Gravel is categorized in two main types under the Udden-Wentworth scale: granular gravel (2 to 4 mm / 0.079 to 0.157 inches) and pebble gravel (5 to 64 mm or 02 to 2.5 inches). Different types of gravel have different densities and by knowing it you can get a more accurate estimate for the amount of gravel you need. For example, landscaping gravel would last longer than mulch or pine straw, making it great for outdoor spaces requiring a durable material, while construction gravel provides solid footing for construction and landscaping. Selecting the right size and style is crucial for the success of any construction project, as some are more versatile and have a different application than others. Common gravel and crushed stone sizesĬontrary to what you may think, there is more than one type of gravel, both by composition and size of the stones. Some types of gravel offer excellent drainage as water is able to percolate through the stones leaving your property or walkway clean and dry. It is a great driveway base material, bike path base fill, paver patio sub base, walkways, and just general fill material. It is also used as a road base, and in some locations it is used for paving roads, for example Russia has over 400,000 km (250,000 mi) of gravel roads.
Ĭrushed stone is often used as a material for producing concrete. If it is mixed with sand the density is around 1920 kg/m3 or 120 lbs/ft3.
Typical gravel density (dry) is between 15 kg/m3 (95 to 105 lbs/ft3). Note that a gravel's density depends on this, so make sure to consult the manufacturer's technical specifications for the estimated density which you should then input in our gravel calculator. This means that no side of any particle will be larger than the specified measurement, which is achieved through screening, usually using industrial automated screeners. Gravel is usually sold with a guaranteed maximum particle size, e.g. You may also encounter "crushed gravel", which is simply larger gravel particles crushed to a smaller desired size. The peas are usually rounded with smooth surfaces, while other properties depend on "parent rock". Gravel is a naturally occurring material, consisting of water-born pieces of rock and is found in buried or current stream beds. In case you end up with a large number of sections to sum, you might appreciate our summation calculator. The one-click copy function of our tool should come in handy. In case the area you are calculating has an irregular shape, things get a bit more difficult, but in general what you would want to do is divide it in several regularly-shaped sections, calculate their volume and gravel requirements and then sum them up together. Again, the gravel calculator will do this math for you. To calculate the foundation area the calculator needs its diameter, since the formula is π x r 2, where r is the radius, or diameter/2. The volume of a figure with a round foundation is its height times the area of its foundation. If the area you want to cover with gravel, or the shape you want to fill is round, the calculation is a bit different: Our pea gravel calculator handles all this for you given you supply the dimensions. The volume formula for a rectangular (or square) box in cubic feet is height(ft) x width(ft) x length(ft), as seen in the figure below:įor example, to fill a box with a width of 3ft and a length of 6ft, to a depth of 1ft, you need to multiply 1ft x 3ft x 6ft = 24ft 3 (cubic feet) of gravel, then multiply that by the density.
To calculate how much gravel you need to cover a rectangular area you need to multiply the volume by the gravel density. It is often a good idea to consider buying 5-6% more gravel than estimated by our calculator, to be on the safe side. Multiply the volume by the density (in the same units) to get the weight.Estimate or learn the density of your preferred gravel mix.Estimate the volume of gravel needed, using geometrical formulas and plans or measurements.Our gravel calculator is a great assistance in such cases, keeping in mind that the results will only be as good as the entered measurements and density. Many builders and gardeners face the task of calculating or estimating the amount of gravel they would need to fill a given space or cover a given area with a layer of gravel. How much does a cubic meter of gravel weigh?.