Gravel Coverage Per Ton — Coverage Chart by Depth & Gravel Type

Gravel Coverage Per Ton — Coverage Chart by Depth & Type

One ton of pea gravel covers 231 sq ft at 1 inch deep, 116 sq ft at 2 inches, 77 sq ft at 3 inches, or 58 sq ft at 4 inches. Use the free gravel calculator below for your exact project dimensions, or find your combination in the charts below. This is one of the guides on OnSiteCalculator.

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How Much Does a Ton of Gravel Cover?

Coverage in square feet per 1 ton, by gravel type and depth:

Gravel Type	Density (t/yd³)	1 in.	2 in.	3 in.	4 in.	6 in.
Pea gravel	1.40	231 sq ft	116 sq ft	77 sq ft	58 sq ft	39 sq ft
#57 gravel	1.40	231 sq ft	116 sq ft	77 sq ft	58 sq ft	39 sq ft
Decomposed granite	1.45	223 sq ft	112 sq ft	74 sq ft	56 sq ft	37 sq ft
Crushed stone (#411)	1.50	216 sq ft	108 sq ft	72 sq ft	54 sq ft	36 sq ft
¾” clean crushed	1.50	216 sq ft	108 sq ft	72 sq ft	54 sq ft	36 sq ft
River rock	1.35	240 sq ft	120 sq ft	80 sq ft	60 sq ft	40 sq ft
Lava rock	0.90	360 sq ft	180 sq ft	120 sq ft	90 sq ft	60 sq ft

Coverage = (2,000 lbs ÷ density lbs/yd³) × (324 ÷ depth in.). Values are for loose, dry gravel.

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Tons Needed by Area and Depth

Pea Gravel (density 1.4 t/yd³)

Area (sq ft)	2 in. Deep	3 in. Deep	4 in. Deep	6 in. Deep
100 sq ft	0.86 tons	1.30 tons	1.73 tons	2.59 tons
200 sq ft	1.73 tons	2.59 tons	3.46 tons	5.19 tons
300 sq ft	2.59 tons	3.89 tons	5.19 tons	7.78 tons
500 sq ft	4.32 tons	6.48 tons	8.64 tons	12.96 tons
750 sq ft	6.48 tons	9.72 tons	12.96 tons	19.44 tons
1,000 sq ft	8.64 tons	12.96 tons	17.28 tons	25.93 tons

Crushed Stone (density 1.5 t/yd³)

Area (sq ft)	2 in. Deep	3 in. Deep	4 in. Deep	6 in. Deep
100 sq ft	0.93 tons	1.39 tons	1.85 tons	2.78 tons
200 sq ft	1.85 tons	2.78 tons	3.70 tons	5.56 tons
300 sq ft	2.78 tons	4.17 tons	5.56 tons	8.33 tons
500 sq ft	4.63 tons	6.94 tons	9.26 tons	13.89 tons
750 sq ft	6.94 tons	10.42 tons	13.89 tons	20.83 tons
1,000 sq ft	9.26 tons	13.89 tons	18.52 tons	27.78 tons

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Gravel Coverage Formula

Tons needed:

Tons = (Area sq ft × Depth in.) ÷ 324 × Density (t/yd³)

Shortcut formulas by gravel type:

Gravel Type	Shortcut Formula
Pea gravel (1.4 t/yd³)	Tons = (sq ft × depth in.) ÷ 231
Crushed stone (1.5 t/yd³)	Tons = (sq ft × depth in.) ÷ 216
#57 gravel (1.4 t/yd³)	Tons = (sq ft × depth in.) ÷ 231
River rock (1.35 t/yd³)	Tons = (sq ft × depth in.) ÷ 240

Coverage from a known tonnage:

Coverage (sq ft) = (Tons ÷ Density) × (324 ÷ Depth in.)

For a full breakdown of the cubic yards formula and worked driveway examples, see the how much gravel do I need guide. For density-only conversions without area dimensions, see the cubic yards to tons gravel guide.

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How to Calculate Gravel Coverage — Step by Step

1. Measure your area in square feet: Length ft × Width ft = sq ft
2. Choose depth in inches:
   • Decorative landscape beds: 2–3 in.
   • Garden paths and walkways: 3 in.
   • Driveways (passenger vehicles): 4 in.
   • Driveways (heavy vehicles/RVs): 6 in.
   • French drain trench: 12–18 in.
3. Calculate cubic yards: (sq ft × depth in.) ÷ 324 = yd³
4. Convert to tons: yd³ × density = tons
5. Add 10% waste: tons × 1.10 = final order quantity
6. Round up to the nearest 0.5 ton — always order more, not less.

