How to Figure Out How Many Tons of Gravel I Will Need

Approximately 1.6 million miles of roads in the United States are gravel. Low traffic and minimal funds make paving these roads unrealistic. The use of gravel has shown to be an adequate alternative to paved roads in rural locations and to access farm lands, forests, and other remote areas. For those who are planning to cover a surface with gravel, using proper calculations to determine how much is needed will save time and money.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Multiply road length x width x depth in feet. This will give you the volume in cubic feet that you need to cover your road.

   • 2

     Convert cubic feet to cubic yards by taking the cubic feet calculation from step one and dividing it by 27. This is your volume in cubic yards.

   • 3

     Account for the gravel compaction by multiplying your volume in cubic yards by 1.11.

   • 4

     Multiply your answer in step 3 by 1.6 to get the tons of gravel you will need to cover your surface.