How Much Does a Yard of Gravel Cover? Coverage by Depth Chart
One cubic yard of gravel covers 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 sq ft at 3 inches and 81 sq ft at 4 inches. See the full coverage chart, recommended depths by project and what 1 yard of gravel looks like.
Nestiex Team ·
Short answer: one cubic yard of gravel covers about:
- 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep
- 162 sq ft at 2 inches
- 108 sq ft at 3 inches
- 81 sq ft at 4 inches
The rule is simple: divide 324 by your depth in inches.
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, a block 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft. Spread thinner, it covers more ground; spread thicker, less. This guide gives a full coverage chart, recommended depths for common projects, and a quick way to estimate any job. For an exact figure, use the gravel area calculator.
Gravel coverage chart (per cubic yard)
| Depth | Square feet covered by 1 yd³ | 1 yd³ covers about… |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | an 18 × 18 ft area |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | a 13 × 12.5 ft area |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | a 12 × 9 ft area |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | a 9 × 9 ft area |
| 5 in | 65 sq ft | an 8 × 8 ft area |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | a 9 × 6 ft area |
| 8 in | 40.5 sq ft | a 6.4 × 6.4 ft area |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft | a 5.2 × 5.2 ft area |
Formula: square feet covered = 27 ÷ (depth in inches ÷ 12) = 324 ÷ depth in inches.
How much does a ton of gravel cover?
A ton is less than a yard. At about 1.4 tons per cubic yard (dry gravel, 105 lb/ft³ per Engineering ToolBox), one ton is about 0.71 yd³. It covers roughly 58 sq ft at 4 inches and 116 sq ft at 2 inches. Full chart: how much a ton of gravel covers.
What does 1 yard of gravel look like?
One cubic yard is a pile that would fill a box 3 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3 feet high. It weighs about 2,835 lb dry, roughly 1.4 tons. That is too heavy for many light pickups and small trailers in a single trip. In retail bags, it equals:
- 54 bags of 0.5 cubic feet
- 27 bags of 1 cubic foot
- about 57 bags of 50 lb
See how many bags of gravel you need for a full bag chart.
How deep should gravel be? Recommended depths
Depth depends on what the gravel has to do. These ranges come from published installation guidance:
| Project | Recommended depth | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel driveway, cars (total) | at least 5–6 in | HomeGuide |
| Gravel driveway, heavy trucks or RVs | 8–12 in | HomeGuide |
| Driveway base layer (crusher run) | 3–4 in | HomeGuide |
| Driveway top layer (3/4–1 in stone) | 2–3 in | HomeGuide |
| Paver base, patios and walkways | 4–6 in (Unilock DIY guide), 6–8 in (Unilock tech guide) | Unilock |
| Paver base, driveways | 8–12 in (DIY guide), 10–14 in (tech guide) | Unilock |
| Paver bedding layer | 1 in | Unilock |
| French drain bedding under pipe | 2–3 in | HouseLogic |
Sources: HomeGuide, Unilock DIY guide, Unilock Basic Tech Guide, HouseLogic.
General guidance:
- Too thin: the soil shows through and weeds come up.
- Too deep (in loose decorative stone): it feels unstable underfoot and costs more than it needs to.
How to estimate any job in your head
- Find the area in square feet (length × width).
- Divide by the coverage figure for your depth from the chart above.
Example: a 20 × 15 ft area (300 sq ft) at 3 inches deep.
- 300 ÷ 108 = 2.78 cubic yards
- 2.78 × 1.4 = 3.9 tons
Example: a 50 × 10 ft path (500 sq ft) at 2 inches deep.
- 500 ÷ 162 = 3.09 cubic yards
- 3.09 × 1.4 = 4.3 tons
Add 5–10% for compaction and spreading losses. Or let the gravel area calculator do the work.
Does compaction change coverage?
Yes. Loose stone settles when compacted or driven on, so a 4-inch loose layer may end up thinner.
- Base materials with fines, such as crusher run, shrink the most.
- Clean stone, such as #57 or pea gravel, shrinks the least.
Driveway guides commonly suggest ordering 10–15% extra (HomeGuide). The crushed stone calculator includes a compaction allowance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yard of gravel cover? About 324 sq ft at 1 inch, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 sq ft at 3 inches and 81 sq ft at 4 inches.
How much area does 1 yard of gravel cover at 2 inches? About 162 square feet.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway? At least 5–6 inches total for cars, and 8–12 inches for heavy vehicles (HomeGuide).
How much does a yard of gravel weigh? About 2,835 lb (1.4 tons) dry. See gravel weight explained.
Sources
- HomeGuide, How Much Does a Gravel Driveway Cost? (2026): homeguide.com
- Unilock, Do’s and Don’ts of Paver Installation: Base Preparation: unilock.com
- Unilock, Basic Tech Guide: unilock.com
- HouseLogic, How to Install a French Drain: houselogic.com
- Engineering ToolBox, Dirt and Mud – Densities: engineeringtoolbox.com