Crushed Limestone Calculator

Crushed limestone for driveways, paths and bases: cubic yards or m³ and tons or tonnes for your area and depth, plus bag and bulk counts.

Crushed limestone is one of the most common stones for driveways, paths and bases, especially in areas with limestone quarries. It's sold in sizes from fine screenings (limestone dust, used as a bed under pavers) to 3/4 inch and larger stone for driveways and drainage, and limestone with fines compacts into a hard surface. Enter the area and depth and this calculator gives the cubic yards or m³ and tons or tonnes, plus bag and bulk counts. A 12 × 10 ft area 4 inches deep is 1.48 cubic yards, about 2 US tons at a typical 1.6 tonnes per m³.

Units

Bag sizes

Material

Area

Shape

Length

Width

Depth

Feet and inches work too: type 12'6 or 12.5.

Density (tons per cubic yard)

t/yd³

Extra for waste and compaction

Bag size

Volume: 1.56 yd³
Weight: 2.1 tons
Bags: 84

Bags needed by size
0.5 ft³ bag	84
25 kg bag	77
850 kg bulk bag	3
1 tonne bulk bag	2

Price (optional)

Price is per

How it was worked out

Area: 12 ft × 10 ft = 120 ft²; × 4 in (0.333 ft) deep = 40 ft³
40 ft³ ÷ 27 = 1.48 yd³
Plus 5% extra = 1.56 yd³
1.56 yd³ × 1.35 tons per yd³ = 2.1 tons (4,200 lb)
42 ft³ ÷ 0.5 ft³ per bag = 84, rounded up to 84 bags

Typical weights of common materials

Material	t/m³	tons/yd³	lb/ft³
Concrete	2.40	2.02	150
Gravel	1.60	1.35	100
Pea gravel	1.60	1.35	100
Crushed stone / crushed rock	1.60	1.35	100
River rock	1.50	1.26	94
Landscape rock / pebbles	1.50	1.26	94
Crushed limestone	1.60	1.35	100
Decomposed granite	1.50	1.26	94
Crusher run	1.60	1.35	100
Road base	1.70	1.43	106
Crusher dust	1.50	1.26	94
Aggregate (20 mm)	1.60	1.35	100
All-in ballast	1.65	1.39	103
MOT Type 1 sub-base	1.80	1.52	112
Sand	1.60	1.35	100
Topsoil	1.30	1.10	81
Garden soil	1.30	1.10	81
Fill dirt	1.40	1.18	87
Mulch	0.35	0.29	22
Bark chippings	0.30	0.25	19
Asphalt (compacted)	2.32	1.96	145

Loose, as-delivered figures; asphalt and concrete are as laid. Moisture, stone size and source change the real weight, so use your supplier's figure when you have it. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb).

Common use cases

A limestone driveway or parking pad
Screenings as a bed under pavers or flagstones
A compacted base under a shed or slab
Paths and farm tracks

How to use

Choose feet and inches or metres and millimetres, and the country whose bag sizes you want.
Enter the length and width of the area, or switch the shape to a circle, triangle or a known area. Use Add another area for L-shapes and separate beds.
Enter the depth of limestone. Driveways and bases are often 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150 mm); screenings under pavers about 1 inch (25 mm).
Check the density and the extra allowance. Change the density if your supplier quotes a different figure.
Read the volume, weight and bag count, and add a price per ton, cubic yard, m³ or bag for a cost estimate.

FAQ

How much does crushed limestone weigh?

About 1.35 to 1.5 US tons per cubic yard (1.6 to 1.8 tonnes per m³) loose. Screenings and stone with fines pack denser than clean stone.

Does limestone compact?

Limestone with fines compacts well, which is why it's used for driveways and bases. Allow more extra (15 to 20%) for a compacted base than for clean decorative stone.

How many tons of limestone for a driveway?

Multiply length × width × depth to get the volume, then by the density. A 50 × 10 ft driveway 4 inches deep is 167 ft³, about 6.2 cubic yards, or roughly 8.3 US tons before extra.

Common use cases

How to use

FAQ

How much does crushed limestone weigh?

Does limestone compact?

How many tons of limestone for a driveway?

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