Free · Preset for #57 stone
Crushed Stone Calculator
Quantities in cubic yards and tons for any grade, preset to 4 inches of #57. The sizes below matter more than the arithmetic, because the wrong grade in the wrong layer is what ruins a driveway.
The short answer
How much crushed stone do I need?
Area in square feet, times depth in feet, divided by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply by 1.40 for US tons of #57 stone, or 1.35 for dense graded crusher run.
A 20 by 12 ft driveway at 4 inches is 80 cubic feet, 88 once you add 10 percent, which is 3.26 cubic yards or 4.58 tons. If that 4 inches is a compacted base rather than a surface, order 20 to 25 percent instead of 10.
| Material | lb per ft³ | US tons per yd³ | Covers at 4 in, per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone #57 | 104 | 1.40 | 58 sq ft |
| Crushed stone #411, crusher run | 100 | 1.35 | 60 sq ft |
| Stone dust, screenings | 104 | 1.40 | 58 sq ft |
The part that matters
Crushed stone sizes, and what each one is for
The numbers are ASTM D448 grading designations, not diameters. They describe what passes through each sieve, which is why two stones of similar size behave completely differently.
| Grade | Size | Graded | Use it for | Not for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | 1.5 to 3 in | Open | Heavy drainage, large fill, erosion control | Anything you walk or drive on |
| #57 | 1/2 to 1 in | Open | French drains, surface course, concrete aggregate | Base layers, it will not lock |
| #67 | 3/4 in and down | Open | Similar to #57, slightly finer | Base layers |
| #8 | 3/8 to 1/2 in | Open | Paver bedding, walkway surface | Deep base, it migrates |
| #411, crusher run | 3/4 in to dust | Dense | Compacted base under driveways and patios | Drainage, the fines block it |
| Stone dust, screenings | 1/4 in and down | Dense | Paver setting bed, leveling course | Any structural depth on its own |
Open graded means the fines are screened out, so water runs straight through and the stones never lock together. Dense graded means everything from the top size down to dust is present, so it compacts almost solid. That single distinction decides every choice below.
The expensive mistake
Why #57 is not a base material
#57 is the stone most people buy for a driveway, and for the base layer it is the wrong one. It is open graded with roughly 36 to 42 percent voids and no fines to fill them, so no amount of rolling turns it into a load bearing layer. It shifts under tires and the surface ruts.
It is excellent at the job it is built for. Water passes through it freely, which is why French drains, downspout trenches and surface courses all use it.
A driveway wants both, in layers.
| Layer | Material | Depth | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subgrade | Native soil, graded and compacted | Sloped to drain | Everything above fails if water sits here |
| Separation | Woven geotextile | One layer | Stops the base punching into soft soil |
| Base | Crusher run or #411 | 4 to 6 in compacted | The fines lock it into a solid slab |
| Surface | #57 or pea gravel | 2 to 3 in | Drains, and is what you see |
The driveway guide covers the full build, and the fabric guide explains what the separation layer does and does not do.
Ordering
How much extra to order for compaction
Dense graded stone loses volume when it is rolled. Published figures put crusher run at roughly 85 to 95 percent of its loose volume once compacted, against about 70 to 80 percent for #57, which has nothing to fill its voids with.
In practice that means ordering 20 to 25 percent more than the finished dimensions suggest for a compacted base, and about 10 percent for an open graded surface course where settling is minor.
Put another way, 4 inches of finished compacted base needs roughly 5 inches of loose material spread before rolling.
Running short on a base layer is worse than running short on a surface. A second delivery means a second delivery fee and a seam where the two pours meet, which is exactly where ruts start.
Coverage
How far a ton goes
| Depth | #57 stone | Crusher run | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 115 sq ft | 120 sq ft | Surface course, thin |
| 3 in | 77 sq ft | 80 sq ft | Surface course |
| 4 in | 58 sq ft | 60 sq ft | Base, light use |
| 6 in | 38 sq ft | 40 sq ft | Base, heavy use |
Those figures are loose volume. After compaction a dense graded base covers roughly a fifth less ground, which is the same 20 to 25 percent allowance seen from the other direction. The yards to tons converter handles any material and either direction.
Against the alternatives
Crushed stone or pea gravel
| Crushed stone | Pea gravel | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Angular, fractured faces | Rounded, water worn |
| Locks together | Yes, especially dense graded | No |
| Comfortable underfoot | Less so, edges are sharp | Yes |
| Holds on a slope | Yes | No, above about 5 percent it migrates |
| Price per ton | $25 to $55 | $30 to $55 |
| Best use | Bases, driveways, drainage | Paths, patios, play areas |
They are not really competitors. Most projects want both: angular stone underneath doing the structural work, rounded stone on top if people will walk on it. The pea gravel calculator covers the surface half, and slopes are where the difference becomes decisive.
Questions
Crushed stone FAQ
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by about 1.40 for US tons of #57 stone. A 20 by 12 ft driveway at 4 inches works out to roughly 3.26 cubic yards or 4.58 tons with a 10 percent allowance included.
About 2,808 pounds, or 1.40 US tons, for #57 stone at 104 pounds per cubic foot. Dense graded crusher run and #411 run closer to 2,700 pounds, or 1.35 tons, and stone dust is about the same as #57.
Two sizes, layered. Use 4 to 6 inches of dense graded crusher run or #411 as the base, because the fines let it lock together, then 2 to 3 inches of #57 on top for the surface. One size alone gives you either a surface that will not drain or a base that will not hold.
No, and this is the most expensive mistake on this page. #57 is open graded with roughly 36 to 42 percent voids and no fines, so it cannot compact into a load bearing layer. It drains superbly, which is why it belongs in French drains and as a surface course, but a driveway built on it will rut.
Grading. #57 is a single size around 1/2 to 1 inch with the fines screened out, so water passes straight through. Crusher run, also sold as #411, quarry process or dense graded aggregate, runs from about 3/4 inch down to dust, and the dust fills the gaps so it compacts almost solid.
About 20 to 25 percent for dense graded material like crusher run, because it loses volume as it is rolled. Open graded stone such as #57 settles far less, so 10 percent is usually enough. The calculator's waste slider covers both.
About 115 square feet at 2 inches deep, 77 at 3 inches and 58 at 4 inches, for #57 stone. Dense graded material covers slightly more per ton before compaction and slightly less after it.
Roughly $25 to $55 per US ton at the yard, before delivery, which makes it the cheapest of the common landscaping stones. Crusher run usually sits at the lower end and washed single sizes at the higher end.
Transparency
Sources and methodology
- Densities. #57 at 104 lb/ft³, #411 and crusher run at 100, stone dust at 104, all loose and dry. Published in full as open data, with background from USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Stone (Crushed) (PDF).
- Size designations. ASTM D448 standard sizes, which define grading by sieve rather than by nominal diameter. Yard names such as crusher run, quarry process and dense graded aggregate are regional labels for the same dense graded material.
- Void content, 36 to 42 percent for #57. Typical published range for open graded single size aggregate, and the reason it cannot serve as a structural base.
- Compaction, 85 to 95 percent of loose volume for crusher run against 70 to 80 percent for open graded stone. Industry figures, which is why this site recommends a 20 to 25 percent allowance for base layers.
- Prices, $25 to $55 per ton. From the ranges in the cost guide, which lists its own sources.
Surfacing with pea gravel?
The main calculator covers the rounded stone that goes on top, with depth and base guidance to match.