Gravel Driveway Volume & Tonnage Calculator
Model a 3-layer gravel driveway (#3 base rock, crusher run middle binder, and #57 topcoat) with per-layer compaction, sub-base soil embedment loss, US short tons & metric tonnes, and 6-ton / 12-ton dump truck loads.
- 100% vendor-neutral engineering math: we don't inflate waste buffers to sell stone or lock your results behind a zip-code form.
- No account, no sign-up
- Inputs stay in this tab
Driveway dimensions & aggregate unit price
Calculates area, volume (ft³ → yd³), and material budget
Three toggleable structural layers & loss compensation
Configure depth, density (short ton/yd³), compaction %, and base soil embedment loss
Dump truck dispatch & delivery settings
Supports 6-ton, 12-ton & custom haulers
How 3-Layer Volume, Embedment & Dual Tonnage Work
For each active layer, geometric volume is Raw_ft³ = Length × Width × (Depth_in / 12) and Raw_yd³ = Raw_ft³ / 27. Multiplying by the stone bulk density gives Pre-Loss Short Tons.
Mechanical plate/roller compaction shrinks loose stone by 10%–15%, and tamping the bottom #3 Base layer into native soil embeds an additional ~10% into the subgrade:Post_Loss_Short_Tons = Pre_Loss_Tons × (1 + (Compaction_% + Embedment_%) / 100)Metric_Tonnes = US_Short_Tons × 0.9071847
Top Summary · Total Tonnage, Truckloads & Budget
1,440 sq ft (133.8 m²) · 11.0 in total depth · $42/short ton
| Layer | Depth | Volume (yd³) | Pre-Loss Tons | Post-Loss Tons | Short Tons | Metric Tonnes | 6t Loads (ceil) | 12t Loads (ceil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Base Layer #3 Large Crushed Stone (1.35 t/yd³) | 4.0" | 22.22 yd³ raw 17.78 yd³ | 24.00 | 30.00 +15% comp +10% embed | 30.00 st | 27.22 t | 6 | 3 |
Middle Layer Crusher Run (#411 / Item 4) (1.40 t/yd³) | 4.0" | 19.91 yd³ raw 17.78 yd³ | 24.89 | 27.88 +12% comp | 27.88 st | 25.29 t | 5 | 3 |
Surface Layer #57 Clean Wearing Stone (1.48 t/yd³) | 3.0" | 14.67 yd³ raw 13.33 yd³ | 19.73 | 21.71 +10% comp | 21.71 st | 19.69 t | 4 | 2 |
| Total All Active Layers | 11.0" | 56.80 yd³ | 68.62 | 79.58 | 79.58 st | 72.20 t | 15 (14 comb.) | 8 (7 comb.) |
Cross-section layer profile (surface to base)
Proportional thickness, cubic yards, and tonnage per structural course
Quarry Order Sheet (Printable No-Signup Dispatch Spec)
Vendor-neutral stone order checklist with exact AASHTO grades, dual tonnage, and truck counts
| Course & Recommended Quarry Spec | Order Short Tons (Round Up) | Metric Tonnes | Loose Volume (yd³) | Truck Dispatch (6t / 12t) | Est. Stone Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Base Layer · #3 Large Crushed Stone AASHTO #3 (1.5"–2.5" angular sub-base rock) · 4.0" compacted (+25% loss buffer) | 31 st (30.00 exact) | 27.22 t | 22.2 yd³ | 6× 6t or 3× 12t | $1,260 |
Middle Layer · Crusher Run (#411 / Item 4) 3/4" minus graded aggregate with stone dust binder · 4.0" compacted (+12% loss buffer) | 28 st (27.88 exact) | 25.29 t | 19.9 yd³ | 5× 6t or 3× 12t | $1,171 |
Surface Layer · #57 Clean Wearing Stone AASHTO #57 (3/4" washed angular drainage topcoat) · 3.0" compacted (+10% loss buffer) | 22 st (21.71 exact) | 19.69 t | 14.7 yd³ | 4× 6t or 2× 12t | $912 |
| Total Dispatch Order (custom loads @ 12t) | 80 st (79.58 st) | 72.20 t | 56.8 yd³ | 15× 6t / 8× 12t | $3,342 (+$880 haul) |
What people hate about the other tools
We read the reviews of the incumbents before writing this page. Every complaint below maps to a decision in the tool above.
typically like an inch of stone will get embedded into sand whenever we tamp stone over sand. Get more than the calculator states.
In this toolSeparates loose vs compacted volume with 10-15% tamp shrinkage and a 1-inch subgrade embedding toggle for soft soil.Call your local stone/gravel provider — online tools assume a fixed 1.4 density and blur US short tons with metric tonnes, skewing dense crusher run.
In this toolUses stone-specific densities (1.35 #57 vs 1.85 Crusher Run) and displays both US Short Tons and Metric Tonnes.7 tons is often just half a small dump truck load — homeowners order one thin layer of clean stone without a base and sink right into the mud.
In this toolModels 3-layer driveways (#3 + Crusher Run + #57), warns against deep #57 rutting, and splits tonnage into truck loads.
One-line difference: Neutral 3-layer driveway builder (#3, Crusher Run, #57) with compaction loss, short/metric tons, and dump truck loads.
Free, and honestly labelled ads
Free no signup, no card
- Single top-up or 3-layer (#3 base, Crusher Run, #57 top) tonnage calc
- Compaction shrinkage (10-15%) & 1-inch soft-subgrade embedding buffer
- Explicit US Short Tons vs Metric Tonnes & Tri-Axle dump truck loads
Why there is no paywall deliberate
This tool never touches a server, so it costs almost nothing to run. Ads are labelled, never interstitial, and never placed between you and a result.
Pricing benchmarked against what the incumbents charge. See the full monetization map →
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