Stone calculator for Utah
Calculate tonnage across graded stone sizes, including 3/8 inch chips and railroad ballast.
Enter your project dimensions
Most crushed stone is sold by the ton. For many grades, use about 2,800 lb for a cubic yard, or 1.4 tons for each yard. This calculator covers twelve graded stone options, ranging from 3/8 inch chips through 2.5 inch railroad ballast, using the selected product's weight. A contractor may provide a spec number, while a homeowner may describe the project. The guide below connects either description to the appropriate material.
Calculation steps
- For driveways and pads, use length times width in feet. For drains, multiply trench length by its width.
- Set the depth by what the layer does: 2 to 3 inches for top courses, 4 inches for bases, and 12 inches or more for French drains.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Estimate typical crushed stone tons by multiplying yards by 1.4.
Product weight guide
| Product | Weight per cubic yard | Tons per yard |
|---|---|---|
| #57 / #67 / 3/4" crushed stone | ≈ 2,800 lb | 1.40 |
| #89 / #8 / 3/8" chips | ≈ 2,800 lb | 1.40 |
| Stone screenings / dust | ≈ 2,900 lb | 1.45 |
| Crusher run / road base | ≈ 3,000 lb | 1.50 |
| #4 stone / railroad ballast | ≈ 2,900 lb | 1.45 |
| Rip rap | ≈ 3,100 lb | 1.55 |
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | ≈ 116 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | ≈ 77 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | ≈ 58 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | ≈ 39 sq ft |
Understanding stone sizes
Stone grade labels refer to rock size, with lower numbers assigned to larger pieces. #4 is 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches. For general drainage, driveways and concrete work, #57 runs 3/16 to 1 inch. #67 is finer at 1/4 to 3/4 inch and is commonly used for pipe bedding. #8 measures around 3/32 to 3/8 inch, while #89 ranges from 3/8 inch to fines. Those finer materials work in paver joints and finish layers. Screenings combine chips and dust into a compactable bed for screeding. Railroad ballast is angular, heavy stone measuring 1 to 2.5 inches, used where tracks and equipment pads need drainage and load support.
Clean stone or fines: choose the right type
Stone products generally serve one of two purposes. Washed material such as #57 has open voids for water movement, making it suitable for drains and snowmelt drainage. Crusher run and road base include fines that pack into a stable base. Putting them in the wrong place creates issues: crusher run can trap water in a French drain, while a #57 layer beneath a driveway may keep moving. When a permit or plan lists a gradation, order the material named there. If the product name is confusing, text the line item to (385) 360-1334. "3/4 clean" and "#57" may be different names for the same stone.
Common stone quantities
| Project | Typical size | Depth | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 30 ft x 12" x 12" | 12" | 1.1 yd³ | 1.6 tons |
| Pipe bedding (#67) | 40 ft x 18" wide | 6" | 1.1 yd³ | 1.6 tons |
| Retaining-wall backfill | 30 ft x 18" wide | 24" | 3.3 yd³ | 4.7 tons |
| Construction entrance (#4) | 40 x 12 ft | 6" | 8.9 yd³ | 12.9 tons |
| Dog run | 15 x 8 ft | 3" | 1.1 yd³ | 1.6 tons |
| Shed pad top course | 10 x 12 ft | 2" | 0.7 yd³ | 1 tons |
Example: a 30-foot French drain
A 30-foot-long trench that is 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep contains 30 cubic feet. That comes to 1.1 cubic yards, or 1.6 tons of #57. The 4-inch pipe in the center only takes up about 0.1 yards, so purchase the full 1.6 tons and place the extra at the outfall. Line the trench with non-woven fabric before placing stone, keeping soil out of the open spaces needed for drainage.
Two ways to avoid a wrong stone order
- Check the specification first, then the product name. Crusher run and crush and run name the same material, as do #57 and "57s".
- For rolled angular material, plan on 5 to 10% compaction. Use the calculator's extra-percent setting for ordinary settling; engineered base work follows its specified compacted depth.
- Paver support comes from compacted base stone, topped by a thin leveling layer of screenings or concrete sand. Dust by itself over soft ground is not a paver bed.
- Figure the trench volume without subtracting the pipe. A pipe under 6 inches seldom removes more than a wheelbarrow load from the order.
Crushed-stone figures
What does a cubic yard of crushed stone weigh?
What coverage comes from a ton of #57?
How are #57, #67 and #89 different?
How deep should driveway stone be?
Stone dust or sand beneath pavers?
Which stone works for a French drain?
Will crushed stone compact?
Uses for railroad ballast beyond rail lines
Other calculators
Specified stone options
Twelve graded stone products are sold by the ton, with free delivery across Utah.
