The short answer

Multiply the length of your driveway by the width, then by the depth, all in feet. Divide by 27 and you have cubic yards. Plug your numbers into the calculator below and it does the math for you.

Gravel calculator

About 0 cubic yards, roughly 0 tons.

Rule of thumb only. Gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, but it varies by material and moisture. We confirm the real number when we walk the site.

For example, a driveway 100 feet long and 12 feet wide, topped with 4 inches of gravel, needs about 14.8 cubic yards. That's roughly 20 tons.

Yards or tons?

Gravel pits and suppliers usually sell by the ton, while most people measure in yards. A cubic yard of driveway gravel weighs somewhere around 1.4 tons. The exact number depends on the rock size and how wet it is, so treat it as a starting point.

It's also smart to plan on a little extra. Gravel settles and packs down once it's driven on, and some always ends up in the ditch.

How deep should it be?

That depends on whether you're freshening up an existing driveway or building a new one.

  • Topping off an existing driveway: a few inches of fresh gravel over a base that's still solid is usually enough.
  • Building a new driveway: it goes in as layers. A coarser base goes down first for strength, then a finer top layer that packs down smooth. Soft or wet ground needs a thicker base.

If your driveway keeps growing potholes, more gravel on top won't fix it for long. The problem is usually underneath. See why gravel driveways get potholes.

Why depth matters here

Western Montana driveways take a beating. Ground freezes and thaws all winter, spring runoff softens the base, and heavy trucks show up for every build. A thin layer over a weak base breaks down fast. The right depth, on a base that drains, holds up for years.

Getting it where it needs to go

Dumping a pile at the end of the driveway is the easy part. Spreading it is where the afternoon goes. Our slinger truck places gravel right where it belongs, spread evenly along the driveway or thrown into spots a dump truck can't back into, with very little wasted material.

Not sure what you need?

Tell us the length of the driveway and what shape it's in. We'll recommend the right material and the right amount, and we can deliver and place it anywhere in Ravalli and Missoula counties.