How Much Does a Yard of Gravel Cover?

Gravel coverage chart by depth

One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. For a uniform layer, area equals volume divided by depth in feet. Converting the depth from inches makes the one-yard formula 27 × 12 ÷ depth, or 324 ÷ depth.

The table assumes the yard of material occupies that volume in the condition you are measuring. It does not assume that a loose delivered yard will still occupy a full yard after compaction.

Worked example: a 20 × 12 ft area

A 20 × 12 ft rectangle has an area of 240 ft². At an example 3-inch depth, its geometric volume is 240 × 3 ÷ 12 = 60 ft³, or 60 ÷ 27 = 2.222 yd³.

If the supplier recommends a 10% volume allowance for this particular order, the requirement becomes 2.222… × 1.10 = 2.444… yd³. A supplier selling half-yard increments would round that to 2.5 yd³. Ask about the actual increment rather than assuming every yard sells the same way.

At an invented material price of $45 per yard and a $60 delivery charge, that rounded order costs 2.5 × $45 + $60 = $172.50. These prices demonstrate the calculation; they are not a local market quote.

Keep tons and cubic yards separate

A cubic yard of one product can weigh more than a cubic yard of another. Stone grading, moisture and the voids between particles affect bulk density. The supplier’s value for the actual material is more useful than a universal yards-to-tons shortcut.

For an example density of 100 lb/ft³, one cubic yard weighs 27 × 100 = 2,700 lb, or 1.35 US short tons. Before half-yard purchase rounding, the example 2.444… yd³ requirement would weigh 3.3 tons at that density. The rounded 2.5 yd³ order would instead weigh 3.375 tons.

For a price per ton, round using the supplier’s weight increment. For a price per yard, round volume. Do not treat those two rounded alternatives as separate materials to buy.

Account for the condition of the material

A driveway base may be specified by finished compacted depth while the material is delivered loose. Ask which condition the supplier’s coverage and density describe. A generic allowance cannot determine how a particular aggregate will compact.

For multiple layers, calculate the base and surface course separately. A decorative gravel surface and a compacted base do not necessarily have the same density, grading or placement allowance. Mixing them into one average can hide an under-order in one layer.

Measure irregular areas before rounding

Break an L-shaped area into non-overlapping rectangles and add their areas. For a circle, use π × radius². Measure depth in several places if the underlying surface is uneven, because the deepest point alone can overstate the whole layer while the shallowest point understates it.

• Subtract paths, slabs and other areas that will not receive gravel.
• Use the additional depth for a top-up, not the final total depth of an existing layer.
• Combine sections that use the same material before rounding the order.
• Confirm delivery access and minimum charges before deciding between bulk and bags.

Common questions

Sources and product references

• NIST — SI units: volume

  Reference for volume units. Coverage tables and worked examples on this page are Calcstead calculations, not product performance guarantees.