A cubic yard of gravel costs about $20–$105 for the material in 2026, depending on the type of stone, and weighs roughly 1.4 tons. One yard covers about 160 sq ft at 2 inches or 80 sq ft at 4 inches. Delivery adds a flat $50–$150 per load, which is often the biggest line on small orders.
How much is a cubic yard of gravel?
First, the unit: a cubic yard is a block of stone 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft: 27 cubic feet, roughly the loaded bed of a small pickup (though almost no pickup can carry one by weight, as we cover below). Suppliers that quote by volume price it by the yard; suppliers that weigh their trucks price it by the ton. It is the same pile either way: one yard of standard gravel ≈ 1.4 tons.
Per-yard prices track the per-ton price of each stone multiplied by 1.4 (see how we price). Using typical 2026 US quarry prices:
| Gravel type | Price / cubic yard | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Crusher run (crush & run) | $28–$49 | Driveway & patio bases |
| Crushed stone #57 | $35–$63 | Driveway tops, drainage |
| Crushed limestone | $35–$56 | Paths, bases |
| Pea gravel | $42–$84 | Paths, patios, play |
| River rock | $63–$182 | Decorative, drainage |
| Colored / decorative | $70–$224 | Feature landscaping |
In practice, most homeowner orders of everyday crushed stone land between $35 and $75 per yard for the material, before delivery. For the full picture by weight (delivery economics, spreading and savings tips), see the gravel cost per ton guide; the ton-level prices behind this table are itemized there.
How much does 2 cubic yards of gravel cost?
Two yards of gravel cost $40–$210 for the stone at the ranges above, plus one delivery fee of $50–$150; call it $90–$360 delivered for common types. Two yards is about 2.8 tons of standard gravel, enough to cover 320 sq ft at 2 inches or 160 sq ft at 4 inches: a generous garden path, a small patio base, or a driveway top-up.
The delivery fee is the number to watch at this size. It is usually flat per load, so two yards delivered can cost barely more than one, and many suppliers' 1–3 ton minimum order sits exactly here. If your calculations put you at 1.5 yards, pricing 2 often costs almost nothing extra and leaves you a spare pile for settling.
How much area does a cubic yard cover?
Coverage shrinks fast as depth grows. Use these planning figures for standard gravel; lighter pea gravel covers a touch more, dense river rock a little less.
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 inches | ~160 sq ft | ~100 sq ft |
| 3 inches | ~108 sq ft | ~65 sq ft |
| 4 inches | ~80 sq ft | ~50 sq ft |
| 6 inches | ~54 sq ft | ~33 sq ft |
To turn your own measurements into yards (and tons and bags), enter the area and depth in the gravel calculator; it adds the 10% waste allowance and prices the order if you enter your supplier's rate.
How many tons in a cubic yard?
One cubic yard of standard or crushed gravel is about 1.4 US tons (2,800 lb); pea gravel is lighter at about 1.35 tons (2,700 lb) because its rounded stones pack less densely. The exact figure drifts with stone size, angularity, fines and moisture (wet gravel weighs several percent more than dry), which is why two suppliers can quote different tonnages for the same bucket count. When precision matters, buy by weight: the quarry weighbridge is the referee.
How many bags of gravel are in a cubic yard?
One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, so it takes 54 of the common half-cubic-foot (50 lb) bags. That is where the economics bite: at a typical $4–$6 per bag, a yard of bagged gravel costs $215–$325, against $35–$75 for the same stone bulk. Bags earn their keep only for small repairs, stairs, or spots a delivery truck cannot reach. The ton-of-gravel guide runs the same comparison by weight (one ton ≈ 40 bags).
Why weight, not bed size, limits pickup loads
A cubic yard of gravel visually fits in an 8-foot pickup bed, which is exactly how people overload trucks. The bed holds the volume, but the springs answer to the weight: a yard of gravel is up to 1.5 tons, while half-ton pickups are payload-rated near 0.5 tons of actual cargo. Overloading kills brakes, steering and axles, and quarries will happily load whatever you ask for. If you are hauling your own stone, take half-yard trips or rent a trailer with its own axle; otherwise, let the delivery truck take the load and the liability.
Delivery, spreading and the real total
Budget the job as three lines: material (the table above), one $50–$150 delivery fee per load, and spreading if you hire it (roughly $12–$25 per ton for machinery and operator, or a plate-compactor rental for DIY). Two rules keep the total down. Order the full load in one delivery; the flat fee makes three small drops three times as expensive as one big one. And order once, correctly: a 10% waste allowance is cheaper than a second delivery. The crush and run cost guide shows this math worked through for a real driveway job, and how much gravel do I need covers sizing each layer.