Gravel yards sell by the ton or the cubic yard — this gives you both, so the quote makes sense no matter how they price it.
Area to cover
ft
ft
Gravel to order
—
In cubic yards—
Area—
Pickup truck loads (~1 yd heaped)—
Uses 1.4 tons per cubic yard — the common average for crushed stone (#57 and similar). Pea gravel runs a bit lighter, wet material heavier; your yard’s ticket wins.
Yards vs. tons — the two-language problem
You measure gravel in volume, but quarries weigh trucks — so quotes come in tons. The bridge is density: crushed stone averages about 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Compute the volume from your area and depth, then convert.
A 40 × 10 ft driveway strip at 4 inches: 400 sq ft × 0.333 ft = 133 cu ft = 4.9 yards — about 6.9 tons. That's roughly five heaped pickup loads if you're hauling it yourself, which is exactly the math that makes the $75 delivery fee look cheap.
Depth by job
Two inches refreshes an existing surface; three suits walking paths; four handles parking on firm ground; a brand-new driveway wants 4–6 inches, ideally in two layers — larger base stone compacted first, finer stone on top. Weed fabric under paths saves years of pulling grass out of rock.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
About 1.4 tons for typical crushed stone — the industry planning average. Pea gravel is closer to 1.3, dense or wet material can push 1.5; the supplier’s scale ticket is the final word.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
Roughly 80 sq ft at 3 inches deep or 60 sq ft at 4 inches. A full cubic yard covers about 108 sq ft at 3 inches.
How deep should driveway gravel be?
A new gravel driveway wants 4–6 inches total, done as a compacted larger-stone base with a finer top layer. A 2-inch top-up refreshes an existing driveway that’s gone thin.