Road base calculator for Arkansas

For a 100-foot lane measuring 10 feet across with 6 inches of compacted base, allow about 31 tons of road base. Long lanes build tonnage quickly, making free delivery especially relevant when 30 tons are needed, since hauling can otherwise rival the stone cost. Road base combines graded crushed stone and fines at about 3,000 lb per cubic yard, compacting into a firm layer for equipment yards, driveways, and roads. This calculation also applies to recycled crushed concrete base when a spec permits its use.

Lane quantity math

1. For lanes, measure along the centerline and use an average width. Pad calculations use length multiplied by width.
2. For compacted depth, use 4 inches on light residential ground, 6 for routine traffic and delivery trucks, and 8-12 on soft subgrades or below equipment.
3. For yards, take cubic feet / 27; then x 1.5 for tons and leave +10% for compaction.

Lane coverage and quantities

Building a lane for another winter

• Remove topsoil and organic material before placing the base. If stone goes over topsoil, mud will work its way up through it regardless of the depth.
• Lay woven geotextile ahead of the stone where subgrade is soft or wet. On Delta gumbo, it keeps soil and base from blending together.
• Keep each compacted layer at 4 inches or less, and roll it before adding the following layer.
• Build a 2-3% crown from the centerline toward both sides so water leaves the surface instead of entering the base.
• For a neat, lower-dust driving layer, finish with #57 or driveway gravel.
• Allow for rental equipment in the budget. Hand-spreading 20-plus tons may take a week, while an afternoon is enough using a box-blade tractor or skid steer.

Example: a 100-foot farm lane

A one hundred by ten foot area at 6 inches works out to 1,000 x 0.5 = 500 cubic feet = 18.5 cubic yards, or about 28 tons and 30-31 after the allowance. Plan on two tandem loads and arrange two drop points down the lane, rather than putting one mountain at the gate. For a farm lane, spaced drop locations reduce the distance material must be moved uphill or downhill.

Pads for RVs, containers, and equipment

Use the same lane formula for pads, but choose depth by axle load rather than time of year. A 12 x 40 RV pad compacted at 6 inches takes about 12 tons. At 8 inches, a 20 x 40 equipment yard requires 27. Because shipping containers load their four corners heavily, build their pads with a full 8 inches plus fabric even where soil seems decent, or those corners can settle into the pad by spring.

Using crushed concrete for road base

Recycled concrete base can compact and support loads much like virgin road base, often at a lower cost. Review county specifications before using it, because some call for virgin aggregate; for private pads and lanes, it is a practical option. The math stays the same: 1.5 tons per yard, the same lift depths, and the same crown.

Road base quantities by ton and lane

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