Free calculator
Gravel, sand and soil calculator
Enter the area and the depth, pick the material, and get the volume and the weight to order, in bulk or in bags.
Result
- Volume
- 1.5 m³
- With 5% extra
- 1.58 m³
- Weight to order
- 2.36 tonnes (2,363 kg)
- Bags
- —
Loose material compacts when it is laid; the extra percentage covers that. Suppliers sell by weight, so quote the tonnes.
How it works
Volume = length × width × depth. Suppliers sell loose material by weight, so the volume is multiplied by the bulk density: roughly 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre for gravel and crushed stone, 1.6 for sand and about 1.2 for topsoil. Your supplier will quote the exact density for their product; type it in to match.
Loose material settles and compacts after it is spread, so a few percent extra is sensible. A common depth for a gravel path is 50 mm (2 in) over a compacted base; driveways usually need more, and the base itself is a separate calculation.
If you buy bagged, enter the bag weight and the calculator converts the tonnage into bags, rounded up.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a cubic metre of gravel weigh?
- About 1.4 to 1.7 tonnes depending on the stone and moisture. The calculator defaults to 1.5 and lets you enter the supplier's figure.
- How many bulk bags of gravel do I need?
- A typical bulk bag holds about 0.5 to 0.7 m³ (roughly 800 to 1,000 kg). Divide the tonnage by the bag weight your supplier states; the bag field above does this for smaller bags.
- How deep should gravel be on a path or driveway?
- About 50 mm (2 in) of decorative gravel over a compacted sub-base is common for paths; driveways are usually laid deeper. Ask the supplier for the depth their product is designed for.
Guides
- How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
Cubic metres, tonnes and bulk bags of gravel for typical driveway sizes at 50, 75 and 100 mm depth, with the imperial equivalents in cubic yards and tons.