Gravel Cost Calculator

Three factors set your delivered price: material type (how much the quarry processes the stone), delivery distance, and order quantity.

Crushed stone — the most common structural and fill gravel — runs $25–$65 per ton nationally ^[1]. Pea gravel, which requires additional washing and screening to produce uniform ⅜" rounded stones, commands a 25–30% premium at $30–$75 per ton ^[1]. The spread within each range reflects quarry proximity, regional demand, and gravel grade. A quarry 5 miles away gives a fundamentally different delivered price than one 40 miles away — gravel weighs 2,700 pounds per cubic yard, and fuel is a meaningful fraction of the delivered cost.

Delivery dominates total cost on small orders. Most quarries set minimum deliveries at 1–3 tons and charge a flat fee on top of the per-ton material price. On a 2-ton order, that fee can match or exceed the material cost itself. Call your local quarry for their delivery radius and minimums before committing to an order size.

The economics shift at larger volumes. Above 10 tons, many quarries fold delivery into the per-ton price or reduce the fee significantly. A standard tandem dump truck carries 12–15 tons per load — a single delivery covers most residential aggregate projects. For anything over 20 tons (a full gravel driveway, a large drainage field), negotiate a per-ton delivered price rather than paying material and delivery as separate line items.

All construction gravel comes from the same source — quarried rock crushed and screened to grade — but the finished product ranges from raw crusher output to precision-washed decorative stone. The BLS Producer Price Index for Construction Sand and Gravel Mining (series PCU212321212321) tracks the national producer price for all grades. Retail premiums above that mine-gate price depend on processing level.

Crushed stone ¾" minus (also called "road base" or "crush and run"): angular fragments from dust-sized fines up to ¾". The fines fill voids between larger stones, creating a dense, stable surface when compacted. Standard choice for driveway base courses, under concrete slabs, and structural fill behind retaining walls. Compacts tightly because of the mixed gradation — the mechanical interlock between angular faces resists shifting under load. $25–$65/ton ^[1].

#57 stone: a DOT-standard gradation of uniform ¾"–1" angular stones with no fines. The open gradation (void-rich, no fines to clog gaps) makes it the drainage specialist — behind retaining walls, around foundation drain tile, in French drain trenches, and as pipe bedding. #57 does not compact as densely as crusher run because it lacks fines, so it performs poorly as a driving surface. Falls within the same PPI-derived price range as crushed stone ^[1].

Pea gravel ⅜" washed: small rounded stones, typically ⅜" diameter, washed clean of fines and dust. The rounded shape and uniform size create a comfortable walking surface — standard for garden paths, between stepping stones, playground cushion, and around patio pavers. Drains well but does not compact (no angular interlock), so it migrates under traffic and needs edging to stay contained. The extra washing and screening justify the premium: $30–$75/ton ^[1].

Crusher run (also "QP" or "quarry process"): unscreened output from the crusher — a mix of dust, fines, and angular fragments up to 1½". The cheapest grade per ton because it requires the least processing. Compacts extremely densely due to the full gradation of particle sizes. Preferred for gravel driveway surface courses (the angular edges interlock and lock with the base below) and parking pad construction. The high fines content means dust in dry weather and mud in wet weather — a trade-off for the best load-bearing surface among loose aggregates.

River rock (1"–3"): natural rounded stones pulled from riverbeds or mechanically tumbled. Decorative only — the rounded shape provides zero compaction and poor stability under vehicle tires. Suited to dry creek beds, decorative borders, and erosion control where water flow is moderate. Typically more expensive than crushed stone due to sourcing and limited quarry supply.

Quarries price gravel by the ton and weigh outgoing trucks on a certified scale. Cubic yards are estimates — the conversion depends on gravel type, moisture content, and how tightly the stone packs. The standard conversion for most crushed gravel: 1 cubic yard ≈ 2,700 lb ≈ 1.35 tons. Pea gravel is similar. Wet stone weighs 5–10% more than dry.

