How much gravel for a driveway?
A typical two-car driveway (~400 sq ft) at 4 inches deep needs about 5 cubic yards — roughly 7 tons — of gravel. Here's the math and a chart by driveway size, plus how much deeper a new driveway needs to go.
The math
- Volume = area × depth = 400 sq ft × (4 ÷ 12) = 133 cu ft = 133 ÷ 27 = ~5 cubic yards
- Tons = cubic yards × ~1.45 (gravel weighs about 1.4–1.5 tons/cu yd) = ~7 tons
Gravel by driveway size (4 inches deep)
| Driveway size | Cubic yards | Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1-car — 200 sq ft | ~2.5 cu yd | ~3.5 tons |
| 2-car — 400 sq ft | ~5 cu yd | ~7 tons |
| 2-car long — 600 sq ft | ~7.5 cu yd | ~10.5 tons |
| Large — 800 sq ft | ~10 cu yd | ~14 tons |
Building a new driveway? Plan 6–8 inches total in layers (a coarse base under a finer top stone), which roughly doubles the amounts above.
Different size or depth?
The gravel calculator converts any area and depth into cubic yards, tons, and bags — with an editable price per ton.
Open the Gravel CalculatorBulk vs. bags
At these volumes, buy bulk by the ton, not in bags. Bagged gravel (usually 0.5 cu ft) would take well over a hundred bags for a driveway and cost far more per yard. Have it delivered, and ask for a stone like crusher run or "Class II" road base that compacts into a firm surface. For depths, types, and how volume converts to tons, see the full how much gravel guide, or compare surfaces in cost to pave a driveway.