Gravel Calculator for Pads, Runs and Drives on Florida Sand
Enter your project dimensions
Florida sand drains fast and then gives way under a tire, so most gravel jobs here fail from too little rock under the load, not from frost. This gravel calculator turns your measurements into cubic yards, tons and cubic feet so the pile that shows up is enough to bridge soft sand and ride out a summer of afternoon storms.
What the number covers, and what it leaves to you
It covers: the volume of rock that fills the footprint you enter at the depth you enter, plus an optional 5% for compaction and spillage, converted to weight with the density of the material you pick.
It leaves to you: how deep to go, whether you need two layers, and how much sand to dig out first. On a low flatwoods lot where water sits after a downpour, that judgment matters more than the math. The tool also can't see a slope, a buried hardpan or a soft muck pocket, so walk the site after a heavy rain before you trust the figure.
Square feet, cubic feet, yards and tons in plain terms
Square feet is the flat footprint: length times width.
Cubic feet adds depth. Four inches is a third of a foot, so 100 square feet at 4 inches holds about 33 cubic feet.
Cubic yards is how bulk rock is measured. One yard is 27 cubic feet, a cube three feet on each side.
Tons is what the rock weighs. The calculator uses the live density table:
| Material in the dropdown | Pounds per cubic yard | Tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway or walkway gravel | about 2,800 | 1.40 |
| Pea gravel (3/8") | about 2,800 | 1.40 |
| Crushed stone (#57, 3/4") | about 2,800 | 1.40 |
| Crusher run or road base | about 3,000 | 1.50 |
| River rock (1-3") | about 2,700 | 1.35 |
Limerock Base is the road base product on this site, so it is sized at 1.50 tons per yard. The math underneath is short: take length in feet times width in feet times depth in inches, divide by 12 to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply yards by the density above for tons.
Four questions the tool asks about your pad
Which shape? Rectangle takes length and width in feet. Circle takes one diameter in feet. Multiple areas lets you add up to five separate pieces, which is how you handle an L, a pad with an apron, or a run that jogs around an AC unit.
What depth? Enter inches, anywhere from 0.25 to 24. Enter the finished depth of the layer, not the depth of the hole.
Which material? Pick from the dropdown so the weight matches the rock.
Extra 5%? Tick it for anything you will tamp or drive on. Untick it for loose decorative cover.
Press calculate and read cubic yards, tons and cubic feet. If you want the figure in writing, use Email my quote in the results box.
A hot tub pad, a dog run and a boat trailer pad
These are hypothetical examples with round numbers, not customer projects.
Example: hot tub pad on sandy fill
A 10 x 10 ft pad with 4 inches of limerock base under it. 10 x 10 x 4 ÷ 12 = 33.3 cubic feet. Divide by 27 and you get 1.23 cubic yards. At 1.50 tons per yard that is 1.85 tons. With the 5% box ticked the calculator shows about 1.30 yards and 1.94 tons, so plan on roughly 2 tons. A filled tub is a heavy point load on sand, so compact the base in thin passes rather than one pass at the end.
Example: side-yard dog run
A strip 40 ft long and 6 ft wide along the fence, 3 inches of pea gravel. 40 x 6 x 3 ÷ 12 = 60 cubic feet, which is 2.22 cubic yards. At 1.40 tons per yard that comes to 3.11 tons. Pea gravel rinses clean after a storm and the sand below takes the water, which is why it suits a run on a well-drained lot. On a lot that stays wet, fix the drainage first; a French drain in clean stone is a separate job, so size that one on the stone calculator.
Example: parking pad beside the drive
A 20 x 18 ft pad for a boat trailer or second car, 6 inches of limerock base. 20 x 18 x 6 ÷ 12 = 180 cubic feet, or 6.67 cubic yards. At 1.50 that is 10.0 tons, or 10.5 tons with the extra 5%. If you want a stone finish on top, run the calculator again for a 2-inch layer of driveway gravel and order the two separately.
Rounding up on soft, freshly dug sand
Should I round up? Yes, but by a little. The 5% box covers what compacts and what gets lost to the wheelbarrow. On soft or freshly dug sand, add a touch more by hand, because the first lift pushes down into the subgrade before it firms up.
What if my measurements are rough? Round each dimension up to the next whole foot before you enter it. That usually adds more margin than the 5% does.
Is leftover rock wasted? Rarely. A spare half ton fills washouts after a tropical downpour, tops up a thin spot, or goes under a rain barrel.
What about delivery? Delivery is arranged at checkout by ZIP code. Pick a dump spot the truck can reach on firm ground, clear of septic lines and low branches, and close to the job.
Sending limerock to a low lot
Get your tonnage from the calculator, then open the product page to choose a date and quantity. Not sure which rock goes on top of the limerock? Send a photo through the contact page and ask before you buy, or compare options across the full product list.
Common questions
I ordered a bit too much. Is the spare rock any use?
Usually, yes. Keep a small pile of limerock or pea gravel for patching washouts after summer storms, filling ruts, or leveling under pavers and rain barrels. It does not spoil sitting outside.
My pad is L-shaped. How do I enter that?
Choose Multiple areas and split the L into two rectangles that do not overlap. Enter each one's length and width, set one depth, and the calculator totals them. You can add up to five areas.
Should I measure to the inside of my edging or the outside?
Measure the inside face of the edging, because that is the space the rock fills. If the edging is not in yet and the base runs under it, measure to the outer edge instead.
How much sand should I dig out before I fill?
Dig out the full depth you plan to fill plus any soft or organic layer, so the finished surface sits where you want it. Enter only the rock depth in the calculator, not the depth of the hole.
Where should the truck dump 10 tons?
Choose firm, level ground as close to the work as the truck can safely reach, away from septic fields, soft sand and overhead lines. A pile that size spreads wide, so leave room around it for a wheelbarrow.
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That tonnage ships free.
Driveway gravel, #57, crusher run: priced by the ton, delivered across Florida.
