Crushed Stone Calculator

This crushed stone calculator works from the ASTM size number, giving loose cubic yards, tons and the spread depth that settles to the compacted depth you want.

By CalcBuilt Editorial TeamUpdated September 9, 2026Formulas checked against manufacturer specs, see how we calculate.

Quick answer: To size crushed stone, multiply the area by the compacted depth, divide by one minus the compaction loss for that gradation, then multiply by its loose density. A 40 by 12 ft driveway base finished 6 in deep takes 16.11 tons of crusher run, spread 7.5 in loose.

Your measurements

Cross-section: volume is the area covered times the depth of the layer.

LengthftFor a French drain or a swale, this is the length of the trench, not of the yard.WidthftFor a French drain, enter the trench width at the bottom, usually 10 to 18 in for a 4 in pipe.What the stone is forThe job decides whether the stone has to lock up. A base, a surface course and a walkway all need fines; a drainage bed and a French drain need none.Stone numberOrder by the ASTM D448 size number, not by a nickname. #57, #67, #8 and #2 are open graded and never bind; crusher run and #411 carry dust and compact.Compacted depthinThe finished depth after rolling, not the depth you spread. Driveway base 6 to 8 in, paver base 4 in for foot traffic and 6 to 8 in for cars, drainage beds 4 in.Price per ton (optional)$/tonCrushed stone is typically $30 to $70 per ton at the quarry in 2026 US retail, dense-grade base at the low end and washed open-graded sizes higher. Delivery is extra.

Results update as you type. The link in your address bar saves these entries.

Crushed stone to order16.11 tonsAll results

Results

Crushed stone to order: 16.11 tons; Crusher run for a 480 sq ft driveway base finished 6 in deep, which is 11.11 cu yd loose in the truck
Loose volume delivered: 11.11 cu yd; 8.89 cu yd of that stays once it is rolled. One ton of crusher run covers 30 sq ft at this finished depth
Spread depth before compaction: 7.5 in; Screed to this, then roll down to 6 in. Dense-graded stone gives up about 20 percent of its loose depth
Gradation: Crusher run, 3/4 in to dust; Dense graded, crushed fines through a 3/4 in top size. Not an ASTM D448 number; quarries also sell it as 21A, ABC, CA6, Class 5 or 3/4 minus.
Surface course on top: 5.24 tons; 2 in of #411 compacted over this course, across the same 480 sq ft

Crushed Stone formula

Compacted volume (cu ft) = Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Compacted depth (in) / 12
Loose volume = Compacted volume / (1 - compaction loss)   (0.20 crusher run, 0.18 #411, 0.08 #2, 0.05 #57, #67 and #8)
Cubic yards = Loose volume / 27
Tons = Cubic yards x loose density   (1.45 crusher run, 1.30 for #57, 1.32 for #8)

Worked example

A 16 by 20 ft paver patio for foot traffic and a car: 320 sq ft of crusher run base finished 6 inches deep. Compacted volume is 320 x 0.5 = 160 cubic feet. Divide by 0.80 for the 20 percent the roller takes out and you get 200 cubic feet loose, or 7.41 cubic yards. At 1.45 tons per cubic yard that is 10.74 tons, spread 7-1/2 inches loose.

The bedding course on top is 1 inch of #8 chip: 320 x (1 / 12) = 26.7 cubic feet compacted. Divide by 0.95 for the 5 percent an open-graded stone loses and you get 28.1 cubic feet, or 1.04 cubic yards. At 1.32 tons per cubic yard that is 1.37 tons. Ordering #8 for the base instead of the bedding would leave the whole patio riding on stone that never locks.

