Landscaping

Drainage Gravel Calculator

Enter the length, width, and depth of the area you are filling with drainage gravel. The calculator returns cubic feet, cubic yards, tons, and 50 pound bag count with a waste allowance.

Area
ft
in
in
%

Order gravel

2.5 cu yd

net 2.22 cu yd

Approximate weight

3.42 tons

50 lb bags

132 bags

Cubic feet

60 cu ft

With waste

2.44 cu yd

Assumptions

  • Drainage gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
  • A 50 pound bag yields about 0.5 cubic feet.
  • Order quantity is rounded up to the nearest half cubic yard.

How much drainage gravel does a project actually need?

Drainage gravel gets ordered by volume, sold by volume or weight, and hauled home in bags or a bulk delivery. Any one of those units on its own is confusing. This calculator takes the measurements you already have (length, width, depth) and returns all three: cubic yards, tons, and 50 pound bag count. That way you can price a bulk delivery from a stone yard against a bagged run from a home center without doing conversions in your head.

Volume math

Length times width times depth in feet gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. This calculator handles the inch-to-foot conversion on width and depth, then multiplies by a waste factor and rounds up to the nearest half yard, which is how most bulk yards sell.

Bags vs bulk

Bulk gravel is almost always cheaper per cubic yard than bagged, but you need a driveway that can take a delivery truck and a plan for moving it. Bags make sense for small projects (under about a cubic yard) or sites without truck access. The bag count in the results assumes a 50 pound bag yielding about 0.5 cubic feet; check your specific bag for exact yield.

Waste and compaction

Ten percent waste covers normal spillage and settling. On very long trenches or beds with irregular edges, bump it to 15 percent. Drainage gravel is not compacted like base rock, so the waste factor is mostly about ordering enough on the first delivery.

Frequently asked questions

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Educational estimates only. Not financial, tax, or legal advice.

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