Driveway Gravel - Material Guide
Picking the right gravel for a driveway gravel project? This guide covers the materials that fit best, how much you need, and what it costs delivered.
Picking the right material for driveway gravel starts with one question: is this surface going to carry traffic or carry water? Load-bearing jobs want fines that compact. Drainage jobs want clean stone with open voids. Below are the specs, install steps, depths, and regional prices we run on real driveway gravel jobs every week.
Best materials for driveway gravel
From $44/ton- Size3/4 - 1"
- