Stone calculator
How many cubic yards and tons of crushed stone to order for a driveway, base or landscape bed, with cost per ton or per yard.
Your material adds up to
2.74 tons
- Cubic yards
- 2.04 yd³
- Pounds
- 5,480 lb
- Volume
- 55.0 cu ft
- Compacted volume
- 1.85 yd³
- Estimated cost
Loose stone to order for 200 sq ft, at a typical 1.345 tons per loose cubic yard, including the extra you set. Quarries vary, so use your supplier's weight with "Other" if they give one.
How much crushed stone do I need?
Quarries sell stone by the ton, and some yards sell it by the cubic yard. The calculator finds the volume of your area, adds more if you'll compact it, then uses the weight of a loose yard of that stone to get tons. For pea gravel, bagged gravel or decorative gravel, use the gravel calculator.
- Area = length × width (or 3.1416 × radius² for a circle), in square feet
- Cubic feet = area × depth in feet (inches ÷ 12)
- Compaction: if the depth is measured after compacting, multiply by compacted weight ÷ loose weight, because loose stone packs down
- Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27, plus your extra percentage
- Tons = cubic yards × tons per loose cubic yard (1.345 for typical crushed stone)
Worked example
A 20 ft × 10 ft area, 3 inches of crushed stone: 200 sq ft × 3 ÷ 12 = 50 cu ft. 50 ÷ 27 = 1.85 cubic yards, and 1.85 × 1.345 = 2.49 tons, before any extra.
For a compacted base, the order grows. A 50 × 12 ft driveway with 4 inches of crusher run measured after compacting is 7.41 compacted yards × 4,130 ÷ 2,770 = 11.04 loose yards, or 15.30 tons.
How much a yard of stone weighs
Typical estimating weights from the FHWA Federal Lands Project Development and Design Manual, Earthwork Design, Exhibit 5.1 A, which says they vary about 5%. That table lists rock and gravel, not quarry products, so each stone uses the closest row, shown in the last column. The low end of each range comes from dry, loose lab weights in the Alabama DOT List I-1, Sources of Coarse and Fine Aggregates (revised Oct 6, 2026) where it has that kind of stone; the high end is wet material. Your quarry's figure is better than any of these, so enter it with "Other" if they give one.
| Stone | Typical, tons per yd³ | Range, tons per yd³ | Compacted, tons per yd³ | Source row |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone, #57 or 3/4 in (PA 2B) | 1.345 | 0.945 to 1.413 | 1.610 | Limestone |
| Crushed granite | 1.320 | 1.080 to 1.386 | 1.585 | Granite |
| Crusher run, graded base (PA 2A, NC ABC) | 1.385 | 1.316 to 1.760 | 2.065 | Gravel (dry), well graded |
| Stone dust, screenings | 1.295 | 1.230 to 1.615 | 1.620 | Sand, dry |
| River stone, rounded | 1.350 | 1.134 to 1.575 | 1.575 | Gravel (dry), uniformly graded |
How far crushed stone goes
| Depth, loose | Sq ft per cubic yard | Sq ft per ton | Tons per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 162 | 120 | 0.83 |
| 3 in | 108 | 80 | 1.25 |
| 4 in | 81 | 60 | 1.66 |
| 6 in | 54 | 40 | 2.49 |
At the typical 1.345 tons per yard for crushed stone.
Crushed stone questions
How much does a yard of crushed stone weigh?
A loose cubic yard of crushed stone weighs about 2,690 pounds (1.345 tons), typically somewhere from 1,890 to 2,825 pounds depending on the rock and how wet it is. Crusher run is heavier, about 2,770 pounds loose, because its fines fill the gaps between stones, and about 4,130 pounds once compacted.
How much crushed stone do I need for a driveway?
Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by the weight per yard for tons. A 50 × 12 ft driveway with 4 inches of compacted crusher run needs about 15.3 tons, before extra. The right depth depends on your soil, climate and traffic, so ask a local contractor or supplier. Press "Driveway" above to start from those numbers, and see the gravel calculator for a pea gravel or decorative top layer.
What is crushed stone, and what are #57, 2B, 2A and ABC stone?
Crushed stone is quarried rock, usually limestone, granite or trap rock, broken by machine and screened into sizes. Its edges are sharp, so it locks together better than rounded pea gravel or river stone. #57 is a standard size in AASHTO M 43 (ASTM D448): clean stone up to about 1 inch with almost no fines, often sold as 3/4 inch stone. 2B and 2A are Pennsylvania names: 2B is the same size as #57, and 2A is a graded base with fines, like crusher run. ABC (aggregate base course) is the North Carolina DOT name for a similar graded base. Other states use other names, such as dense graded aggregate, so ask your quarry what theirs is called.
What size crushed stone goes under a concrete slab?
The International Residential Code (section R506.2.2) calls for a 4-inch base of clean graded sand, gravel or crushed stone that passes a 2-inch sieve under a slab below grade, with exceptions for well-drained soil. #57 or 3/4 inch stone is a common choice. Follow your local code and the plans for your slab.
What stone goes under pavers?
The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute's construction guide calls for a compacted base at least 4 inches thick under patios and walks and 6 inches under home driveways on well-drained soil, more in cold climates or soft soil, with a 1-inch bedding layer of concrete sand on top. A graded base like crusher run or 2A is the usual base. Stone dust weighs about 1.295 tons per yard loose; ICPI prefers concrete sand for the bedding layer, so check before using stone dust there. The sand calculator works out the bedding sand.
How much is a yard of crushed stone?
Prices vary by region, stone type and delivery distance. Most quarries price by the ton, some landscape yards by the cubic yard. Enter your price above and choose "per ton" or "per yd³" to get the cost; the calculator gives both tons and yards so you can compare quotes.