1476
Stone coverage chart
Put your area, depth and stone density in: 100 square feet at 3 inches needs 1.38 tons, order 1.5 tons.
★ CONSTRUCTION · STONE · COVERAGE
Stone Coverage Chart: 1.38 Tons for 100 Sq Ft at 3 In
On the defaults — a 100-square-foot area, 3 inches deep, stone at 1.35 tons per cubic yard, and 10% waste — you need 1.38 tons of stone exact, so order 1.5 tons. This is the STONE version — tons of loose stone by area and depth — the cement-bag-chart page is the CEMENT version — bags of mix by slab area and depth; the drywall-sheet-chart page is the DRYWALL version — sheets by wall area; the insulation-roll-chart page is the INSULATION version — rolls by area; and the plywood-sheet-chart page is the PLYWOOD version — sheets by area at the same 10% waste rule.
What does 1.38 tons mean?
It means a 100-square-foot area at 3 inches deep needs one point three eight tons of stone once 10% waste is added: the area is 100 × 3 ÷ 12, which is 25.00 cubic feet, waste takes it to 27.50, 27.50 ÷ 27 is 1.02 cubic yards, and 1.02 × 1.35 is 1.38 tons, so the order is 1.5 tons. The 1.10 is the whole story in miniature — spillage, an uneven base, and a bed that settles a little all eat stone, so the bare volume alone understates the order: without waste the same area needs exactly 1.25 tons, and the waste tenth of a ton is what keeps the last corner covered. The part people get wrong is ordering the exact figure when it is not a half ton: 1.38 tons cannot be delivered as 1.38 tons by most suppliers, and ordering 1.0 ton leaves part of the area short.
Three things to check before you trust the number
Is the area really 100 square feet? Areas are rarely plain rectangles, so the measured area is where most orders go wrong: the 50-square-foot branch needs 0.69 tons exact, order 1.0 ton, while the 200-square-foot branch needs 2.75 tons, order 3.0 tons, for the same depth and density. Measure each section separately, length times width, add them, and allow for curves by splitting them into rectangles and triangles — a guessed area is the most expensive guess on the job.
Is the depth really 3 inches? Depth scales the volume directly: the 2-inch branch needs 0.92 tons exact, order 1.0 ton, while the 6-inch branch needs 2.75 tons, order 3.0 tons, for the same 100 square feet and density. Check the depth at several points, not just at the edge — a base that dips by half an inch in the middle adds about 0.23 tons to a 100-square-foot area, which is exactly what the 10% waste allowance is for.
Is the density really 1.35 tons per cubic yard? Stone types vary, and the tonnage follows the density exactly: the 1.50-density branch needs 1.53 tons exact, order 2.0 tons, while the 1.20-density branch needs 1.22 tons, order 1.5 tons, for the same area and depth. Use your supplier's figure if one is given — crushed granite, limestone and pea gravel differ, and compaction changes the weight per yard too, so a remembered figure can move the order by half a ton on a large area.
Worked example
On the defaults: 100 square feet, 3 inches deep, stone at 1.35 tons per cubic yard, 10% waste.
- Volume: 100 × 3 ÷ 12 is 25.00 cubic feet.
- Volume with waste: 25.00 × 1.10 is 27.50 cubic feet.
- Cubic yards: 27.50 ÷ 27 is 1.02 cubic yards.
- Exact tons: 1.02 × 1.35, from unrounded values, is 1.38 tons.
- Order: 1.38 rounded up to the nearest half ton is 1.5 tons.
And the other way: the area behind 1.38 tons is 100 square feet, the density behind 1.38 tons is 1.35 tons per cubic yard, and the area behind 2.75 tons is 200 square feet.
