Crushed Stone Calculator
Tons & cubic yards of crushed stone
Ordering crushed stone for a base, driveway or drainage? Enter your area and depth to get the tons and cubic yards. Below: which stone size to order (the decision that matters most), a depth chart by application, a worked driveway, and why compacting in lifts is not optional.
Crushed stone size chart: which grade to order
Getting the size wrong is a more expensive mistake than getting the quantity wrong, and the numbers are not intuitive. The single most important distinction is dense-graded versus clean.
| Name | Size | Fines? | Use for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crusher run / ¾ minus | 0 to ¾ in | Yes | Driveway and patio base |
| Stone dust / screenings | 0 to ¼ in | Yes | Levelling course, paver setting |
| #57 stone | ¾ to 1 in | No | Drainage, French drains, concrete |
| #8 pea-size | ⅜ in | No | Drainage, paths |
| #4 ballast | 1½ to 2½ in | No | Deep sub-base, erosion control |
| #2 / rip rap | 2 to 4 in | No | Drainage channels, slopes |
Fines are the whole difference. Crusher run contains stone dust that fills the voids, so it compacts into a hard, load-bearing surface. Clean stone like #57 has no fines, so it drains freely and never locks up. Use the first under things and the second around water.
Using clean stone as a driveway base is the classic error: it stays loose, ruts under tyres and migrates. Using crusher run in a French drain is the opposite error — the fines clog and the drain stops draining within a couple of seasons.
How deep should crushed stone be?
| Depth | Cubic yards | Tons | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 0.68 yd³ | 0.96 | Top dressing an existing drive |
| 3 in | 1.02 yd³ | 1.44 | Paths, shed bases |
| 4 in | 1.36 yd³ | 1.93 | Patio base, light traffic drive |
| 6 in | 2.04 yd³ | 2.89 | Residential driveway, most soils |
| 8 in | 2.72 yd³ | 3.85 | Clay soil, heavy vehicles |
A full gravel driveway is usually built in layers rather than one material: 4 inches of larger #4 ballast at the bottom, 3 to 4 inches of crusher run in the middle, and a 1 to 2 inch decorative top course. A single 6-inch layer of crusher run is the simpler compromise and works on stable ground.
Gravel driveway calculator: a 12 × 40 ft worked example
A single-car driveway 12 ft wide and 40 ft long is 480 ft², built to a 6-inch depth with the calculator's 10% overage:
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 480 ft² × 0.5 ft | 240 ft³ |
| Plus 10% | 264 ft³ ÷ 27 | 9.78 yd³ |
| As weight | 9.78 × 1.42 | 13.86 tons |
| Truck loads | at 10 to 14 yd³ | 1 large or 2 small |
| Cost at $30 to $60/ton | 13.86 × rate | $416 to $832 plus delivery |
Working from the other direction, one ton of crushed stone covers about 114 ft² at 2 inches, 76 ft² at 3 inches, or 57 ft² at 4 inches before compaction. Expect roughly 15 to 20% less once it is properly compacted, which is exactly what the 10% overage is there to cover.
Compacting in lifts
A plate compactor only densifies about 3 to 4 inches at a time. Dumping 6 inches and running the compactor over the top gives you a hard crust on loose stone, which fails within a season under load. Spread and compact in 2 to 4 inch lifts, wetting each one lightly so the fines migrate into the voids.
- Excavate to full depth rather than mounding stone on top of grade, or the edges will spread.
- Lay geotextile fabric on soft or clay soil. It stops the stone sinking into the subgrade, which is the main reason driveways need topping up every few years.
- Slope 1 to 2% away from buildings so water sheds rather than sitting in the base.
- Wet lightly before compacting. Dry crusher run will not lock; saturated crusher run pumps. Damp is the target.
- Edge restraint for gravel drives, or the material migrates into the lawn from year one.
Ordering crushed stone tons
Used as a crusher run calculator, the tonnage line is what the supplier will quote against.
Crushed stone is almost always sold by the ton rather than the yard, and it is heavy enough that trucks hit their weight limit before their volume limit. A truck rated for 14 cubic yards of mulch may only legally carry 7 or 8 yards of stone.
Typical pricing is $30 to $60 per ton for crusher run, more for washed or decorative grades, plus a delivery fee of $50 to $150. Most suppliers have a minimum order of 1 to 3 tons. Bagged crushed stone exists but is dramatically more expensive per yard — it is for repairs, not projects.
For the finer distinctions between crushed stone, gravel and decorative aggregate, the gravel calculator and paver base calculator cover those specific jobs.
How this crushed stone calculator works out its numbers
Volume is area × depth at 27 ft³ per cubic yard, with 10% added by default for compaction and uneven subgrade.
- Density is 105 lb/ft³, giving 1.42 tons per cubic yard. This is the same constant the cubic yard calculator uses for crushed stone, so the two agree. Real crushed stone runs 95 to 125 lb/ft³ by type, gradation and moisture.
- Coverage figures per ton are geometric, before compaction. Compacted crusher run typically yields 15 to 20% less coverage than the loose volume suggests.
- Stone size names are regional. "Crusher run", "¾ minus", "dense grade" and "road base" usually mean the same thing; #57 and #8 follow the ASTM D448 numbering. Ask your supplier what they call it.
- Depth guidance reflects common residential practice, not engineering design. A driveway carrying regular heavy vehicles should be designed rather than estimated.
- Prices are US planning ranges gathered September 2026 and vary sharply with haul distance from the quarry.
Reviewed September 2026.
Figures reviewed . Every worked example on this page is checked against the calculator above.
Crushed Stone Calculator: frequently asked questions
How many tons of crushed stone in a cubic yard?
About 1.42 tons at a typical 105 lb per cubic foot. Real densities run 95 to 125 lb/ft³ depending on stone type and moisture, so tonnage can vary around 10% either way while the volume stays the same.
How much crushed stone do I need for a driveway?
A 12 × 40 ft driveway at 6 inches deep needs about 9.78 cubic yards or 13.86 tons including 10% for compaction. That is one large truck load or two small ones.
What size crushed stone for a base?
A dense-graded mix such as crusher run, also sold as ¾ minus, which contains stone dust. The fines fill the voids so it compacts into a hard, load-bearing surface. Clean single-size stone never locks up and is wrong for bases.
What is crusher run?
Crushed stone mixed with the stone dust produced when crushing it, sized from zero up to about ¾ inch. It is the standard base material under driveways, patios and pavers because the fines let it compact hard.
How much does a ton of crushed stone cover?
About 114 ft² at 2 inches deep, 76 ft² at 3 inches, or 57 ft² at 4 inches before compaction. Expect 15 to 20% less coverage once it is properly compacted.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
4 to 6 inches on stable ground, or 8 inches in clay or where heavy vehicles park. Build it in 2 to 4 inch lifts and compact each one, since a plate compactor only densifies 3 to 4 inches at a time.
Can I use crushed stone for drainage?
Use clean, washed stone such as #57 for drainage, not crusher run. Clean stone has no fines so water moves freely through it. Crusher run in a French drain clogs and stops draining within a couple of seasons.
Do I need fabric under crushed stone?
On soft or clay soil, yes. Geotextile fabric stops the stone being pushed down into the subgrade, which is the usual reason a gravel driveway needs topping up every few years.