Gravel Driveway Calculator
Driveway gravel = length × width × depth for each layer; a new drive is often built in three layers of about 4 in, so run it once per layer. A 60 × 12 ft driveway at 4 in deep needs 8.89 yd³, or 10.2 yd³ with the 15% compaction allowance. For the sub-base, use the Road Base Calculator.
How it's calculated: Volume = length × width × depth (per layer or in total), plus the 15% compaction and edge allowance; weight = volume × the gravel density shown.
Result appears here
Fill in the fields and press Calculate.
Formula, calculation, assumptions and sources
Volume = Length × Width × Depth
Weight = Volume × bulk density
Run the calculation to see each step with your own numbers.
A 60 ft × 12 ft driveway, 4 in of gravel, 15% for compaction and edges.
Volume = 240 ft³ = 8.89 yd³ exact
Weight ≈ 8.89 × 1.42 ≈ 12.59 tons
+15%: order 10.23 yd³ / 14.48 tons
- Rectangular driveway of uniform width and depth.
- For a crowned driveway the centre is deeper — this uses the average depth you enter.
- A geotextile fabric under the gravel (recommended over soft soil) is separate.
- How deep should a gravel driveway be?
- A common build is about 12 in total in three layers over stable soil: a 4-in coarse base (2–3 in stone), a 4-in middle (¾-in stone), and a 4-in top (dense-graded / crusher run). Poor soil needs more, plus fabric.
- Can I just add gravel to an existing driveway?
- Yes — enter the top-up depth you're adding, often 2 inches of the fine surface stone, rather than a full three-layer build. If the base has rutted or gone soft, a top-up won't fix it; that needs the base rebuilt.
- How much gravel do I need for a 100 ft driveway?
- About 12.35 yd³ for a 100 × 10 ft driveway at 4 in deep, or 14.2 yd³ with the default 15% allowance. For a full three-layer build, run each 4 in layer separately.
- Why is the driveway waste allowance 15%?
- Driveway gravel goes down loose and compacts under traffic, and the crown and edges spread wider than the flat area. The 15% default covers both, and the exact figure is always shown alongside.
Volume
Standard geometry: Volume = L × W × D. Unit conversions per NIST SP 811.
Bulk density
Typical dry gravel ≈ 1.42 US tons/yd³ (1,680 kg/m³; 105 lb/ft³). Engineering ToolBox. Varies with gradation, moisture and compaction.
About the Gravel Driveway Calculator
The Gravel Driveway Calculator sizes gravel for a driveway, either as one top-up layer or run once per layer of a full three-layer build (coarse base, middle, fine top). Enter the finished compacted depth; the waste allowance covers compaction and the crown spreading wider than the flat area. For a single generic gravel quantity use the Gravel Calculator; for the compacted sub-base specifically, the Road Base Calculator.
What you enter
- Length
- Width
- Depth — Enter the total gravel depth. A new driveway is often built in three ~4-in layers (base, middle, top) — run this once per layer or enter the full depth.
- Waste allowance — Default 15%. Adjust to your own allowance — the exact figure is always shown too.
What you get back
- Volume — shown as the exact figure and, separately, a recommended figure with your waste allowance added.
- Delivered weight — Suppliers usually sell by weight. Weight uses the material's bulk density (adjustable).
The formula, a worked example, the assumptions behind it and the sources are shown in full below the calculator.
Related calculators
- Gravel Calculator — Gravel by volume and by delivered weight for driveways, paths and fill.
- Road Base Calculator — Road base / crusher-run quantity for a sub-base layer.
- Crushed Stone Calculator — Crushed stone by volume and weight. Shares the density question with the Gravel Calculator.
- Cubic Yard Calculator — Convert a length, width and depth into cubic yards, cubic feet or cubic metres.
Related articles
- Gravel Sizes Explained: Which Size Do You Need? — Gravel comes in a range of standard sizes, each suited to a different job — drainage stone, base material, and decorative surface stone all differ.
Part of the Landscaping & Driveway calculators.