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Gravel ground cover

Gravel calculator

For a 12 × 10 ft area at 2 in deep, you need 0.74 cubic yards before an extra allowance. Enter your dimensions or draw the area to calculate volume, optional bags and supplier-based weight.

Example measurements. Replace them with your project dimensions.

Click or tap each corner in order. With Snap on, sides lock to 0°, 45° and 90° and line up with earlier corners; hold Shift or turn Snap off for any angle. While drawing, type a number and press Enter to place a side of that exact length. You can also fix any side afterwards in the list below.

Reference plan & curved corners

Select a corner, then round it with a tangent Bezier curve. Curves are saved as small straight segments. Images stay in this tab: enter the measured width of the entire image, then trace its outline with Draw new. For vector plans, use Import plan (DXF).

Use the finished depth specified for your project. Ask your supplier how to allow for compaction.
in
Optional. Enter your supplier's US short tons per cubic yard; moisture and aggregate type change this value.
tons/yd³
Optional. Copy the volume per bag from its label to see how many whole bags to buy.
cu ft
Your allowance for cuts, breakage and spare material. Zero adds no extra; choose the allowance for your project.
%
Use your supplier's quote. The estimate excludes labor, taxes and delivery.
$

Volume is area times depth. Density and bag coverage vary by aggregate and product. Enter the supplier's values; no default density or compaction factor is assumed.

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How the gravel calculator works

Cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 × (1 + extra ÷ 100).

Worked example

A 12 × 10 ft area is 120 sq ft. At 2 in deep, it contains 20 cubic feet, or 0.74 cubic yards. A 10% allowance increases that to 0.81 cubic yards. Weight appears only after you enter your supplier's density.

Reference quantities

Examples only, with no extra allowance: 2 in depth.

Area (sq ft)Example quantity
600.37 cu yd
1200.74 cu yd
2401.48 cu yd
4002.47 cu yd

Before you buy

Ask whether the quoted depth is loose or compacted, and whether the supplier uses US short tons. Confirm minimum delivery quantities and access for the truck. For several layers, calculate and save each layer separately.

Can I get bags or tons instead of cubic yards?

Yes. Enter the volume per bag to get a whole-bag count, or the supplier's density in US tons per cubic yard to get a weight estimate. These are alternative ways to buy the same material, so the project list saves cubic yards only.

Sources & method

Gravel product and estimating reference. Measurement conversion: NIST international foot. How we calculate.

Keep each part of your project separate so its dimensions, allowance and purchase units stay clear. Save the results to the same project list when you are ready.

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