable top layer. Resurfacing an existing driveway usually takes 2 to 3 inches.
What is the best gravel for a driveway?: Angular crushed stone, because the sharp edges lock together. Rounded stone like pea gravel or river rock rolls and ruts. A top layer with fines in it, such as crusher run or #411, packs into a hard surface.
How much extra gravel should I order for a driveway?: Order 10 to 20 percent more than the measured volume. Stone compacts under a roller or plate compactor and the subgrade is never perfectly flat.
How wide is a gravel driveway?: Single-car driveways are usually 10 to 12 feet wide, and two-car driveways about 18 to 20 feet. Add width at curves and where cars turn.

Driveway gravel calculator