How much gravel for a shed base? 6x8 to 12x16 ft
An 8 x 10 ft shed on a gravel pad that runs a foot past it on every side (10 x 12 ft) needs about 1.6 cubic yards of crushed stone at 4 inches deep, roughly 2 US tons or 84 bags of 0.5 cubic feet, with 5% for compaction. A 10 x 12 shed needs 2.2 cubic yards; a small 6 x 8 shed 1. The tables cover 4 and 6 inch bases and the metric sizes.
Gravel for common shed sizes at 4 inches
The pad is the shed plus 1 ft on every side, 4 inches deep, crushed stone at 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre, 5% extra for compaction and uneven ground. Bags are the 0.5 cubic feet (about 50 lb) size sold at hardware stores; bulk is by the cubic yard or the ton.
| Shed | Pad | Cubic yards | US tons | Bags (0.5 cu ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 x 8 ft | 8 x 10 ft | 1.04 | 1.31 | 56 |
| 8 x 8 ft | 10 x 10 ft | 1.3 | 1.64 | 70 |
| 8 x 10 ft | 10 x 12 ft | 1.56 | 1.97 | 84 |
| 10 x 12 ft | 12 x 14 ft | 2.18 | 2.75 | 118 |
| 12 x 16 ft | 14 x 18 ft | 3.27 | 4.13 | 177 |
Six inches for soft ground or a heavy shed
| Shed | Pad | Cubic yards | US tons | Bags (0.5 cu ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 x 8 ft | 8 x 10 ft | 1.56 | 1.97 | 84 |
| 8 x 8 ft | 10 x 10 ft | 1.94 | 2.46 | 105 |
| 8 x 10 ft | 10 x 12 ft | 2.33 | 2.95 | 126 |
| 10 x 12 ft | 12 x 14 ft | 3.27 | 4.13 | 177 |
| 12 x 16 ft | 14 x 18 ft | 4.9 | 6.19 | 265 |
How the numbers are worked out
Pad length x pad width x depth, all in feet, gives cubic feet; divide by 27 for cubic yards; multiply by the density for tons. An 8 x 10 shed has a 10 x 12 pad: 10 x 12 x 0.333 = 40 cubic feet, 1.48 cubic yards, 1.56 with 5%. The gravel calculator takes any pad size, depth and density, and gives bags of any weight.
Building the pad
- Mark out the pad, dig out the topsoil to the full depth plus a little, and level the bottom with a slight fall away from the door.
- Lay a woven landscape fabric so the stone does not disappear into the soil over the years, then spread the gravel in two layers, compacting each with a plate compactor.
- A timber frame around the pad (treated 4x4 or 4x6) keeps the edges in place on a slope; on flat ground a compacted pad holds itself.
- Concrete instead? The shed slab article works out both the slab and the gravel underneath it.
Metric: 1.8 x 2.4 m to 3.6 x 4.8 m sheds
The same pads with a 300 mm margin, at 100 and 150 mm deep; bulk bags hold about 850 kg.
| Shed | Depth | Cubic metres | Tonnes | Bulk bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 x 2.4 m | 100 mm | 0.76 | 1.13 | 2 |
| 2.4 x 3 m | 100 mm | 1.13 | 1.7 | 3 |
| 3 x 3.6 m | 100 mm | 1.59 | 2.38 | 3 |
| 3.6 x 4.8 m | 100 mm | 2.38 | 3.57 | 5 |
| 1.8 x 2.4 m | 150 mm | 1.13 | 1.7 | 3 |
| 2.4 x 3 m | 150 mm | 1.7 | 2.55 | 4 |
| 3 x 3.6 m | 150 mm | 2.38 | 3.57 | 5 |
| 3.6 x 4.8 m | 150 mm | 3.57 | 5.36 | 7 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much gravel for a 6x8 shed base?
- 1.04 cubic yards or 1.3 tons at 4 inches deep on an 8 x 10 ft pad, which is 56 bags of 0.5 cubic feet: about the limit of what you want to carry in bags. At 6 inches it is 1.56 yards.
- How much gravel for a 10x12 shed base?
- 2.2 cubic yards or 2.8 tons at 4 inches on a 12 x 14 ft pad, 3.3 yards at 6 inches. Order it delivered; that is 118 bags otherwise.
- How deep should a gravel shed base be?
- 4 inches (100 mm) of compacted crushed stone is the standard for a garden shed on firm ground. Go to 6 inches on soft or wet ground, under a heavy workshop, or where the pad has to be built up to level a slope. Dig out the topsoil first; gravel on grass sinks.
- What kind of gravel for a shed base?
- Crushed stone with fines (3/4 inch minus, crusher run, road base, MOT type 1 in the UK) compacts into a firm, level pad. Round pea gravel rolls and never locks together; keep it for the decorative top inch at most. Density in the tables is 1.5 t/m³, typical for crushed stone.
- How much gravel for a plastic shed base grid?
- The grids sit on the same compacted sub-base, usually 2 to 3 inches of crushed stone, and are then filled with pea gravel about 2 inches deep. Use the 4 inch row for the total, or the calculator with the two depths separately. The grid maker will state the fill volume per panel.
- Should the gravel base be bigger than the shed?
- Yes, 12 inches wider on every side. It keeps the edge of the pad from crumbling under the sill, gives you somewhere to stand when you work on the shed, and lets rain from the roof land on gravel instead of against the base. The tables already include that margin.
More 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.
- How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
A cubic yard of gravel weighs about 1.2 to 1.4 US tons; sand and topsoil differ. Pounds and tons per yard, yards per ton, and tonnes per cubic metre for each material.
- How much sand and gravel do I need under pavers?
Gravel base at 4 or 6 inches and 1 inch of bedding sand for 100 to 500 sq ft of pavers: cubic yards, tons and bags, plus the metric patio in tonnes and bulk bags.
- How much mulch do I need? Bags and cubic yards by area
Cubic yards and 2 or 3 cu ft bags of mulch for 100 to 1,000 sq ft at 2, 3 and 4 inches deep, how many bags make a yard, and metric beds in cubic metres and 50 L bags.
Last updated 2026-09-12. Figures are planning estimates from typical product data: check the yield, size or coverage printed on what you buy and round up.