The formula: Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Multiply by 1.35 to convert to tons. The calculator above runs this math instantly — enter your area dimensions, and it returns tons and a cost range using BLS PPI-indexed pricing ^[1].

A worked example with the default inputs: 20 × 10 ft at 3 inches deep = 20 × 10 × 0.25 ÷ 27 = 1.85 yd³ ≈ 2.5 tons of crushed gravel. At $25–$65/ton ^[1], that's $63–$163 in material before delivery.

Pickup truck loads: a full-size pickup bed holds roughly 1 cubic yard of loose gravel — about 1.35 tons (2,700 lb). Check your truck's payload rating before loading: most half-ton trucks (F-150, Silverado 1500, Ram 1500) are rated for 1,000–2,000 lb payload including passengers, so a full yard of gravel may exceed the limit. Three-quarter-ton and one-ton trucks handle a full yard safely.

Dump truck loads: a standard tandem-axle dump truck carries 12–15 tons (roughly 9–11 cubic yards). Single-axle trucks carry 5–8 tons. Ask the quarry what size trucks they dispatch — it determines how many loads your project needs and whether scheduling multiple deliveries on the same day reduces per-trip fees.

Gravel compacts. A 3-inch target depth does not mean ordering 3 inches of loose material — it means ordering enough to achieve 3 inches after compaction. Loose crushed gravel compacts 10–15% when vibrated with a plate compactor. A 3-inch finished depth requires roughly 3.3–3.5 inches of loose stone spread.

Add another 5–10% for spreading loss — stone that spills off edges, fills low spots in uneven subgrade, or gets displaced during compaction passes. The practical rule: order 15–20% more than the theoretical calculation. On a 2.5-ton order, that means buying 2.9–3.0 tons. Leftover gravel stores indefinitely in a pile; running short mid-project means paying a second delivery fee for a fraction of a ton.

Compaction technique affects the final surface quality and longevity more than the stone grade. Three principles govern good aggregate compaction:

Compact in lifts. Spread gravel 2–3 inches deep per pass, compact, then add the next layer. A 6-inch depth means two lifts of 3 inches each. Dumping 6 inches at once and compacting from the top leaves the bottom loose — the surface feels solid initially but settles unevenly within months as traffic works the upper layer into the unconsolidated base.

Moisten the stone. Lightly spraying water before compacting reduces dust, helps fine particles settle into voids, and improves the stone-to-stone contact that creates mechanical interlock. Soaking is counterproductive — excess water lubricates the particles and prevents them from locking together.

Use the right tool. A vibratory plate compactor (200–300 lb) handles 2–3 inch lifts for walkways and patio base. Driveway base needs a heavier plate (300–500 lb) or a vibratory roller. Hand tamping works only for areas under about 10 square feet — post holes, fence post backfill, small patches. Rental centers carry plate compactors for $50–100/day; a driveway project typically needs one full day.

Gravel prices on this page are derived from the BLS Producer Price Index for Construction Sand and Gravel Mining (series PCU212321212321), published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The current index value (594.808, April 2026, base June 1982 = 100) is applied to the USGS Minerals Yearbook 1982 base price ($2.90/ton, national average construction sand and gravel, FOB plant) to produce a mine-gate estimate of approximately $17.25/ton.

Retail delivered prices exceed the mine-gate figure because they include crushing to grade, screening, stockpile loading, and trucking. The markup is typically 2–3× the producer price, varying by processing level (washed pea gravel costs more to produce than raw crusher run) and delivery distance. Our mid-estimates reflect this: $35/ton for crushed stone, $45/ton for pea gravel ^[1]. The ranges ($25–$65 and $30–$75 respectively) account for type, region, and delivery.

Labor estimates for installed gravel use the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for Construction Laborers (SOC 47-2061), national median hourly wage $20.72 (May 2024) ^[2]. We check FRED monthly; when the PPI index updates, the site rebuilds with the new number automatically. The "last checked" date on each price entry shows when we last verified the source value had not changed.