Stone calculator for Arkansas

Find tonnage for graded stone options, from 3/8 inch chips through railroad ballast.

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Depth (inches)

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Material

Add 5% extra for compaction & spillage

Stone is sold by the ton. Most grades convert at about 2,800 lb for each cubic yard, which equals 1.4 tons per yard. Use this stone calculator for twelve graded material options, ranging from 3/8 inch chips up to 2.5 inch railroad ballast; it uses the selected material's weight. A contractor may provide a spec number, while a homeowner may explain the project. The guide below helps match either description to the needed stone.

Calculate it

For pads and drives, get square footage by multiplying length and width in feet. For drains, multiply the run length by the trench width.
Choose depth based on what the layer does: 2 to 3 inches for a top course, 4 inches for a base, and 12 inches or more in French drains.
Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Multiply yards × 1.4 to estimate tons of typical crushed stone.

Tons = (Area sq ft × Depth in ÷ 12) ÷ 27 × 1.4

Weights by stone type

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

What grade numbers mean

Grade numbers identify particle-size ranges, with lower numbers assigned to larger stone. #4 measures 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches. #57, sized 3/16 to 1 inch, is commonly used around drains, drives, and concrete work. #67 is smaller at 1/4 to 3/4 inch and is often placed around pipe. #8 measures about 3/32 to 3/8 inch. #89 extends from 3/8 inch to fines; both are useful for paver joints and compacted finish courses. Screenings blend fine dust and chips into a firm bed that can be screeded. Railroad ballast is 1 to 2.5 inches of angular, heavy stone for fast drainage and support below tracks or equipment pads.

Clean stone or fines? Choose correctly

Stone on this page falls into 2 groups. Washed, clean material such as #57 remains open so water can move through it, making it suited to drainage. Crusher run and road base contain fines that compact into a firm layer for bases. Using the wrong one causes trouble: crusher run in a French drain can trap water, while a #57 drive base can keep moving. If your permit or plans name a gradation, order the listed material. Send the item description to (501) 596-6225 when the name is uncertain. In many cases, "3/4 clean" and "#57" refer to the same stone under different names.

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: 30-foot French drain

Start with the full trench volume, then ignore the small amount taken up by the pipe. At 30 feet long, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches deep, the trench holds 30 cubic feet. That comes to 1.1 cubic yards, or 1.6 tons of #57. A 4-inch pipe displaces just about 0.1 yards, so order the full 1.6 tons and put the small excess at the outfall. Before placing stone, line the trench with non-woven fabric to stop soil from filling the open spaces needed for drainage.

Two ways to avoid ordering errors

Start with the specification, then verify the local name. Crusher run, crush and run, dense grade, SB-2 Base and Class 7 can describe one material; #57 and "57s" also mean the same stone.
Rolled angular stone commonly settles by 5 to 10%. Use the calculator's extra-percent option for ordinary compaction. Engineered base installations should follow the specified compacted depth.
Pavers need compacted base stone for support, followed by a thin layer of screenings or concrete sand for leveling. Do not place pavers directly on dust over soft ground.
Calculate the trench volume without subtracting the pipe. Pipes under 6 inches usually displace less than a wheelbarrow's worth of material.

Crushed-stone figures

What does a yard of crushed stone weigh?

Common material such as #57 and 3/4 inch weighs about 2,800 lb, or 1.4 tons. Heavier choices include crusher run at 3,000 lb and riprap at 3,100 lb per yard.

What area will a ton of #57 cover?

One ton covers roughly 116 square feet at 2 inches deep, about 77 square feet at 3 inches, and 58 square feet at a 4-inch base depth.

How do #57, #67 and #89 differ?

These grades are separated by size. #57 runs 3/16 to 1 inch, #67 runs 1/4 to 3/4 inch, and #89 goes from 3/8 inch down to fines. Use #57 or #67 for drains and driveways, with finer grades for paths, joints, and finish layers.

What driveway stone depth is needed?

For a new drive, place 3 to 4 inches of compacted crusher run beneath 2 to 3 inches of #57 or driveway gravel. Refresh an existing drive with 2 inches of surface stone.

Stone dust or sand beneath pavers?

Paver work uses both materials in separate layers. Compacted stone forms the base, while screenings or coarse concrete sand make the 1-inch leveling bed above it. Too much pure dust can retain water and pump under traffic.

Which stone works for a French drain?

Use clean #57 or drain rock inside non-woven geotextile. Keep all fines out because they clog the drain.

Will crushed stone compact?

Under traffic, clean angular stone settles about 5 to 10%. Materials containing fines are intended to compact more firmly. Include a small extra amount in the initial order; a half-ton top-up delivery is not worth the extra attention.

How is railroad ballast used away from tracks?

Use it where wet ground must carry heavy loads, including equipment pads, construction entrances, and farm tracks. The 1 to 2.5 inch angular pieces lock together under weight while allowing water to drain.

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Stone by specification

Twelve graded stone products, priced per ton, with free delivery across Arkansas.

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