Stone coverage lookup: area × depth at 1.35 tons per cu yd (10% waste included)
| Area | Depth | Volume | Volume with waste | Cubic yards | Exact tons | Order tons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 sq ft | 2 in | 8.33 cu ft | 9.17 cu ft | 0.34 cu yd | 0.46 tons | 0.5 tons |
| 50 sq ft | 3 in | 12.50 cu ft | 13.75 cu ft | 0.51 cu yd | 0.69 tons | 1.0 tons |
| 50 sq ft | 4 in | 16.67 cu ft | 18.33 cu ft | 0.68 cu yd | 0.92 tons | 1.0 tons |
| 50 sq ft | 6 in | 25.00 cu ft | 27.50 cu ft | 1.02 cu yd | 1.38 tons | 1.5 tons |
| 100 sq ft | 2 in | 16.67 cu ft | 18.33 cu ft | 0.68 cu yd | 0.92 tons | 1.0 tons |
| 100 sq ft | 3 in | 25.00 cu ft | 27.50 cu ft | 1.02 cu yd | 1.38 tons | 1.5 tons |
| 100 sq ft | 4 in | 33.33 cu ft | 36.67 cu ft | 1.36 cu yd | 1.83 tons | 2.0 tons |
| 100 sq ft | 6 in | 50.00 cu ft | 55.00 cu ft | 2.04 cu yd | 2.75 tons | 3.0 tons |
| 200 sq ft | 2 in | 33.33 cu ft | 36.67 cu ft | 1.36 cu yd | 1.83 tons | 2.0 tons |
| 200 sq ft | 3 in | 50.00 cu ft | 55.00 cu ft | 2.04 cu yd | 2.75 tons | 3.0 tons |
| 200 sq ft | 4 in | 66.67 cu ft | 73.33 cu ft | 2.72 cu yd | 3.67 tons | 4.0 tons |
| 200 sq ft | 6 in | 100.00 cu ft | 110.00 cu ft | 4.07 cu yd | 5.50 tons | 5.5 tons |
| 400 sq ft | 2 in | 66.67 cu ft | 73.33 cu ft | 2.72 cu yd | 3.67 tons | 4.0 tons |
| 400 sq ft | 3 in | 100.00 cu ft | 110.00 cu ft | 4.07 cu yd | 5.50 tons | 5.5 tons |
| 400 sq ft | 4 in | 133.33 cu ft | 146.67 cu ft | 5.43 cu yd | 7.33 tons | 7.5 tons |
| 400 sq ft | 6 in | 200.00 cu ft | 220.00 cu ft | 8.15 cu yd | 11.00 tons | 11.0 tons |
Volume is area × depth ÷ 12; volume with waste is volume × 1.10; cubic yards are volume with waste ÷ 27; exact tons are cubic yards × 1.35, and order rounds up to the nearest half ton, so a 1.38-ton figure orders 1.5 tons.
Every branch, checked
- 50 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd: 50 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd: 0.69 tons exact — order 1.0 tons.
- 200 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd: 200 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd: 2.75 tons exact — order 3.0 tons.
- 100 sq ft area, 2 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd: 100 sq ft area, 2 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd: 0.92 tons exact — order 1.0 tons.
- 100 sq ft area, 6 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd: 100 sq ft area, 6 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd: 2.75 tons exact — order 3.0 tons.
- 100 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.50 tons per cu yd: 100 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.50 tons per cu yd: 1.53 tons exact — order 2.0 tons.
- 100 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.20 tons per cu yd: 100 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.20 tons per cu yd: 1.22 tons exact — order 1.5 tons.
The reverses, worked backwards
- Area behind 1.38 tons: 100 sq ft — at 100 sq ft the figures are 1.38 tons exact — order 1.5 tons.; at the lower neighbor the figures are 1.24 tons exact — order 1.5 tons.; at the upper neighbor the figures are 1.51 tons exact — order 2.0 tons..
- Density behind 1.38 tons: 1.35 tons per cu yd — at 1.35 tons per cu yd the figures are 1.38 tons exact — order 1.5 tons.; at the lower neighbor the figures are 1.32 tons exact — order 1.5 tons.; at the upper neighbor the figures are 1.43 tons exact — order 1.5 tons..
- Area behind 2.75 tons: 200 sq ft — at 200 sq ft the figures are 2.75 tons exact — order 3.0 tons.; at the lower neighbor the figures are 2.61 tons exact — order 3.0 tons.; at the upper neighbor the figures are 2.89 tons exact — order 3.0 tons..
What the defaults assume
The defaults are a 100-square-foot area, 3 inches deep, and stone at 1.35 tons per cubic yard, so the headline is a small path or patio base at the common 3-inch depth. The model is three divisions, one multiplication and one round-up: area times depth divided by 12 for cubic feet, times 1.10 for waste, divided by 27 for cubic yards, times density for tons — with a tiny epsilon subtracted before the ceiling so a value landing exactly on a half ton, like 2.75 tons, orders that half ton and not the next one. The area reverses are checked at 10 square feet either side; the density reverse is checked at 0.05 tons per cubic yard either side. The model does not include compaction after delivery, a thicker edge, or waste beyond the 10% allowance — for an uneven base, allow 15% waste instead of 10% by multiplying the volume by 1.15 before dividing.
