Gravel Calculators
Crushed Gravel Calculator
Get cubic yards and tons for crushed stone, crush and run (crusher run), dense-graded base, and road base. Angular crushed stone compacts — so unlike round pea gravel, expect it to lose 10–15% of its loose depth under a plate compactor.
A note on this estimate
Compaction removes a further 10–15% of loose depth on anything you plate-compact, and subgrade quality and moisture change real delivered weights. The figures here are loose, dry quantities for the dimensions you enter.
Last updated: 7 November 2026 · Report an error
Crushed stone grading codes, briefly
Crushed stone is sold by numbered size grades — and our gravel calculator includes every common code. The number describes the sieve the stone passes through — lower numbers are larger stone. These are the ones you'll see quoted most often:
| Grade | Typical size | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2–4" | Deep sub-base over soft ground |
| #4 | 1½–2½" | Base layer, drainage fills |
| #57 | ¾" washed | Driveway top layer, French drains, septic fields |
| #67 | ¾" minus | Driveways, paths, pipe bedding |
| Crusher run | ¾" minus with fines | Compacted bases, road surface ("crush and run", dense-graded base) |
A full reference — including fractional-inch and millimeter sizes and regional specification codes — lives in the gravel types and sizes guide. All of these grades are also built into the material selector in the calculator above, each with its own density.
Worked example: one-car driveway pad
A 24 ft × 30 ft driveway pad with a 4-inch compacted crusher-run base: 720 ft² × 0.333 ft = 240 ft³ = 8.9 cubic yards. Crusher run at about 119 lb/ft³ (≈ 1.60 tons/yd³) brings that to roughly 14.2 tons — and because the base compacts 10–15%, ordering around 15.6–16.3 tons is the practical call. Enter your supplier's price-per-ton in the calculator to see the cost.
The grades by weight: why the code changes your tonnage
The grading code is not just a size — it sets the density, and density sets what a yard of the stone actually weighs. The figures below are the exact ones the calculator above uses for each grade in its selector:
| Grade | lb/ft³ | Tons per yd³ | Compacts? |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 stone (2–4") | 90.5 | 1.22 | No — open voids, drainage and sub-base only |
| #4 stone (1½–2½") | 93.6 | 1.26 | Barely — base and drainage fills |
| #57 stone (¾", washed) | 99.9 | 1.35 | Settles but does not lock — chosen to stay open for drainage |
| #67 stone (¾" minus) | 101.1 | 1.37 | Lightly — the fines content lets it knit together |
| Crusher run (¾" minus, with fines) | 118.6 | 1.60 | Yes — the only grade here that plate-compacts into a hard base |
The practical consequence: swapping grades without re-running the numbers swings an order by a fifth or more. The same 10 yd³ is 12.2 tons in #1 stone and 16.0 tons in crusher run. And the fines that make crusher run the heaviest grade are exactly what disqualify it from drainage work — a French drain or wall backfill built with it seals its own voids. Match the grade to the job first, then convert.
Related tools & guides
Pea Gravel Calculator
For walkways, beds, and decorative surfaces where round stone is the right choice.
Gravel Driveway Calculator
Layered driveway quantities: compacted base plus top layer.
Gravel Weight Calculator
Volume-to-weight conversions with a density table by material.
French Drain Gravel Calculator
Crushed, washed stone is the standard french drain fill — size the trench here.
Crushed gravel FAQ
What is crush and run?
Crush and run (also sold as crusher run or dense-graded base) is crushed stone mixed with stone dust and fines. The fines let it compact into a hard, stable surface, which is why it's the standard material for driveway bases and road base. Clean crushed stone without fines drains well but doesn't compact the same way.
How much does a cubic yard of crushed stone weigh?
Roughly 1.35–1.45 tons per cubic yard for clean crushed stone, and up to about 1.6 tons for crusher run once its fines are included. Moisture adds more weight on top. The calculator shows the exact density figure it uses for the material you select.
How deep should a crushed stone driveway be?
A light-use residential driveway is typically 4–6 inches of compacted base, often a 4–6 inch layer of crusher run plus a 2–3 inch top layer of clean stone like #57. Heavier vehicles need a deeper base. The gravel driveway calculator covers layered driveways in detail.
Does crushed stone need to be compacted?
Crusher run and other dense-graded mixes should be compacted — they're designed for it and lose roughly 10–15% of their loose depth when compacted, which is why ordering 5–10% extra is common. Clean, washed stone like #57 is chosen for drainage and is normally left to settle rather than mechanically compacted.