How much does a compacted gravel base weigh per cubic yard?

A compacted dense-graded base — crusher run, DGA, road base, Type 1 — weighs about 1.85 US tons per cubic yard in place, the factor Wisconsin DOT pays on, which is about 2.2 tonnes per cubic metre. Ordered by weight, that is what fills the compacted space. A clean open-graded stone weighs far less, nearer 1.3 to 1.4 US tons per cubic yard (1.55 to 1.65 tonnes per cubic metre), because it has no fines to fill the gaps.

Why does gravel density vary so much between projects?

Because the stone's gradation (particle size mix), its angularity and how well it is compacted all change it: a well-graded crushed stone compacts denser than uniform round gravel.

Should I order extra for waste?

A small margin (5-10%) is reasonable for spillage and minor over-excavation, though this calculator doesn't build in a waste factor by default since base layers are usually measured more precisely than surface materials.

Does compacted thickness differ from the loose delivered thickness?

Yes — loose gravel compacts down noticeably, often by 15-25% depending on material and compaction effort, so spread loose gravel thicker than your target compacted thickness and compact in lifts.

Materials & Quantities

Gravel Base Layer Tonnage Calculator

Estimate the tonnage of crushed stone or gravel base needed for a pavement or slab sub-base layer.

Answers as you typeNo submit button
Every formula citedNamed published standards
Calculated in your browserNo account, nothing uploaded

SettingsSettings for this calculationUS

Market

Imperial · sales tax

Base Area

The total area to be covered with gravel base.

The base is LARGER than what sits on it. A granular base is normally extended past the edge of the paving so that the edge restraint bears on compacted material rather than on the subgrade, and that extension is real area that has to be ordered. Leaving it out under-orders on every job of this kind, and it shows up later as an edge that settles while the middle stays put.

Compacted Thickness

The target compacted thickness of the base layer.

4-8 in (0.1-0.2m) is common for driveways and light-duty pavement bases.

Compacted Gravel Density

The in-place density of the base once it is compacted.

2,200 kg/m³ (about 137 pcf) is a compacted dense-graded base — crushed stone with its fines, sold as crusher run, DGA, road base or Type 1. Wisconsin DOT converts completed dense-graded base at 1.85 US tons per cubic yard, about 2,195 kg/m³. A clean, open-graded stone with no fines packs far less densely, nearer its loose weight of about 1,550 to 1,650 kg/m³ (97 to 103 pcf): enter the quarry's figure for it.

Gravel base needed

73.8 tons

Medium confidence

Actual density varies by material gradation and compaction — confirm with your supplier's specific product density for a precise order quantity.

Volume: 39.81 yd³
Equivalent in US (short) tons: 73.82 tons

Then change the inputs to see how far the answer moves.

Show calculation logic

How this was calculated

Formula source(s)

Mass = area x thickness x in-place compacted density
Wisconsin DOT Standard Specifications for Highway and Structure Construction (2025), §305.4(2): completed in-place dense-graded base converts at 1.85 US tons per cubic yard, about 2,195 kg/m³ (137 pcf)

Inputs used

Base Area: 2150 sq ft
Compacted Thickness: 6 in
Compacted Gravel Density: 137.34 pcf

Intermediate steps

Volume: 39.81 yd³
Equivalent in US (short) tons: 73.82 tons

Final result73.82 tons

Confidence note: Actual density varies by material gradation and compaction — confirm with your supplier's specific product density for a precise order quantity.

What this calculation does not cover

This is a take-off, not a pavement design. It multiplies out whatever compacted thickness you enter; nothing here derives that depth from traffic loading, subgrade strength, drainage or frost depth, which come from a pavement design or your local road authority's standard.
Geometry is a flat plan area at one uniform depth. Crown and cross-fall, a formation that steps between thicknesses, a dig that deepens where the subgrade was soft, and edge thickening or haunching at the perimeter all fall outside area x thickness.
No waste, spillage or subgrade-loss allowance is applied. The figure is the exact in-place mass, so stone lost into a soft or uneven formation, over-excavation, haul and spread losses, and the tail end of a part-load all sit on top of it.
The density field is an in-place compacted density. A supplier's loose bulk density and a weighbridge ticket carrying free moisture are different quantities, and substituting either moves the tonnage: the wetter the delivered material, the less dry stone a given delivered weight puts on the ground.
It covers one layer of one material. A base and sub-base of different gradations, a bedding or blinding course, and the geotextile or separation membrane between stone and subgrade are not counted here.

Estimated cost — your price

Price per ton ($)

This site holds no price list for this material — local prices vary too much to publish honestly. Enter your supplier's price and the result is costed with it.

Part of bigger jobs

This trade is one line of several job takeoffs. Run the whole job and every other trade comes back with it, off the same measurements.

