Gravel Driveway Calculator
Use this Gravel Driveway Calculator to estimate one rectangular driveway layer, its bulk material weight and optional truckloads.
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How to Use the Gravel Driveway Calculator
Enter driveway length and width in feet or meters and depth in inches or centimeters. Choose an illustrative density preset or enter the supplier’s bulk density. Add an optional waste percentage once. If estimating deliveries, enter the truck’s allowable material weight in US short tons or metric tonnes. Changing units converts entered measurements.
Formula and Explanation
Base volume = length × width × depth (consistent units) Order volume = base volume × (1 + waste / 100) Order weight = order volume × bulk density Truckloads = ceil(order weight ÷ truck weight capacity) 1 ft³ = 0.028316846592 m³; 1 yd³ = 27 ft³ 1 US short ton = 2,000 lb; 1 metric tonne = 1,000 kg
The same waste-adjusted quantity is used for both volume and weight; waste is not added again to tonnage or truckloads. Density means loose bulk material including voids, not solid stone density. Presets are editable arithmetic scenarios, not verified specifications for a particular gravel. Confirm the supplier’s density and truck payload.
This estimates a single rectangular layer. The example’s 10 cm depth is an arithmetic assumption, not a universal driveway specification. Required depth and base layers depend on ground conditions, traffic, drainage and construction requirements. It does not model compaction, excavation, geotextiles or delivery volume limits. Actual loads must respect the carrier’s legal payload and vehicle capacity.
Worked Example
For a 10 m × 5 m driveway layer at 10 cm depth, base volume is 5 m³. With 10% allowance, order volume is 5.5 m³. At an assumed bulk density of 1,600 kg/m³, weight is 8,800 kg = 8.8 metric tonnes, about 9.7003 US short tons. At 4 metric tonnes per truck, the estimate is 3 loads.
Frequently Asked Questions
What depth should I enter for a driveway?
Enter the planned thickness for the specific layer you are ordering. Base and wearing layers can require different materials and depths; the example is not a recommendation for every site.
Are tons and cubic yards interchangeable?
No. Cubic yards measure volume while tons measure weight. The conversion depends on the actual bulk density; a US short ton is also different from a metric tonne.
Does the truck estimate account for body volume?
No. It divides order weight by the weight capacity you enter and rounds up. A truck may reach its volume limit before its payload limit, so confirm loads with the supplier.
Does waste include compaction?
Only if your chosen allowance deliberately accounts for it. The calculator applies one percentage to the measured layer volume; it does not predict how a specific material will compact.
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