Quick reference

ASTM D448 and AASHTO M43 stone numbers: size, use and whether the stone compacts
Stone	Nominal size	Typical use	Compacts
#2	2-1/2 in to 1-1/2 in (63 to 37.5 mm)	Ballast and sub-base over soft or wet soil	No, keys down only
#57	1 in to No. 4 (25 to 4.75 mm)	Drainage beds, slab base, French drains	No, open graded
#67	3/4 in to No. 4 (19 to 4.75 mm)	Concrete aggregate, shallow drain beds	No, open graded
#8	3/8 in to No. 8 (9.5 to 2.36 mm)	Paver bedding and permeable paver joints	No, open graded
#10 screenings	3/8 in to dust (9.5 mm to dust)	Choke course and leveling over clean stone	Yes, about 10 percent
#411	3/4 in to dust (19 mm to dust)	Driveway surface course, base blend	Yes, about 18 percent
Crusher run	3/4 in to dust (19 mm to dust)	Base under drives, pavers and slabs	Yes, about 20 percent

Reading the stone number before you order

ASTM D448 and AASHTO M43 give each gradation a size number, and the number is a sieve spec rather than a product name. Size 57 is 1 inch to No. 4, with 95 to 100 percent through the 1 inch sieve and no more than 5 percent through the No. 8. Size 67 is 3/4 inch to No. 4. Size 8 is 3/8 inch to No. 8. A #57 from a quarry in Ohio and a #57 from one in Georgia are the same stone.

Those numbered sizes are open graded: the fines were screened out, so the stone drains and the voids stay open. Crusher run and #411 are not D448 numbers. They are dense-graded blends that keep the dust, and the dust is what fills the voids and lets a roller lock the layer together. Ask for the sieve spec when a quarry quotes 21A, ABC, CA6, Class 5, 304 or 3/4 minus, because those names cover different blends in different states.

Compacted depth versus the depth you spread

Order by the finished depth, then spread deeper. Crusher run gives up about 20 percent of its loose depth under a roller, so a 6 inch base is screeded at 7-1/2 inches. #411 loses about 18 percent. Open-graded #57, #67 and #8 have no fines to squeeze out, so they choke down roughly 5 percent and get spread almost at finished depth. That contrast is why one compaction allowance for all stone comes up short on base and long on drainage.

Compaction also sets the lift thickness. FHWA guidance places granular base in 6 to 8 inch lifts and compacts each one, because the bottom of a 10 or 12 inch lift never reaches density. A driveway is usually two materials: crusher run for the base, then 2 inches of #411 or 3/4 minus crowned on top. A paver base is 6 inches of compacted crusher run under 1 inch of #8 chip or concrete sand, screeded and never compacted before the pavers go down.

What this calculator leaves out

The result covers one course of one gradation. It does not include geotextile between the subgrade and the stone, filter fabric around a drain, or edge restraint and joint sand for pavers. It also leaves out the perforated pipe in a French drain and the crown on a driveway. Delivery, the machine time to spread and roll, and disposal of the soil you excavated are all separate. Run the base and the surface course as two calculations, because they use different stone at different densities.

Code limits that apply

IRC R506.2.2checked
4 in base course of crushed stone passing a 2 in sieve under a slab below grade
If you miss it: The slab bears on soft subgrade instead of stone and cracks along the soft spots in the first season or two
ASTM D448 size 57checked
1 in to No. 4, with 0 to 5 percent passing the No. 8 sieve, so it holds no binding fines
If you miss it: Used as a base course it never locks up, and pavers set on it ride under load and drop at the edges
IRC R405.1
Footing drain stone extends 12 in past the footing edge and covers the pipe by 6 in
If you miss it: A thin stone envelope lets soil reach the perforations and the drain silts closed a few seasons after backfill
FHWA base guidance
Granular base placed in 6 to 8 in lifts, each lift compacted before the next
If you miss it: The bottom of a thick lift never reaches density, and the surface ruts under the first loaded delivery truck
ASTM D448 sizes
Size numbers 1 through 10 define the gradation; a quarry nickname does not
If you miss it: Ordering 411, 304 or Class 5 by name gets whatever that pit blends, which can miss the gradation the plan calls for