Worked Example — Pea Gravel Path (3×50 ft, 3 in. deep)

• Area: 3 × 50 = 150 sq ft
• Cubic yards: (150 × 3) ÷ 324 = 1.39 yd³
• Tons: 1.39 × 1.4 = 1.94 tons
• With 10% waste: 1.94 × 1.10 = 2.14 tons → order 2.5 tons

Worked Example — Crushed Stone Driveway (20×40 ft, 4 in. deep)

• Area: 20 × 40 = 800 sq ft
• Cubic yards: (800 × 4) ÷ 324 = 9.88 yd³
• Tons: 9.88 × 1.5 = 14.81 tons
• With 10% waste: 14.81 × 1.10 = 16.3 tons → order 16.5 tons

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Coverage Per Ton by Project Type

Project	Size	Depth	Pea Gravel	Crushed Stone
Garden path	3×50 ft (150 sq ft)	3 in.	1.94 tons	2.08 tons
Garden bed	10×10 ft (100 sq ft)	3 in.	1.30 tons	1.39 tons
Patio	12×16 ft (192 sq ft)	3 in.	2.49 tons	2.67 tons
Patio	12×16 ft (192 sq ft)	4 in.	3.32 tons	3.56 tons
1-car driveway	10×20 ft (200 sq ft)	4 in.	3.46 tons	3.70 tons
2-car driveway	20×40 ft (800 sq ft)	4 in.	13.83 tons	14.81 tons
2-car driveway	20×40 ft (800 sq ft)	6 in.	20.74 tons	22.22 tons
Long driveway	12×100 ft (1,200 sq ft)	4 in.	20.74 tons	22.22 tons
Playground base	15×15 ft (225 sq ft)	6 in.	8.75 tons	9.38 tons

Add 10% for waste and settling to all estimates above.

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Pea Gravel Coverage Per Ton

Pea gravel density: 1.4 tons per cubic yard — the most commonly used decorative gravel.

Depth	Coverage per 1 Ton	Coverage per 2 Tons	Coverage per 5 Tons
1 inch	231 sq ft	463 sq ft	1,157 sq ft
2 inches	116 sq ft	231 sq ft	579 sq ft
3 inches	77 sq ft	154 sq ft	386 sq ft
4 inches	58 sq ft	116 sq ft	289 sq ft
6 inches	39 sq ft	77 sq ft	193 sq ft

Rule of thumb: At the standard 3-inch depth, 1 ton of pea gravel covers roughly 77 square feet — about the size of an 8×10 room.

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Coverage Per Bag vs Bulk Ton

Home improvement stores sell bagged pea gravel in 0.5 cubic foot bags (~50 lbs each).

Coverage Needed	Bags (0.5 cu ft each)	Tons Equivalent
50 sq ft at 2 in.	7 bags	0.18 tons
100 sq ft at 2 in.	13 bags	0.43 tons
100 sq ft at 3 in.	19 bags	0.65 tons
200 sq ft at 3 in.	38 bags	1.30 tons
500 sq ft at 3 in.	93 bags	3.24 tons

For areas larger than 200 sq ft, ordering bulk tons is typically 40–60% cheaper per cubic yard than bags. The gravel calculator gives a cost comparison when you enter a price per ton.

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Does Coverage Change When Gravel Is Wet or Compacted?

Yes. Two factors reduce effective coverage after delivery:

Wet gravel weighs 5–10% more per cubic yard. The density values in this guide are for dry gravel — the standard basis suppliers use when selling by weight. If your material is wet, you will receive slightly less volume per ton than expected.

Compaction reduces the laid depth by 10–15% after vehicle or foot traffic settles the gravel. A freshly spread 4-inch layer may compact to 3.5 inches over the first season. This is why adding a 10% compaction buffer is standard practice on driveways.

To account for both: multiply your calculated tons by 1.10–1.15 before ordering.

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Related Tools

• Gravel Calculator — Enter area, depth, gravel type, waste, and compaction to get cubic yards and tons with optional cost estimate.
• How Much Gravel Do I Need? Guide — Full planning guide with the complete formula, coverage tables, driveway depth guidelines, and French drain sizing.
• Cubic Yards to Tons Gravel Guide — Density conversion table and pre-calculated charts for converting volume to weight.
• Mulch Calculator — Calculate cubic yards and bags of mulch for landscape beds adjacent to your gravel project.
• Concrete Slab Calculator — Estimate concrete volume for slabs and driveways poured over a compacted gravel sub-base.