A gravel order starts with volume, not tons.
Geometry = area × depth · Order volume = geometry × loose-volume multiplier × (1 + waste ÷ 100)
Measure the space you will actually fill
Measure the finished material footprint and the depth of the gravel layer. Split an irregular garden into smaller rectangles or circles, calculate each section and add it to your shopping list. Overlapping sections would count the same material twice.
Why a yard is not a ton
A cubic yard describes space. A US short ton describes 2,000 pounds of mass. The conversion depends on bulk density, which changes with stone size, grading, moisture and voids. Ask the supplier for the loose delivered density of the exact gravel you are ordering. The weight result here applies to the adjusted order volume.
A worked gravel example
A 10 ft × 12 ft area at 3 in deep needs 30 ft³, or 1.111111 yd³, before adjustments. With a 10% ordering buffer it becomes 33 ft³. In 2 ft³ bags that is 17 whole bags. These dimensions and the buffer are arithmetic examples, not depth or waste recommendations.
Break the order into useful sections
A straight path and a round seating area can share one shopping list without sharing a shape. Calculate the path first, give it a recognisable label, then calculate the circle. Keep separate layers as separate estimates. The list does not add unlike materials into a misleading grand total.
Check a weight quotation before comparing it
Write down whether the supplier uses US short tons, metric tonnes or a volume unit. Ask whether the density describes the loose delivered product. A quoted tonne of material is not automatically a cubic metre, and a compacted dry density cannot silently replace the loose density used by this tool.
A practical final check
Compare the geometric volume with your measurements before adding allowances. Then compare the whole-bag purchase volume with the order volume: it should be at least as large. Confirm bulk delivery increments separately; the calculator has no knowledge of a supplier’s minimum load.
Before you place an order
Check dimensions, bag yield and the price basis. Whole bags round up; bulk orders may have minimum quantities or delivery charges that this calculator does not include. All adjustments are your inputs. Read our method, unit definitions and limits.
Useful questions
Can I calculate pea gravel or crushed stone?
Yes for volume. Use the density supplied for your specific product for weight; this tool does not assume different gravels weigh the same.
Does this design a driveway?
No. It calculates a user-specified quantity. Layer selection, drainage, loading and ground preparation require separate project advice.