Gravel Calculator (squarefootagearea.com) Square Footage = Square Feet = SqFt = Sq Ft = sq ft = ft²

What is Gravel?

Gravel is made up of rock fragments. Gravel used for typical commercial use is usually of smaller size but its size can range from granule (2mm to 4mm) to boulder. Gravel is commonly used to build roads, paths, driveways and even on the patios.

There are numerous types of gravel available some chosen because of their size and shape and some chosen for their color. For example, pea gravel is chosen because of its round shape and small size, which makes it most comfortable to walk on.

How much gravel do I need?

To determine the quantity of gravel you need to calculate the volume of the gravel or area in the question. Don’t get confused with why we used gravel with area, because the volume of the gravel is same as volume of the area. Follow the steps below to calculate the volume.

1. First measure the length, width and depth of the excavation.
   For example: Length = 10 ft, Width = 10 ft, Depth = 1ft.
2. Now that you have all the measurements, multiply length with width and then multiply it with depth. Formula of volume: length x width x depth. Answer = 10 x 10 x 1 = 100 ft³. Please note that all measurements should be in same units.
3. Finally to calculate the weight of gravel required, multiply the volume with the density of the material. Let’s assume that the density of the material is 47.5723 kg/ft3. Weight of gravel required should be 47.5723 x 100 = 4757.23 kg

4757.23 Kgs is the weight of gravel you should order. But don’t forget to order extra material to allow for wastage. Also gravel like marble chips and pea gravel are known for migrating off of driveways or walkways. You may need to add extra material after every few months or may be years.

What are the uses of Gravel?

It is used to make roofing shingles, used on icy roads in the winter, for railroad ballast, and water filtration.It is also used for road construction, for mixing with sand and mixing with asphalt, as construction fill, and in the production of construction materials like concrete blocks, bricks, and pipes.

Importance of Gravel:

Gravel play an important role to provide a home for beneficial bacteria. Those bacterial colonies are necessary to eliminate waste produced by the fish, leftover food, and plant refuse in the aquarium.

Gravels are fish habitat:

Gravel of the appropriate type (i.e. not too bold and dazzling) can create a pleasant habitat for your fish. The more comfy habitat is for your fish, the less stressed and more healthy they will be. Stress is a major contributor to a settlement of the immune system in fish, leaving them more receptive to diseases. Perhaps the necessary function that gravel serves is to provide a home for beneficial bacteria. Those bacterial colonies are necessary to eliminate waste produced by the fish, leftover food, and plant refuse in the aquarium. If the bacteria don’t have a cozy gravel bed to live in they will find other places, but may not grow in ample quantities to keep the aquarium safe for your fish.

Landscaping with Gravel:

Some landscapers suggest to put down layers of sand and crushed rock beneath the gravel in order to stabilize the surface, but a simple 2- or 3-inch layer of gravel will stop puddling and will also avoid the possibility of the sand and rock working its way up through the gravel. Water drains rapidly through gravel than it does through most types of soil, so puddles form less readily on gravel-covered pathways and borders than they do on soil surfaces.

HOW TO CALCULATE THE GRAVEL FOR LANDSCAPING:

Source: https://www.squarefootagearea.com

First, we need to divide the gravel path into four rectangles:

1. Now, we have to measure the length and width of each sector
2. Calculate each area of rectangles
   • Sector 1 has a length of 20 feet and a width of 3 feet which gives 60ft²
   • Sector 2 has a length of 15 feet and a width of 4 feet which gives 60ft²
   • Sector 3 has a length of 15 feet and a width of 2 feet which gives 30ft²
   • Sector 4 has a length of 10 feet and a width of 5 feet which gives 50ft²
3. Now we have to sum up all these rectangle areas to get the area of the whole square feet; 60 ft² + 60 ft² + 30 ft² + 50 ft² = 200 ft²
4. Now choose the desired depth of the gravel level, let’s take 1ft. We have set a default density of gravel for you but you can change it according to your needs. Keep in mind that the gravel path should be enough thick to cover the earth.If the gravel level is thick it will be long lasting. it may be a good idea to lay multiple layers of different types of gravel.
5. You can calculate the volume of gravel by multiplying area of gravel path by the desired depth:
   For e.g. 200 ft² * 1 ft = 200 ft³
6. Purchase enough landscape rock to cover the area. If the area to be covered is 200 cubic feet, for example, each bag of rock covers 4 cubic feet ,so you will need 50 bags of landscape rock to fill the space.

How Much Cost Of Gravel?

Homeowners will need about 200 square feet of coverage which costs around $350 with most homeowners spending between $300 and $400 for smaller project. For this size of project, consider purchasing pea gravel in bags of 0.5 cubic feet. The price will fluctuate by location, but it’s almost in the range of $4 to $6 per bag for plain or neutral pea gravel. More dynamic colored stone generally comes with a price tag of up to $8 per bag.These bags are available at most home improvement stores.

Homeowners can buy pea gravel by the cubic yard or by the ton for large project. You’ll generally need to contact a landscaping supplier to purchase this quantity. The price will fluctuate by location and is based on the distance from a quarry. The general range for a cubic yard of plain pea gravel is about $30 to $35, and a ton will cost about $40 to $45. For a colored variation, expect to add an extra $20 to $50 to those prices.

If you buy in bulk, or 10 or more tons at a time, you may be able to get the price down to as low as $15 to $20 per ton. A gravel distributor can provide these amounts at wholesale prices.