Provision	Limit	If you miss it
IRC R506.2.2checked	4 in base course of crushed stone passing a 2 in sieve under a slab below grade	The slab bears on soft subgrade instead of stone and cracks along the soft spots in the first season or two
ASTM D448 size 57checked	1 in to No. 4, with 0 to 5 percent passing the No. 8 sieve, so it holds no binding fines	Used as a base course it never locks up, and pavers set on it ride under load and drop at the edges
IRC R405.1	Footing drain stone extends 12 in past the footing edge and covers the pipe by 6 in	A thin stone envelope lets soil reach the perforations and the drain silts closed a few seasons after backfill
FHWA base guidance	Granular base placed in 6 to 8 in lifts, each lift compacted before the next	The bottom of a thick lift never reaches density, and the surface ruts under the first loaded delivery truck
ASTM D448 sizes	Size numbers 1 through 10 define the gradation; a quarry nickname does not	Ordering 411, 304 or Class 5 by name gets whatever that pit blends, which can miss the gradation the plan calls for

Rows marked checked produce a warning in the results when an entry crosses the limit. The others are on the plans or on site and this calculator does not test them. Local amendments can be stricter; the adopted edition and the inspector govern.

Mistakes that cost money

Ordering #57 for a paver base: open-graded stone carries no fines, so the pavers ride and the edges drop within a season.
Spreading crusher run to the finished depth instead of 7-1/2 in loose leaves a 6 in base 1.2 in low after rolling.
Compacting one 10 in lift instead of two: FHWA places granular base in 6 to 8 in lifts, and the bottom of a thick lift stays loose.
Running a plate compactor over bare #57 and expecting it to tighten; it needs a choke course of screenings or #8 to close the surface.
Buying by nickname: 411, 304, 21A and Class 5 name different gradations by region, so ask the quarry for the sieve spec.
Quoting cubic yards to a quarry that sells by the ton; every gradation has its own density, so convert before you place the order.

Key facts

ASTM D448 size 57 stone is graded 1 in to No. 4: 95 to 100 percent passes the 1 in sieve and no more than 5 percent passes the No. 8 sieve.
Dense-graded crusher run gives up about 20 percent of its loose depth under a roller, so 7-1/2 inches spread finishes at 6 inches.
FHWA testing measured No. 57 open-graded stone at 95.4 lb per cubic foot loose and 108.7 lb per cubic foot after vibration.
FHWA guidance builds granular base in lifts of 6 to 8 inches, compacting each lift before the next one goes down.
The United States produced about 1.5 billion tons of crushed stone in 2024, down 6 percent from 1.55 billion tons in 2023, according to USGS.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between #57 stone and crusher run?

#57 is washed, open-graded 1 inch to No. 4 stone with the fines screened out, so it drains and never binds. Crusher run keeps the dust through a 3/4 inch top size, so it locks up under a roller. Use crusher run for base, #57 for drainage.

How much does a ton of crushed stone cover?

One ton of #57 covers about 59 square feet at 4 inches, and one ton of crusher run covers about 45 square feet at 4 inches once compacted. Crusher run covers less because the fines make it heavier per cubic yard.

Does #57 stone compact?

Barely. With no fines to fill the voids it chokes down about 5 percent under a plate compactor. FHWA moved it from 95.4 to 108.7 pounds per cubic foot on a laboratory vibrating table, and field equipment gets nowhere near that.

How deep should crushed stone be under pavers?

4 inches of compacted crusher run for a walk or patio, and 6 to 8 inches where a car drives on it. Add 1 inch of #8 chip or concrete sand as bedding, screeded flat and left uncompacted until the pavers are set.

Sources and references

Strength Characterization of Open-Graded Aggregates for Structural Backfills, Chapter 3 (AASHTO M43 and ASTM D448 gradations, measured unit weights) (Federal Highway Administration)
User Guidelines for Waste and Byproduct Materials in Pavement Construction: Granular Base (dense grading, 6 to 8 in lifts) (Federal Highway Administration)
Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025, Stone (Crushed) (U.S. Geological Survey)
Chapter 4 Foundations, Section R405.1 foundation drainage, 2021 IRC (ICC)

Next steps for this project

The usual order for a landscaping & outdoor project. See all landscaping & outdoor calculators.

Results are estimates based on standard formulas and typical product specifications. Confirm quantities with your supplier and local code before ordering.