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | area × depth ÷ 12 | 25.00 cu ft — 100 × 3 ÷ 12. |
| Volume with waste | volume × 1.10 | 27.50 cu ft — 25.00 × 1.10. |
| Cubic yards | volume with waste ÷ 27 | 1.02 cu yd — 27.50 ÷ 27. |
| Exact tons | cubic yards × stone density | 1.38 tons — 1.02 × 1.35, from unrounded values. |
| Order tons | exact tons rounded up to the nearest half ton | 1.5 tons — 1.38 rounded up. |
| Area behind a target tonnage | target tons ÷ density × 27 ÷ 1.10 × 12 ÷ depth | 100 sq ft — 1.38 ÷ 1.35 × 27 ÷ 1.10 × 12 ÷ 3. |
| Density behind a target tonnage | target tons ÷ cubic yards | 1.35 tons per cu yd — 1.38 ÷ 1.02, from unrounded values. |
| 50 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd | same model | 0.69 tons exact — order 1.0 tons. |
| 200 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd | same model | 2.75 tons exact — order 3.0 tons. |
| 100 sq ft area, 2 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd | same model | 0.92 tons exact — order 1.0 tons. |
| 100 sq ft area, 6 in deep, 1.35 tons per cu yd | same model | 2.75 tons exact — order 3.0 tons. |
| 100 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.50 tons per cu yd | same model | 1.53 tons exact — order 2.0 tons. |
| 100 sq ft area, 3 in deep, 1.20 tons per cu yd | same model | 1.22 tons exact — order 1.5 tons. |
| Area behind 1.38 tons | reverse | 100 sq ft: 1.38 tons exact — order 1.5 tons. |
| Density behind 1.38 tons | reverse | 1.35 tons per cu yd: 1.38 tons exact — order 1.5 tons. |
| Area behind 2.75 tons | reverse | 200 sq ft: 2.75 tons exact — order 3.0 tons. |
| 0 sq ft area | same model | 0.00 tons exact — order 0.0 tons. |
| Negative area | same model | Area — 0 or more. |
| Negative density | same model | Density — more than 0. |
| 200 sq ft at 3 in — same as the 200 sq ft branch | same model | 2.75 tons exact — order 3.0 tons. |
Who uses this
- A homeowner ordering stone for a path base — 100 square feet at 3 inches is 1.38 tons exact, order 1.5 tons.
- A builder checking a supplier quote — the lookup table gives exact tons and order tons for four areas and four depths.
- Someone choosing a stone type — the 1.50 and 1.20 density branches show what a denser or lighter stone is worth on the same area.
- A buyer checking a delivery quote — the reverses give the area or density behind any quoted tonnage.
Accuracy & limitations
Figures are the model’s own arithmetic on the numbers you type, computed from unrounded values and displayed rounded HALF_UP to 2dp, with order tons rounded up to the nearest half ton. The main limitation is the job itself, not the arithmetic: uneven base, compaction and spillage all move the real order, and the 10% waste figure is a standard allowance, not a measurement of your area. This page is a calculation tool, not a materials quote.
Cite this calculator
A 100 sq ft area at 3 inches deep and 10% waste needs 27.50 cu ft of stone: 1.02 cu yd at 1.35 tons per cu yd is 1.38 tons exact, so order 1.5 tons. Source: Bright Side Kit, https://brightoolbox.com/stone-coverage-chart/, accessed 29 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of stone do I need for an area?
Divide the volume with waste by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by the density, then round up to the nearest half ton: 100 square feet times 3 inches divided by 12 is 25.00 cubic feet, times 1.10 is 27.50, divided by 27 is 1.02 cubic yards, times 1.35 is 1.38 tons exact, so order 1.5 tons.
Why add 10% waste?
Spillage, an uneven base, and a bed that settles a little all consume stone. Without waste the same area needs exactly 1.25 tons; the extra tenth of a ton and more is what keeps the last corner covered.
How many tons is one cubic yard of stone?
About 1.35 tons for common crushed stone, but it varies by stone type and compaction — denser stone can reach 1.50 tons per cubic yard and lighter stone can sit near 1.20, so use your supplier's figure if one is given.
How deep should a stone path base be?
Three inches is a common depth for a path or patio base. A driveway usually needs 4 to 6 inches, and every extra inch adds a third to the volume at 3 inches, so depth is worth measuring carefully.
Why does the order round up to the nearest half ton?
Stone is sold by the half ton or ton by most suppliers, and a partial amount cannot cover a partial area. Rounding 1.38 tons down to 1.0 ton would leave part of the area short; rounding up to 1.5 tons covers it with a little spare.
When should I allow more than 10% waste?
For an uneven base, an area with a thicker edge, or a lot of small sections, allow 15% waste instead of 10% by multiplying the volume by 1.15 before dividing. The extra stone is cheaper than a second delivery.