Article — Stone Calculator (Tons & Cost)
Stone calculator: cubic yards and tons for landscape and driveway projects
A typical 20 × 10 ft driveway with 4-inch crushed stone needs 2.5 cubic yards or about 3.4 short tons. Stone is sold by the ton: crushed stone density is roughly 1.35 t/yd³, pea gravel 1.25, river rock 1.33. Order 10-15% extra for settling and minor delivery loss.
Stone projects rarely fail because of bad math — they fail because the calculation is too optimistic. Settling, compaction, irregular spreading, and minor delivery shortfalls all conspire to leave you a quarter-ton short on delivery day. This calculator gives the geometric tonnage and the settling-adjusted quantity, both in cubic yards and tons, so you can place a single accurate order.
What the stone calculator does
The calculator takes four inputs: length, width, depth, and stone type. Length and width are in feet, depth in inches. Stone type sets the density. The output gives volume in cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters, plus weight in short tons, pounds, kilograms, and metric tonnes. An optional waste/settling factor (10-20%) adjusts the totals upward, and an optional per-ton price computes the material cost.
Six stone types are preset with industry-standard densities. The user can override any of these by typing a custom density — useful if a local quarry quotes a different density for its specific product. Stone density varies by region: limestone from one quarry might be 1.40 t/yd³ while limestone from another runs 1.50. Always confirm with the supplier when ordering large quantities.
Stone density by type
Stone density determines how many tons your project needs for a given volume. Six common stone types and their typical densities in short tons per cubic yard: pea gravel 1.25, crushed stone #57 1.35, river rock 1.33, limestone screenings 1.40, marble chips 1.55, decorative rock 1.30. Quarry process (CR-6 or DGA) runs about 1.50 t/yd³ because the fines pack tightly.
The variation between stone types is meaningful. A driveway calling for 10 cubic yards of crushed stone needs 13.5 tons. The same volume of marble chips would need 15.5 tons — a 15% price difference for the same geometry. Always cross-check density with your supplier; regional quarries publish their specific values on product datasheets.
The ASTM D448 standard classifies aggregate sizes from #1 (3-4 inch) down to #10 (1/4-3/8 inch). Most residential driveways use #57 stone (3/4-1 inch), which compacts well and drains effectively. Decorative paths use #8 (3/8 inch) or pea gravel. Heavy commercial bases use #1 or quarry process for maximum density and load distribution.
Stone depth by project
Depth varies by application. Walking paths need 2-3 inches of stone over compacted soil. Garden beds use 3-4 inches as decorative mulch. Patio bases (under pavers) need 4-6 inches of compacted stone. French drains and drainage trenches run 4-8 inches deep with perforated pipe at the bottom.
Driveways scale with traffic load. Light residential driveways (cars only): 4-6 inches. Heavy residential (trucks, RVs): 6-8 inches. RV pads or equipment parking: 8-12 inches. Commercial driveways and access roads: 10-18 inches with engineered base courses. Each inch of depth across a 20 × 10 ft area adds 0.6 cubic yards.
How to calculate stone tonnage
The standard formula: volume in cubic yards = (length × width × depth) / 324, with length and width in feet and depth in inches. The 324 factor comes from 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 12 × 27 cubic-foot-inches. For a 20 × 10 ft driveway at 4-inch depth: (20 × 10 × 4) / 324 = 2.47 cubic yards.
Multiply by density to get weight. For 2.47 cu yd of crushed stone at 1.35 t/yd³: 2.47 × 1.35 = 3.33 short tons. Add the 10% settling allowance: 3.33 × 1.10 = 3.67 tons. Round up when ordering: most yards sell in 0.5-ton increments, so this becomes 4 tons ordered.
Stone yards sometimes quote in cubic yards, sometimes in tons. The two are not the same — they relate through density. A common mistake is asking for "5 yards of stone" when the supplier expected "5 tons of stone." For crushed stone, 5 yd³ = 6.75 tons; the order will be 35% short or 35% over depending on whose units you confirm.
Stone cost and delivery
Stone prices vary regionally but typical 2025-2026 ranges: pea gravel $20-35/ton, crushed stone $15-25/ton, river rock $30-50/ton, limestone $25-40/ton, marble chips $40-70/ton, quarry process $10-18/ton. The cheapest options are crusher run and standard crushed stone — used for the bulk of driveway and base applications.
Delivery costs $50-200 depending on distance and truck size. Single-axle trucks haul 5-7 tons. Tandem-axles carry 12-15 tons. Most yards include delivery within a 25-mile radius for orders over a minimum (often 5 tons). Beyond 25 miles, per-mile fees add up quickly. Stone yards charge per-ton minimums to ensure trucks run at capacity.
Stone settling and waste
Stone settles 10-20% over the first year. Settling is fastest in the first 30 days, then slows. Driveways under car traffic settle faster than decorative beds. The settling rate depends on grain size and initial compaction: well-compacted crusher run settles only 5-10%, while loose pea gravel settles up to 20%.
The waste/settling factor in the calculator covers both physical settling and minor delivery loss. Default 10% works for most residential projects. Increase to 15% for sloped sites where stone migrates downhill, or for heavy-traffic driveways. Drop to 5% for projects where you can easily top-up later (decorative beds, low-traffic paths).
For long driveways or large landscape projects, order from a single supplier in one delivery. Mixing supplier loads creates visible color/texture differences along the project. The price savings from splitting across vendors rarely justify the appearance penalty, especially for decorative stone where uniformity matters.
Common stone ordering mistakes
Mistake one is ordering by volume when the supplier prices by weight. Stone yards almost always sell by weight (short tons). The cubic-yard figure is for your geometric planning; the supplier needs tons. Always confirm both numbers when placing an order.
Mistake two is ignoring the difference between dry-loose and compacted volume. Density values in tables are dry, loose. Stone delivered wet (after rain) weighs 5-10% more per cubic yard but covers less area because of the water weight. Order tonnage from the dry-loose figure and let the yard handle moisture variation.
Mistake three is forgetting drainage at base. A driveway laid directly on clay soil traps water and degrades quickly. Standard practice is to excavate 2-3 inches deeper than the stone depth, add geotextile fabric, then fill with stone. This adds 50% to the volume calculation if you treat the geotextile layer as part of the project budget.
V (cu yd) (L × W × D) / 324Tons V × densityCrushed stone density 1.35 t/yd³Pea gravel density 1.25 t/yd³Driveway depth 4-6 inSettling waste +10-15%- 1.35 t/yd³ typical crushed stone density
- 1.25 t/yd³ typical pea gravel density
- 1.33 t/yd³ typical river rock density
- 324 conversion divisor (L_ft × W_ft × D_in / 324 = cu yd)
- 4-6 inches typical residential driveway stone depth
- 10-20% typical first-year settling
- $15-25 per ton typical crushed stone price (2025-2026)
- $50-200 typical delivery fee