1/2 to 1 inch clean stone · tons and cubic yards
#57 gravel calculator
Enter length, width and depth to get #57 stone in cubic yards and US tons. The preset is a published weight of 2,410 lb per cubic yard, compared against a second supplier below.
How much gravel you need
Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, tons and bags
Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, weight and bags, with every assumption explained.
The short answer
How much #57 gravel do I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches, then divide by 324 for cubic yards. A 20 × 10 ft drainage bed at 3 in needs 50 ft³, or 1.85 cubic yards, which is about 2.23 US tons at the Gravelshop figure of 2,410 lb per cubic yard (1.21 tons per yard). #57 is a grading, not a density, so the two published weights on this page differ slightly and a heavier quarry product can differ more.
The calculation
How to calculate #57 gravel in four steps
- Measure the area.Length × width in feet gives square feet. Split an L-shape into rectangles and add each as a separate area above.
- Convert the depth.Divide depth in inches by 12. Three inches is 0.25 ft; four inches is 0.333 ft.
- Find the volume.Square feet × depth in feet gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. Volume does not depend on the material.
- Convert to tons.Multiply cubic yards by the supplier’s pounds per cubic yard and divide by 2,000. At 2,410 lb/yd³ that is 1.21 tons per yard.
Rectangle · US measurements
Length × Width × Depth ÷ 324
Feet × feet × inches → cubic yards
Cubic yards × 2,410 ÷ 2,000
Cubic yards × lb/yd³ → US tons at the reference weight
Read the full calculation method ↗Worked examples
#57 gravel calculator examples
Each example uses the 89.26 lb/ft³ reference, no extra allowance and no compaction adjustment. Open one to load its measurements into the calculator, then change the depth or density to match your product.
| Project | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 20 × 10 ft drainage bed at 3 in | 50 ft³ · 1.85 yd³ | 2.23 US tons |
| 12 × 40 ft driveway top layer at 3 in | 120 ft³ · 4.44 yd³ | 5.36 US tons |
| 50 × 2 ft French drain at 12 in | 100 ft³ · 3.7 yd³ | 4.46 US tons |
Suppliers sell by the ton or by the cubic yard. Ask which unit the quote uses and which weight per yard they bill by; the calculator’s Bag sizes & cost section accepts either.
Bulk quantities
How much does a ton or a cubic yard of #57 gravel cover?
One cubic yard is 27 ft³ whatever the material. One US ton of this reference product is 22.41 ft³ (0.83 yd³), so its coverage depends on the published weight.
Coverage by depth
| Depth | One cubic yard covers | One US ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 162 ft² | 134.44 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² | 89.63 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² | 67.22 ft² |
| 6 in | 54 ft² | 44.81 ft² |
Material for 100 square feet
| Depth | Cubic yards | US tons |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 0.62 yd³ | 0.74 tons |
| 3 in | 0.93 yd³ | 1.12 tons |
| 4 in | 1.23 yd³ | 1.49 tons |
| 6 in | 1.85 yd³ | 2.23 tons |
Multiply the 100 ft² row by your area ÷ 100. The ton-of-gravel coverage guide explains the arithmetic, and the cubic yards to tons converter compares several published weights side by side.
Why the density matters
Published weights for #57 gravel
A size or grade label does not fix a density. These are the published figures behind this page; each names the supplier and product it describes, and none is a specification for another yard’s material.
| Product | Supplier | lb per yd³ | Tons per yd³ | 10 yd³ weighs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #57 Limestone Gravel (1/2 - 1 inch) | Gravelshop | 2,410 | 1.21 | 12.05 tons |
| #57 Stone granite gravel | Cummin Landscape Supply | 2,400 | 1.2 | 12 tons |
Enter your own supplier’s figure under Material & allowance to replace the preset. The full gravel density reference records every figure with its source and date.
What #57 gravel is used for
#57 is a clean, angular stone graded between roughly 1/2 and 1 inch, with the dust screened out. Because it stays free-draining it is the usual choice for French drains, drainage beds, under concrete slabs and as a driveway top layer over a compacted base. It does not bind on its own, so it is not a substitute for a dense-graded base like crusher run.
For a driveway, calculate the base and the #57 surface as separate layers; the gravel driveway calculator shows both. Supplier prices per ton for #57 and comparable stone are listed in the driveway cost guide.
Before you order
Frequently asked questions about #57 gravel
Every answer states the weight per yard it assumes.
Check our formulas & sources ↗How much will 1 ton of #57 gravel cover?
At Gravelshop’s 2,410 lb per cubic yard, one US ton is 22.41 ft³. It covers about 134.44 ft² at 2 inches deep, 89.63 ft² at 3 inches or 67.22 ft² at 4 inches. These are loose, geometric figures before settling.
How many tons of #57 gravel are in a cubic yard?
About 1.21 US tons at 2,410 lb per cubic yard, the figure Gravelshop applies to its #57 limestone and granite. Cummin Landscape Supply lists its #57 granite at about 2,400 lb, or 1.2 tons. Some guides quote 1.4 tons, which corresponds to a heavier 2,800 lb product; ask your supplier which weight they bill by.
What is the density of #57 gravel?
The published weights on this page are 2,410 and 2,400 lb per cubic yard, which is 89.26 to 88.9 lb per cubic foot loose. #57 is a grading, roughly 1/2 to 1 inch clean stone with the fines removed, so the voids between particles keep its bulk density lower than a dense-graded product like crusher run.
Is 3/4 inch gravel the same as #57 gravel?
They overlap. #57 is a grading band that passes a 1-inch sieve and is mostly retained above 1/2 inch, so a supplier may sell it as 3/4 inch stone. A product simply labelled 3/4 inch may be graded differently or include fines. The crushed stone calculator uses published 3/4 inch weights, which are heavier per yard than the #57 figures here.
Does #57 gravel need to be compacted?
Clean #57 stone does not compact much because it has no fines to bind it; it settles a little and stays free-draining, which is why it is used for drainage beds, French drains and under slabs. A base that must lock up is usually specified as crusher run instead; see the crusher run calculator.
How many tons of #57 gravel does a dump truck hold?
It depends on the truck: single-axle trucks commonly carry about 10 tons and tandem or tri-axle trucks 15 to 22 tons. At 1.21 tons per cubic yard a 10-ton load is about 8.3 cubic yards, enough to cover 896.27 ft² at 3 inches. Confirm the load size and any minimum with your supplier.
How is the French drain example calculated?
A 50 ft trench 2 ft wide and 12 inches deep is 100 ft² × 1 ft = 100 ft³, or 3.7 cubic yards. At 2,410 lb per cubic yard that is 4.46 US tons. Subtract the volume of any pipe and bedding you will not fill with stone.
How much #57 gravel for a 20 × 10 ft area at 3 inches?
200 ft² × 0.25 ft = 50 ft³, or 1.85 cubic yards, which is about 2.23 US tons at 2,410 lb per cubic yard. Add an allowance only if your supplier or installer specifies one.
References
- #57 Limestone Gravel (1/2 - 1 inch): 2,410 lb per cubic yard, Gravelshop. Recorded September 23, 2026
- #57 Stone granite gravel: 2,400 lb per cubic yard, Cummin Landscape Supply. Recorded September 23, 2026
About these calculations
By Site Measure · Last updated . The 2,410 lb per cubic yard reference is the figure Gravelshop’s own calculator applies to its #57 limestone. The examples are illustrative arithmetic, not measured deliveries, product specifications or installation depths. Content was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the calculator’s arithmetic tests; no independent engineering review is claimed.
See our calculation checks or report a calculation discrepancy with your dimensions, density and units.