About This Calculator
This calculator estimates the amount of gravel or crushed stone needed for driveways, paths, sub-bases, and landscaping projects. It accounts for compaction when using sub-base materials.
Recommended Depths
| Application | Depth |
|---|---|
| Decorative / garden paths | 30-50 mm |
| Driveway surface | 50-75 mm |
| Sub-base (pedestrian) | 100-150 mm |
| Sub-base (vehicular) | 150-225 mm |
Tips
- • Sub-base materials compact by 20-25%, so order more than the finished volume
- • Use a weed membrane underneath decorative gravel
- • Edging helps contain gravel and maintain neat boundaries
- • Add 5-10% wastage for uneven ground or spillage
Ready to Calculate?
Enter your area and depth to get volume, weight, and delivery requirements.
Open CalculatorRelated Calculators
NAIBC / IRC codes
References & Sources
Standards Cited
- ASTM D2940 — Standard Specification for Graded Aggregate Material for Bases or Subbases
Defines gradation and compaction requirements for crushed stone base materials - AASHTO M 147 — Standard Specification for Materials for Aggregate and Soil-Aggregate Subbases, Bases, and Surface Courses
Classification of aggregate base materials (Class 5, etc.)
Formulas Used
- Loose volume:
looseVolume = area × depth
Source: Basic geometry - Compacted volume:
compactedVolume = looseVolume × compactionFactor
Source: ASTM D2940 — Compaction factor accounts for volume reduction when material is compacted (e.g. 1.25 for sub-base) - Weight from volume:
weight = volume × density
Source: Material-specific densities
Key Assumptions
- Crushed stone density ~1750 kg/m3, pea gravel ~1600 kg/m3 — ASTM D2940 / industry standard
- Sub-base compaction factor 1.25 (need 25% more loose material to achieve compacted depth) — AASHTO compaction standards