What is Crushed Stone?
Crushed stone is a construction aggregate produced by mining and mechanically crushing rock. Unlike natural gravel, which is shaped by water erosion, crushed stone is angular and rough-edged, giving it superior interlocking properties. It is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world.
Common rock types processed into crushed stone include:
- Limestone — most commonly used; excellent for driveways, road bases, and drainage
- Granite — extremely durable; ideal for heavy-traffic driveways and railroad ballast
- Basalt / Trap rock — very hard and dense; used for road construction and concrete aggregate
- Sandstone — softer, used for pathways and decorative applications
- Quartzite — highly durable and weather-resistant
- Dolomite — similar to limestone but slightly denser
- Slate — fine-grained, used for walkways and decorative beds
- Marble — decorative applications and landscaping
Crushed Stone Sizes and Their Uses
Crushed stone is graded by size. Common sizes and their typical applications:
- Stone dust (screenings) — used to fill voids under pavers, for concrete block fabrication, and to create smooth pavements
- #10 / up to ¼″ — barn floors, horse stables, tennis courts, walkways
- #57 / up to ½″ — mixed in asphalt and concrete, water tank bedding, filtration, landscaping
- #67 / up to ¾″ — driveways, drainage, french drains, slab bases, pipe bedding
- #1 / up to 1″ — road bases, jogging tracks, pavements
- #2 / up to 2″ — drainage layers, dry wells, septic systems, railroad tracks
- #3 / up to 4″ — drain outfall areas, heavy-duty haul roads, septic tanks, slopes
For most residential driveways, #57 or #67 crushed stone (½″–¾″) is the most popular choice because it compacts well and drains effectively.
How to Use Our Crushed Stone Calculator
Our calculator helps you determine exactly how much crushed stone you need for your project:
- Choose your unit system — Imperial (feet and inches) or Metric (meters and centimeters)
- Select the stone type — each type has a preset density. For non-standard materials, use the Custom option
- Enter dimensions — length and width of the area (in feet or meters)
- Enter depth — how deep you want to fill the area (in inches or centimeters). For driveways, 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) is typical
- Set the waste factor — accounts for spillage and settling (default 10%)
- Optionally set a price — enter the cost per unit to get a total material cost estimate
How to Calculate Crushed Stone Manually
You can calculate the required volume and weight of crushed stone using these formulas:
Imperial (feet / inches)
Volume (ft³) = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) ÷ 12 Volume (yd³) = Volume (ft³) ÷ 27 Weight (lbs) = Volume (ft³) × Density (lb/ft³) × (1 + Waste factor) Weight (short tons) = Weight (lbs) ÷ 2,000
Example: A driveway 12 ft × 8 ft, 3 inches deep, using standard crushed stone (100 lb/ft³), with 10% waste:
- Volume = 12 × 8 × (3÷12) = 24 ft³
- Volume = 24 ÷ 27 = 0.89 yd³
- With waste: 0.89 × 1.10 = 0.98 yd³
- Weight = 24 × 100 × 1.10 = 2,640 lbs = 1.32 short tons
Metric (meters / centimeters)
Volume (m³) = Length (m) × Width (m) × Depth (cm) ÷ 100 Weight (kg) = Volume (m³) × Density (kg/m³) × (1 + Waste factor) Weight (tonnes) = Weight (kg) ÷ 1,000
Crushed Stone Densities
| Stone Type | lb/ft³ | kg/m³ |
|---|---|---|
| Standard crushed stone | 100 | 1,600 |
| Crushed limestone | 95 | 1,521 |
| Crushed granite | 103 | 1,650 |
| Crushed sandstone | 88 | 1,410 |
| Crushed basalt | 112 | 1,794 |
| Crushed quartzite | 100 | 1,600 |
| Crushed dolomite | 98 | 1,570 |
| Crushed slate | 90 | 1,441 |
| Crushed marble | 95 | 1,521 |
| Trap rock | 108 | 1,730 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much crushed stone do I need for a driveway?
For a standard residential driveway, use a depth of 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) for the top layer of crushed stone. A 100 ft × 12 ft driveway at 4 inches deep requires approximately 15 yd³ (about 22 short tons) of material.
How many cubic yards are in a ton of crushed stone?
For standard crushed stone (100 lb/ft³ / 1,600 kg/m³): 1 short ton ≈ 0.74 cubic yards (or 1 cubic yard ≈ 1.35 short tons). Denser stones like basalt will yield slightly less volume per ton.
What is the difference between crushed stone and gravel?
Gravel is naturally rounded by water erosion, while crushed stone is mechanically crushed to create angular, rough edges. Crushed stone compacts better and is less prone to shifting, making it superior for driveways and structural applications. Gravel is often preferred for decorative landscaping.
How deep should I put crushed stone for a driveway?
A standard driveway typically uses two layers: a base layer of 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) of larger stone (#2 or #3), topped with a surface layer of 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) of finer stone (#57 or #67). For light residential use, a single 4-inch layer of #57 stone is often sufficient.
Why add a waste factor?
When ordering crushed stone, always add 10–15% extra to account for settling, compaction, spillage during delivery, and uneven surfaces. Our calculator uses 10% as the default waste factor, which you can adjust based on your project complexity.