How many sq ft in a ton of gravel

Use this online gravel calculator to estimate how much gravel in volume (cubic ft, cubic yards, or cubic meters) or weight (tons & pounds, tonnes and kilograms). It uses a standard pea gravel density.

Table of Contents Show

Calculating how much gravel you need
Square or rectangular area
Round area covered with gravel
Irregularly shaped area
Gravel basics and gravel density
Common gravel and crushed stone sizes
What is the density of gravel?
How much does a yard3 of gravel weigh?
How much does a cubic meter of gravel weigh?
How much is a ton of gravel?A ton of gravel with average-sized pebbles is about 0.705 cubic yards, or 19 cubic feet, assuming it has been screened for debris and contains no leftover dirt, sand, etc.
How much is a tonne of gravel?
Ton vs tonne, tons vs tonnes
What area will 1 tonne of gravel cover?
How many square feet in a ton?
How much gravel do you need per square foot?
How big is a 20 ton pile of gravel?

Calculating how much gravel you need

Many builders and gardeners face the task of calculating or estimating the amount of gravel they would need to fill a given space or cover a given area with a layer of gravel. Our gravel calculator is a great assistance in such cases, keeping in mind that the results will only be as good as the entered measurements and density. The process is as follows:

Estimate the volume of gravel needed, using geometrical formulas and plans or measurements.
Estimate or learn the density of your preferred gravel mix. The default value is pea gravel density.
Multiply the volume by the density (in the same units) to get the weight

It is often a good idea to consider buying 5-6% more gravel than estimated by our calculator, to be on the safe side.

Square or rectangular area

To calculate how much gravel you need to cover a rectangular area you need to multiply the volume by the gravel density. The volume formula for a rectangular (or square) box in cubic feet is height(ft) x width(ft) x length(ft), as seen in the figure below:

For example, to fill a box with a width of 3ft and a length of 6ft, to a depth of 1ft, you need to multiply 1ft x 3ft x 6ft = 24ft3 (cubic feet) of gravel, then multiply that by the density. Our pea gravel calculator handles all this for you given you supply the dimensions.

Round area covered with gravel

If the area you want to cover with gravel, or the shape you want to fill is round, the calculation is a bit different:

The volume of a figure with a round foundation is its height times the area of its foundation. To calculate the foundation area the calculator needs its diameter, since the formula is π x r2, where r is the radius, or diameter/2. Again, the gravel calculator will do this math for you.

Irregularly shaped area

In case the area you are calculating has an irregular shape, things get a bit more difficult, but in general what you would want to do is divide it in several regularly-shaped sections, calculate their volume and gravel requirements and then sum them up together. The one-click copy function of our tool should come in handy. In case you end up with a large number of sections to sum, you might appreciate our summation calculator.

Gravel basics and gravel density

Gravel is a naturally occurring material, consisting of water-born pieces of rock and is found in buried or current stream beds. The peas are usually rounded with smooth surfaces, while other properties depend on "parent rock". You may also encounter "crushed gravel", which is simply larger gravel particles crushed to a smaller desired size.

Gravel is usually sold with a guaranteed maximum particle size, e.g. 10mm, 20mm. This means that no side of any particle will be larger than the specified measurement, which is achieved through screening, usually using industrial automated screeners. Note that a gravel's density depends on this, so make sure to consult the manufacturer's technical specifications for the estimated density which you should then input in our gravel calculator. Typical gravel density (dry) is between 1520 and 1680 kg/m3 (95 to 105 lbs/ft3). If it is mixed with sand the density is around 1920 kg/m3 or 120 lbs/ft3 [1].

Crushed stone is often used as a material for producing concrete. It is also used as a road base, and in some locations it is used for paving roads, for example Russia has over 400,000 km (250,000 mi) of gravel roads. It is a great driveway base material, bike path base fill, paver patio sub base, walkways, and just general fill material. Some types of gravel offer excellent drainage as water is able to percolate through the stones leaving your property or walkway clean and dry.

Common gravel and crushed stone sizes

Contrary to what you may think, there is more than one type of gravel, both by composition and size of the stones. Selecting the right size and style is crucial for the success of any construction project, as some are more versatile and have a different application than others. For example, landscaping gravel would last longer than mulch or pine straw, making it great for outdoor spaces requiring a durable material, while construction gravel provides solid footing for construction and landscaping. Different types of gravel have different densities and by knowing it you can get a more accurate estimate for the amount of gravel you need.

