How Much Gravel Do I Need for a Path or Driveway?
If you want the short answer, you need the area in square metres, the depth in centimetres, and then a bit of extra for waste and settling. Most people under-order because they stop at the neat rectangle maths.
The catch is gravel is sold and delivered in ways that confuse people, cubic metres here, tonnes there, and then the actual depth on the ground looks thinner than expected.
Prep, spread and edge a gravel area with this DIY tool list. SmartKoala may earn from qualifying purchases.
Use the Gravel Calculator for cubic metres and rough tonnes.
Simple worked example
A 10m long path that is 2m wide and 5cm deep needs about 1 cubic metre before wastage. Add 10% and you are closer to 1.1m³. At roughly 1.6 tonnes per cubic metre, that is around 1.8 tonnes.
What people forget
- landscape fabric under the gravel
- edging to stop spread
- compaction and settling
- extra depth for driveways versus paths
Bottom line
Always allow a bit of waste and do not pretend a driveway and a garden path need the same depth. Use the calculator before you order.