Labour Cost:

To lay down pea gravel, hiring a professional labor, you will add about $13 to $67 per hour in labor costs. Most jobs take at least two hours. The time to complete a job will vary by its size.

Additional Expenses:

There are some other expenses to consider before installing pea gravel. When ordering pea gravel by the ton, gravel distributor will generally set a minimum order amount for delivery. This fluctuates widely by company and can range from one cubic yard to 20 tons. Wholesale pricing mostly requires at least 10 to 20 tons per delivery. Companies also may charge a delivery fee, which usually dissimilar based on the delivery distance. When moving tons of gravel between cities, expect the delivery fee to range in the hundreds of dollars.

How many square meters does a ton of gravel cover?

• One tonne will cover 14 square metres. If you want to apply them in a normal depth 50 mm for a driveway.
• 1 tonne will be sufficient to cover approximately 20 square metres for pedestrian pathways, 35mm depth is normally sufficient for pedestrian pathway.

Gravel and Planting:

Consider this when choosing gravel garden plant. Planting in gravel culture is different. It is important that the roots reach the soil level because they cannot grow out into the gravel. Dug deep, wide holes down to the soil, pulling the gravel layer out wide. The soil needs extra nutrients and good drainage to prevent squashy roots and infertile conditions. Gravel mulch on top acts as a natural moisture conservator, but the stones will get hot in sunny areas and some water will evaporate.

Why do we use gravel on roads?

Gravel roads are often found in cold climates because they are less vulnerable to freeze / thaw damage than asphalt roads. When grading or building the road, water bars are used to direct water off the road. The inferior surface of gravel is not an issue if the road is covered by snow and ice for extended periods.

Most common types of gravel:

Most common types of gravel:

There are numerous types of gravel available some chosen because of their size and shape and some chosen for their color.

1. Base Gravel#3

   Base gravel consists of irregularly shaped rocks of one to two inches. Due to their irregular shape, they provide perfect drainage. They are perfect for solid foundations.

2. Pea Gravel

   Pea gravel is small rocks typically 3/8” in size that are naturally weathered. They are often chosen due to their small size and rounded shape. It makes them perfect for driveways, flowerbeds and walkways. Pea gravel usually require edging to prevent them from moving away from the driveway or walkway surface.

3. Quarry Process

   Quarry process also called crusher run, is the combination of stone dust, crushed stone and trap rock. Stones usually ¾ inch or less in size. Often used in the construction of driveways, road base, patios and walkways as base or sub-base. The jagged edges of the stone help the pieces to adhere and bond to one another while the stone dust fills in the spaces between gravel and reduces the void content. After being compacted, this will create a very stable and unmoving surface for driving upon. It’s subtle gray and black colors tend to complement a number of landscaping themes and styles. It is the unique option for homeowner.

4. White Marble chips:

   White marble chips offer a touch of elegance to any property. These are often chosen due to their pleasant look. They range between ½ inch to 1 inch in size, should be treated in the same way as pea gravel i.e. with proper edging. The surface of the stones seems shimmering, sparkling which work to attract the eye and reflect sunlight. This helps to keep the property from becoming overheated.

Popular Types of Gravel:

Although there are various kinds of gravel, there are certain varieties that are more popular for driveway construction than others. These may include:

1. Crushed Stone

   This type of aggregate can be comprised of limestone, granite, gneiss, or trap rock, depending on the quarry. Crushed stone has been carefully screened and sized so that it’s ideally suited for the construction and surfacing of a residential front drive. The fine-drawn blend of gray and white hues makes it easy to integrate these stones into any landscaping theme. They can also be complemented by a variation of different edging materials and colorful vegetation.

2. Washed Clean Stone:

   Washed clean stone is very similar to crushed stone in its composition and manufacture except that the step of thoroughly cleaning and removing impurities is added to the process. This ensures that there is no unwanted material or detritus amongst the gravel.

3. Yellow Gravel:

   These gravel pieces are the perfect size for creating a driveway surface that will offer a smooth and gentle ride and creating a restful and delightful landscaping feature that will welcome guests to your home.

   This type of stone aggregate is very small and features an assortment of yellow, gold, tan, white and brown colors which recalls to the conscious mind at the beach.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Type of Gravel

This is the most important part to choose the right type of gravel for your project. You take the time to understand your options and select the right stone aggregate before beginning any work because it can make a major difference in your contentment with the work as well as the appearance of your property. Each type of gravel has its own elegant look, each of which can compliment different styles of landscaping and architecture, thus tying a landscaping theme together. Some types of gravel feature a different consistency or level of strength and integrity which can cater to varying needs.

Types of gravel for driveways:

Gravel driveways, in comparison with asphalt driveways, are the least expensive option to build your driveways. But they do require most maintenance in long-term. Application of herbicide to prevent weeds from growing and adding more gravel are common tasks to maintain the driveways.

Building process of Driveways:

While building driveways, not one but three types of gravel are used.

1. The first layer provides the solid foundation, consists of slightly large size rocks and is called Base Gravel #3. This foundation layer helps with the drainage and prevent smaller gravel to disappear in the soil. This layer should be at least 4 inch thick.
2. The second layer will be of rocks about the size of golf balls. You will need to make this layer at least 3 inches thick making sure that any gap in the base / foundation layer are filled.
3. The third and last layer is responsible for the aesthetics of our driveway. The gravel used in this layer can be pea gravel, marble chips of any color be it white, gray or black. It should be noted that gravel with irregular shapes such as triangles with sharp edges may work better here. Because sharper edges create a lock among them. Round shaped gravel like pea gravel move away with time if the proper edging is not provided.