A 12 × 50 ft single-car driveway needs about 11.4 tons of gravel (8.15 cubic yards) for a 4 inch layer. A new driveway built up in layers to 10 inches needs about 28.5 tons. Both numbers include 10% extra. Run your own driveway in the QtyLab gravel calculator.
Tons of gravel by driveway size
Tons at 1.4 tons per cubic yard with 10% extra. Click a size to open it in the calculator at 4 inches.
| Driveway | 2 in (refresh) | 4 in | 6 in | 10 in (new build) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 20 ft | 1.9 | 3.8 | 5.7 | 9.5 |
| 12 × 20 ft | 2.3 | 4.6 | 6.8 | 11.4 |
| 12 × 24 ft | 2.7 | 5.5 | 8.2 | 13.7 |
| 20 × 20 ft (2-car pad) | 3.8 | 7.6 | 11.4 | 19.0 |
| 24 × 24 ft (2-car pad) | 5.5 | 11.0 | 16.4 | 27.4 |
| 12 × 50 ft | 5.7 | 11.4 | 17.1 | 28.5 |
| 20 × 40 ft | 7.6 | 15.2 | 22.8 | 38.0 |
| 10 × 100 ft | 9.5 | 19.0 | 28.5 | 47.5 |
| 12 × 100 ft | 11.4 | 22.8 | 34.2 | 57.0 |
| 12 × 200 ft | 22.8 | 45.6 | 68.4 | 114.1 |
Rule of thumb: every 100 feet of a 12 ft wide driveway takes about 23 tons per 4 inches of gravel. A 10 ft wide driveway takes about 19 tons per 100 feet.
How deep should driveway gravel be?
It depends on whether you’re building a new driveway on bare ground or topping up an old one.
| Layer | Stone | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Coarse crushed stone (#3 or road base) | 4–6 in |
| Middle | #57 crushed stone (about 3/4 in) | 3–4 in |
| Top | Smaller angular gravel | 2–3 in |
| New driveway total | 8–12 in | |
| Refreshing an old driveway | Same top stone as before | 2–3 in |
Work out each layer separately when they’re different stones, because the supplier prices and loads them separately. For a 12 × 50 ft driveway that’s about 17.1 tons of base at 6 inches, 11.4 tons of #57 at 4 inches and 5.7 tons of top stone at 2 inches.
The math
- Area: 12 ft × 50 ft = 600 sq ft
- Volume: 600 sq ft × (4 ÷ 12) ft = 200 cubic feet
- Cubic yards: 200 ÷ 27 = 7.41 yd³
- Add 10% extra: 7.41 × 1.10 = 8.15 yd³
- Tons: 8.15 × 1.4 = 11.41 tons
The 10% covers uneven ground and spillage. Base stone that you compact (crusher run, road base) settles more, so set the extra to 15–20% for the base layer: 6 in of base on a 12 × 50 ft driveway is about 18.7 tons at 20%. Driveways over soft or low spots may need more.
Tons vary by stone
The table uses 1.4 tons per cubic yard, a common figure for crushed stone. Stone with a lot of fines mixed in (crusher run, road base) packs tighter and weighs more per yard. Ask your yard what its stone weighs per cubic yard and put that in the calculator’s density box. For more on converting, see how many tons are in a yard of gravel.
How many truckloads is that?
Dump trucks carry roughly 6–10 tons (single axle), 12–16 tons (tandem) or 18–25 tons (tri-axle). The yard’s actual limit depends on the truck and local weight rules. A 12 × 100 ft driveway at 4 inches (22.8 tons) is about one tri-axle load or two tandem loads. Delivery is usually charged per trip, so ask what one truck can bring before you split an order.
Mistakes that throw the order off
- Forgetting the apron and turnaround. Measure the flare at the street and any parking or turnaround area, then add them in.
- Ordering yards when the yard sells tons (or the other way around). Check how the yard prices it first; the calculator gives both.
- Rounded stone on top. Pea gravel and river rock roll under tires. Angular crushed stone locks together and holds up better.
- Skipping fabric on soft ground. Driveway fabric under the base keeps the stone from sinking into clay and mud.
- One thick dump instead of layers. Spread and compact the base in 2–3 inch lifts so it doesn’t rut.
What to buy for a 12 × 50 ft driveway
- About 11.4 tons of crushed stone for a 4 inch layer. Order bulk from a local stone or landscape supply yard; bags only make sense for small patches.
- Driveway fabric (woven geotextile) for soft ground: shop driveway fabric
- Landscape rake to spread and level: shop landscape rakes
- Hand tamper for edges (rent a plate compactor for the main area): shop hand tampers
- Driveway markers so plows and visitors stay on the stone: shop driveway markers
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More on gravel by the yard and by the ton: How much gravel do I need? Paving instead? The paver calculator works out pavers, base and sand, and the concrete calculator handles a poured slab.
FAQ
How many tons of gravel do I need for a driveway?
For a 12 × 50 ft driveway, about 11.4 tons for a 4 inch layer, or about 28.5 tons for a new 10 inch build-up, including 10% extra.
How many tons of gravel for a 100 ft driveway?
About 22.8 tons for a 12 ft wide driveway at 4 inches, or 19 tons if it’s 10 ft wide, including 10% extra.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
A new driveway on bare ground is usually built 8–12 inches deep in three layers: coarse base, #57 stone, then a smaller top stone. Refreshing an existing driveway usually takes 2–3 inches.
How many cubic yards of gravel for a driveway?
A 12 × 50 ft driveway at 4 inches needs about 8.15 cubic yards including 10% extra. Multiply by about 1.4 to get tons.
How much gravel is in a dump truck load?
Roughly 6–10 tons for a single-axle truck, 12–16 tons for a tandem and 18–25 tons for a tri-axle. Ask your supplier for their limit.
Sources: layer depths from Stone Center; truck capacities from Hello Gravel. Tonnages from the QtyLab gravel calculator.