Gravel Coverage Chart: Area per Yard, Ton and Tonne
At 2 inches deep, one cubic yard of gravel covers about 162 sq ft, and one ton covers about 120 sq ft. At 50 mm, one cubic metre covers 20 m² and one tonne about 12.5 m². Double the depth and the coverage halves.
Coverage chart
Weight-based figures assume 1.35 US tons per cubic yard (1.6 t/m³ in metric). Heavier stone covers less per ton.
| Depth | Per cubic yard | Per ton |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | 240 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 120 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 80 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 60 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | 40 sq ft |
| Depth | Per m³ | Per tonne |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mm | 40 m² | 25 m² |
| 50 mm | 20 m² | 12.5 m² |
| 75 mm | 13.3 m² | 8.3 m² |
| 100 mm | 10 m² | 6.3 m² |
| 150 mm | 6.7 m² | 4.2 m² |
Worked example
A garden path 10 m long and 1.2 m wide, 50 mm deep: 12 m² × 0.05 m = 0.6 m³, or 0.63 m³ with 5% for spreading. At 1.6 t/m³ that's about 1.01 tonnes, which fits in 2 bulk bags of 850 kg.
Typical depths
- Decorative top layer over membrane: about 2 in (50 mm).
- Footpaths: 2–3 in (50–75 mm) over a firm base.
- Driveways and parking areas: a compacted sub-base plus a top layer. Work out each layer separately, since sub-base stone is usually heavier.
Common mistakes
- Using the coverage for loose stone when a layer will be compacted. Compacted base needs more material than its finished depth suggests; ask your supplier for a compaction allowance.
- Comparing a US ton price with a metric tonne price. A tonne is about 10% heavier.