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Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Presented in US customary units and US trade terminology. Where a formula follows a published standard, that standard and its edition are cited beside it on this page; where none governs, the page says so. Local amendments override model codes — verify against the code in force where you build.

Sources checked 2026-09-02 · in the site-wide review of 2026-09-06 · v1.1.1

Regulatory standards & verification citations2

Mass = area x thickness x in-place compacted density
Wisconsin DOT Standard Specifications for Highway and Structure Construction (2025), §305.4(2): completed in-place dense-graded base converts at 1.85 US tons per cubic yard, about 2,195 kg/m³ (137 pcf)

Cite this page

Your workspace

Most jobs need more than one number. Add the calculators you need next and they open right here, underneath this one — your figures stay on screen and nothing is lost to a page change.

Tools and safety for this job

To lay and compact the hardcore. Generic types, no brands, no prices.

Protection this work requires

Saws, grinders and breakers run above 85 dB, where hearing damage accumulates and does not recover: defenders or plugs for every cut, not just the long ones.
Breakers and grinders cause permanent nerve damage: limit continuous trigger time, keep hands warm, and stop if fingers tingle or blanch.
Boards, blocks and bagged material cause most lasting back injuries on small sites: two people or a lifter for full sheets, and never a bag on one shoulder up a ladder.

Show the 4 tools this job needs

Essential

Plate compactor
Shovel and spade
Wheelbarrow

Recommended

Laser level

what each groundwork tool is for, and the spec that decides which to buy where one does.

Now that you have the number

These guides cover the work this quantity is for — the first ones run this calculator inside the section that raises the question.

A Seat Wall: Height, Depth and the Concrete Under Ituses this calculator
Sitting height is a sum with the cap inside it, seat depth is bought in cubic metres, and the footing is sized by frost because nothing above it weighs enough.
Building Steps Into a Garden Slopeuses this calculator
Dividing an awkward bank into equal risers, matching the going to the ground you actually have, and laying every tread to a fall so it drains instead of icing.
Choosing and Building a Base for a Garden Roomuses this calculator
Slab, pads, ground screws or steel — chosen by the fall across the plot, the clay under it, the trees around it and the width of the side gate.

Called something else where you work? Sub-base / hardcore — the term in each market, how close the equivalence really is, and the standard that governs it.

Worked examples: Garden room slab — step 2 of 9 · Concrete driveway replaced — step 3 of 10 · Gravel driveway — step 5 of 8 · Paver patio — step 5 of 10 · Block retaining wall — step 2 of 11

The data behind it: Production rates by operation · Bulk densities of construction materials

How to calculate gravel base layer tonnage in 4 steps

Base AreaThe total area to be covered with gravel base.
Compacted ThicknessThe target compacted thickness of the base layer.
Compacted Gravel DensityThe in-place density of the base once it is compacted.
Gravel base neededThe tool computes the gravel base needed from those figures and shows the formula, its sources, and a confidence rating alongside it.

Gravel base needed by base area

Page defaults, not your figures above.

Base Area	Gravel base needed (tons)
1,000 sq ft	33.8
1,500 sq ft	50.7
2,000 sq ft	67.6
2,500 sq ft	84.5
3,000 sq ft	101
3,500 sq ft	118
4,000 sq ft	135

Frequently asked questions

How much does a compacted gravel base weigh per cubic yard?: A compacted dense-graded base — crusher run, DGA, road base, Type 1 — weighs about 1.85 US tons per cubic yard in place, the factor Wisconsin DOT pays on, which is about 2.2 tonnes per cubic metre. Ordered by weight, that is what fills the compacted space. A clean open-graded stone weighs far less, nearer 1.3 to 1.4 US tons per cubic yard (1.55 to 1.65 tonnes per cubic metre), because it has no fines to fill the gaps.
Why does gravel density vary so much between projects?: Because the stone's gradation (particle size mix), its angularity and how well it is compacted all change it: a well-graded crushed stone compacts denser than uniform round gravel.
Should I order extra for waste?: A small margin (5-10%) is reasonable for spillage and minor over-excavation, though this calculator doesn't build in a waste factor by default since base layers are usually measured more precisely than surface materials.
Does compacted thickness differ from the loose delivered thickness?: Yes — loose gravel compacts down noticeably, often by 15-25% depending on material and compaction effort, so spread loose gravel thicker than your target compacted thickness and compact in lifts.

Preliminary estimate, not certified engineering. This tool produces an indicative quantity calculation for planning purposes only — it is not a certified structural analysis, a guaranteed material takeoff, or a substitute for building department approval. Always verify measurements on-site and have a licensed contractor or structural engineer review any load-bearing, code-sensitive, or safety-critical work before purchasing materials or starting construction. Spotted an arithmetic or standards error? Report it to contact@craftquantities.com with your inputs — a confirmed fix gets a permanent check of its own, so the same mistake cannot come back.