contractor · 2026-05-01
Calculate cubic yards of gravel needed for a driveway or pad and total delivered material cost.
| Driveway length (ft) | 60 |
| Driveway width (ft) | 12 |
| Gravel depth (inches) | 4 |
| Gravel $ per cubic yard (delivered) | $65 |
| Delivery / trip fee | $150 |
| Compaction factor % | 15% |
| Grading + spreading labor | $400 |
| Cubic yards needed | 8.9 |
| Cubic yards to order (with compaction) | 10.2 |
| Material + delivery cost | $814 |
| All-in $ per sqft | $2 |
Gravel is sold by the cubic yard (27 cubic feet). Driveway sizing is just (length × width × depth) ÷ 27, then add for compaction.
Truck-loose gravel measures 100% volume in the dump truck. After roller compaction it's only 80-85% as deep. Order 15-20% extra to hit the depth you actually want post-compaction. Skipping this = thin spots showing dirt within a year.
Both, depending on the supplier. 1 cubic yard of crushed stone weighs ~1.4 tons. Most delivered residential orders are by the yard or by the truckload (10-22 yards). Always confirm: a $40/ton price is roughly $56/yd-equivalent, which is competitive.
On clay or wet soils: yes, plus geotextile fabric to keep mud from pumping up through the gravel. On well-drained sand or gravelly subgrade: a single 4-6 inch layer of crushed road base is fine. Skip the fabric and the driveway turns to mud at the first thaw.
Top course needs refreshing every 2-4 years (1-2 inches added). Full reset every 8-12 years if you've stayed on top of grading. Compare to asphalt: $5-8/sqft and 15-20 year life. Gravel wins on initial cost; asphalt wins on convenience.
Without an edge restraint (timbers, pavers, or steel edging), gravel migrates. Plan on losing 1-2 inches of width per year on each side. A simple PT 2×8 timber buried flush along each edge solves this and saves a refresh year.