How much gravel do I need?
Area times depth times density. A 50 x 10 ft path at 3 inches deep is 500 sq ft x 0.25 ft = 125 cubic feet, which is 4.63 cubic yards. Bank run gravel weighs about 105 lb per cubic foot, so that path needs 13,125 lb, or 6.6 US tons, before the waste allowance. The calculator runs this live for any shape, including circles for fire pits and tree rings.
Which gravel for which job?
Pea gravel (rounded, 1/4 to 1/2 inch) is comfortable underfoot and looks great, but it never locks together, so it migrates on slopes and ruts under tires unless contained by edging. Crushed stone has angular faces that interlock, which makes it the right surface for driveways. Crusher run and 2A modified contain fines that compact into a near solid base layer. River rock is for drainage and decoration, not traffic. If your gravel job is specifically a driveway, our driveway cost calculator adds pricing on top of the quantities.
Gravel driveways are built in layers
A driveway that lasts is not one thick pour of the same stone. It is 4 inches of compacted crusher run or 2A modified as a base, then 2 to 3 inches of 3/4 inch crushed stone as the running surface. Calculate the two layers separately with their own materials; the base layer uses the heavier compacted density. Skipping the base and dumping 6 inches of surface stone on soil is the classic mistake that ends in ruts and stone pushed into mud within a year.
Tons, yards and bags
Bulk delivery is sold by the ton or cubic yard and is the only sane way to buy more than half a yard. Bagged gravel from home stores is typically 0.5 cubic feet per 50 lb bag: convenient for small repairs, but a full cubic yard costs 3 to 5 times bulk price when bought in bags. The bag figure in the results is there so you can compare and decide where the crossover is for your project.