How to Calculate Exactly How Much Sand, Gravel, or Soil You Need (Without Overpaying)

Guessing on material amounts is the fastest way to blow your budget. Here’s how to calculate the right amount of aggregates - every time.
 

Step 1: Measure your project space

Measure length × width × depth in feet.

Example: A 20 ft × 10 ft driveway × 0.5 ft depth = 100 cubic feet.

Step 2: Convert cubic feet to cubic yards

Divide cubic feet by 27.
100 ÷ 27 = 3.7 cubic yards.

Step 3: Convert yards to tons

• Gravel & sand: ~1.4 tons per cubic yard.

• Soil: ~1.2 tons per cubic yard.

3.7 × 1.4 = 5.2 tons of gravel needed.

Step 4: Add a buffer

Always order 5–10% more to account for compaction and waste.

Quick reference:

• Driveway (2-car, 50 ft × 10 ft, 4” deep) = ~12–14 tons of gravel.

• Garden bed (10 ft × 10 ft, 6” deep) = ~2–3 tons of soil.

👉 Pro tip: Use AggregateMarkets.com’s homepage bulk material calculator so you know your data!