Gravel is categorized in two main types under the Udden-Wentworth scale: granular gravel (2 to 4 mm / 0.079 to 0.157 inches) and pebble gravel (5 to 64 mm or 02 to 2.5 inches). It is further categorized in several types, listed in the table below [2]:

For small projects, you can buy pea gravel in small bags, but for larger projects, you would need to buy by the cubic yard or by the ton (cubic meter or tonne). You’ll need to reach out to a landscaping supplier to purchase this quantity, making sure you also ask about transportation costs. Our tool allows you to enter price per ton (or tonne) to get a price estimate as well.

Gravel (crushed stone) types [2]TypeDescriptionBank gravel(bank run, river run) Naturally deposited, usually mixed with sand or clay.Bench gravelA bed of gravel above the current river bottom. It was deposited there previously, when the river had a higher level.Creek rock / river rockRounder, semi-polished stones of different types, dredged or scooped from stream beds. Used as concrete aggregate.Crushed stone(DGA - dense grade aggregate, QP - quarry process, shoulder stone) Rocks crushed and graded by crusher and screeners. Widely used for roads and driveways.Fine gravelGravel with particles between 2 and 4 millimeters.Lag gravelSurface accumulation of coarse gravel produced by the removal of finer particles.Pay gravel("pay dirt") Gravel with a high concentration of precious metals like gold. The metals can be recovered through gold panning.Pea gravelThis type of gravel consists of small, rounded stones in concrete sizes. It is typically used for walkways, driveways, home aquariums, home gardening and landscaping.Piedmont gravelCoarse gravel that is carried down from high places by streams and deposited on relatively flat ground by slower running waters.Plateau gravelA gravel layer on a plateau or another region above the height at which stream-terrace gravel is usually found.

What is the density of gravel?

The density of typical gravel is 105 lb/ft3 (1680 kg/m3). This corresponds to gravel with average sized pebbles and is the number used in the calculator.

How much does a yard3 of gravel weigh?

A cubic yard of typical gravel weighs about 2830 pounds or 1.42 tons. A square yard of gravel with a depth of 2 in (~5 cm) weighs about 157 pounds (~74 kg). The gravel is assumed to be clean of dirt and other debris.

How much does a cubic meter of gravel weigh?

A cubic meter of typical gravel weighs 1,680 kilograms 1.68 tonnes. A square meter of gravel with a depth of 5 cm weighs about 84 kg or 0.084 tonnes. The numbers are obtained using this gravel calculator.

How much is a ton of gravel?A ton of gravel with average-sized pebbles is about 0.705 cubic yards, or 19 cubic feet, assuming it has been screened for debris and contains no leftover dirt, sand, etc.

How much is a tonne of gravel?

A tonne of moderately damp gravel typically fills about 0.595 m3 (cubic meters). It can be more or less dense depending on the size of the pebbles, the exact type of source rock, as well as purity.

Ton vs tonne, tons vs tonnes

When calculating the gravel weight, make sure you do not confuse the tonne (metric ton) with the ton (short ton). The first one is used by all countries in the world and is defined to be equal to 1000 kg by the international body of standardization. The ton is currently only used in the United States and is equal to 2000 pounds (2000 lbs). The difference between the two is not huge but can quickly add up to a significant number as the quantity increases.

References

[1] Nemati K.M. "Aggregates for Concrete" (2015) lecture for the University of Washington [online] Available at http://courses.washington.edu/cm425/aggregate.pdf

What area will 1 tonne of gravel cover?

A driveway should be at least 50mm deep, so one ton would cover approximately 14 square meters.

How many square feet in a ton?

1 ton equals 12,000 BTU. That means that, on average, we will need 0.0016 tons per square foot. ... Tonnage Table (AC Sizing Chart).

How much gravel do you need per square foot?

How much landscaping rock do I need?.

How big is a 20 ton pile of gravel?

20 tons or tonnes of gravel with average sized pebbles is about 14 cubic yards or 380 cubic feet, which will cover approximately 2290 square feet or 254 square yards or 212 square meters area for standard 2 inches depth and 1520 square feet, or 170 square yards, or 140 square metres at 3 inches deep.