How Many Tonnes of Gravel for a Driveway?
A 10 by 3 metre driveway covered with 50 mm of gravel is 1.5 cubic metres. At 1.6 tonnes per cubic metre that is about 2.4 tonnes, or 2.64 tonnes with 10% for waste.
Try your own numbers
Last checked 10/11/2026. Sources: LSBUD: Linesearch Before U Dig (UK).
From volume to weight
Volume = 10 × 3 × 0.05 = 1.5 m³. Suppliers sell gravel by weight, so multiply by the density: 1.5 × 1.6 = 2.4 tonnes. Add 10% for waste and spreading and the order is 2.64 tonnes.
The 1.6 t/m³ figure is an editorial starting point, not a standard. Loose gravel is commonly somewhere between about 1.4 and 1.7 tonnes per cubic metre, depending on the stone and its moisture, so ask your supplier for their figure and enter it in the density box.
Depth is a design choice. Fifty millimetres is a top-dressing figure; a driveway also needs a base, and the right depths depend on the ground and the traffic. Try 75 or 100 mm in the depth box. Bulk bags are often sold by the half tonne, so the bag count is the weight divided by the bag size.
Common questions
How much does the depth change the weight?
In direct proportion. At 100 mm the same driveway needs 3.0 m³, about 4.8 tonnes before waste.
Does this work for sand or topsoil?
Yes. Choose the material; each has its own editable starting density.