How much does gravel cost?
Gravel costs $40–$70 per ton in 2026, or $55–$95 per cubic yard. A gravel driveway runs $2–$5 per square foot in material and $3–$8 installed, because a proper driveway is a base layer plus a surface layer — not one pile spread thin.
Gravel is the cheapest hard surface you can put on a property, which is why the quotes vary so much: the stone itself is a small part of the job. What changes the price is the type of stone, whether it needs a compacted base, how far the truck has to reverse, and whether someone has to spread and compact it by machine. The tables below separate the material from the work.
Gravel prices by type
| Type | Per ton | Per cubic yard | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone #57 (¾ in) | $40–$65 | $55–$90 | Driveway surface, drainage |
| Crushed stone #67 (1 in) | $40–$65 | $55–$90 | Driveway base and surface |
| Road base / crusher run | $30–$50 | $42–$70 | Compacted base under gravel |
| Limestone screenings | $35–$55 | $49–$77 | Base, paths, paver bedding |
| Pea gravel (⅜ in) | $45–$75 | $63–$105 | Paths, play areas, decorative beds |
| Decomposed granite | $40–$70 | $56–$98 | Paths and patios, stabiliser extra |
| River rock (1–3 in) | $80–$150 | $112–$210 | Dry creek beds, decorative borders |
| Riprap (6–18 in) | $50–$90 | $70–$126 | Erosion control, embankments |
Prices are highest near cities and where the local quarry does not produce the stone. River rock and decorative stone are often trucked long distances, which is why they cost two to three times as much as crushed limestone for the same weight.
Tons, yards and coverage
Gravel is quoted by weight at the quarry and by volume at the landscape yard, and the two do not line up neatly. One cubic yard of gravel weighs about 2,800 lb — 1.4 US tons. So a "10 ton" order is roughly 7.1 cubic yards, and a "10 yard" order is about 14 tons.
| Depth | 1 ton covers | 1 cubic yard covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 231 sq ft | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 115 sq ft | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 77 sq ft | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 58 sq ft | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | 39 sq ft | 54 sq ft |
A half-ton pickup should carry no more than about 0.35 cubic yards of gravel, and a 1-ton trailer about 0.7 cubic yards. Gravel is dense: a trailer that looks half full can already be at its weight limit.
Cost by project
| Project | Quantity | Material cost |
|---|---|---|
| Garden path, 3 × 40 ft at 2 in | 0.74 cu yd — 1 ton | $40–$75 |
| Driveway, 12 × 24 ft at 4 in surface | 3.56 cu yd — 5 tons | $200–$350 |
| Driveway with 4 in base | 7.1 cu yd — 10 tons | $400–$700 |
| Double driveway, 24 × 24 ft with base | 14.2 cu yd — 20 tons | $800–$1,400 |
| Dry creek bed, 30 × 3 ft at 6 in | 1.67 cu yd — 2.3 tons | $190–$350 |
| French drain, 50 ft at 12 × 12 in | 1.85 cu yd — 2.6 tons | $105–$190 |
Material cost is calculated at $55–$95 per cubic yard for crushed stone, and higher for decorative rock. Use the mulch, gravel and topsoil calculator to price your own dimensions — switch the material to gravel and it returns cubic yards, bags, tons and cost.
Why a driveway needs two layers
A gravel driveway that is one layer of stone spread on soil will fail within a year. The stone sinks, ruts form along the wheel paths, and the edges spread outward. A proper build has:
- Geotextile fabric over the subgrade, to stop stone migrating into the soil.
- A 4 inch base of crusher run or #67 stone, graded and compacted in two lifts with a plate compactor or roller.
- A 4 inch surface of #57 stone, crowned slightly so water runs off to the sides.
- Edging — timber, steel or a shallow trench — to hold the surface in place.
That is 8 inches of stone in total, which is why a driveway priced per square foot costs roughly twice what a path costs. Skipping the base saves $2 per square foot and costs a full rebuild later.
Delivery and spreading
| Line item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Delivery, 1–10 tons | $50–$150 |
| Delivery, 10–20 tons | $100–$200 |
| Delivery per ton on large loads | $10–$25 |
| Spreading by machine | $30–$60 per ton |
| Grading and compaction | $0.50–$1.50 per sq ft |
| Full driveway installed | $3–$8 per sq ft |
A 20 ton driveway is three or four truckloads and a day of machine work. At that size, the labour and compaction are worth paying for: a surface that is not compacted in lifts will rut no matter how good the stone is.
DIY or hire it out
Gravel is DIY-friendly in small quantities and punishing in large ones. Moving 10 tons by wheelbarrow is roughly 200 trips, and hand-compacting a driveway base is not realistic. The practical DIY limit is a path or a single parking pad under about 3 tons, using a rented plate compactor for the base.
| Size | Best approach | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 tons | DIY with delivery | Wheelbarrow and a rented compactor |
| 3–8 tons | Delivery plus hired labour | Spreading is the bottleneck |
| Over 8 tons | Full contractor job | Machine grading, compaction in lifts |
Gravel or pavers?
Gravel is the cheapest option per square foot by a wide margin — $400–$700 in material for a one-car driveway, against several thousand for pavers. It also drains well and can be topped up rather than replaced. The trade-offs are maintenance: gravel needs raking, occasional top-ups and weed control, and it is not suitable for wheelchairs, skateboards or anything with small wheels.
If the bed beside the driveway needs finishing, mulch is the cheaper way to cover ground — and the depth guide explains why 3 inches is the number to aim for.
Estimate scope and price checks
These are broad US planning ranges; quarry prices, delivery, weight, access and spreading vary by region and supplier. Confirm material type/gradation, delivered tonnage, base depth, compaction and whether delivery and machine work are included. Use the landscaping calculator to estimate volume and tons before requesting comparable supplier quotes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a ton of gravel cost?
Crushed stone for a driveway runs $40–$70 per ton in 2026. Decorative stone costs more: pea gravel is $45–$75 per ton and river rock $80–$150. Delivery adds $50–$150 for a short load, or roughly $10–$25 per ton.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
About 1.4 tons. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and gravel weighs roughly 2,800 lb per yard, so 1.4 US tons. That is why a cubic yard of gravel is much heavier than a cubic yard of mulch, which weighs about 0.4 tons.
How much gravel do I need for a 12x24 driveway?
A 12x24 ft driveway needs 3.56 cubic yards — about 5 tons — for a 4 inch surface layer. Add a 4 inch compacted base and the total is 7.1 cubic yards, or roughly 10 tons. Order 10% extra for the edges.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
About 115 sq ft at 2 inches deep, 77 sq ft at 3 inches and 58 sq ft at 4 inches. Coverage drops quickly with depth because a ton is only 0.71 cubic yards.
Is pea gravel or crushed stone better for a driveway?
Crushed stone. Angular stone locks together into a stable surface that stays put under tyres. Pea gravel is rounded, so it rolls, migrates to the edges and gets picked up by tyres. Use pea gravel for paths and play areas instead.
Sources & estimate method
These figures are HomiePlan planning ranges, not a live quote or a price survey. We compare published national cost guidance with the project scope described above, then show material, labour, delivery and preparation separately where the guide supports that split. Local market, access, finish, quantities and site condition can change the final quote; confirm current prices with local suppliers and contractors.
- Angi’s 2026 landscaping cost guide — national cost context and common project cost factors.
Source ranges may use different project definitions and dates, so they are benchmarks rather than directly interchangeable line items. HomiePlan’s tables are editorial estimates; source pages do not independently validate every figure in this article.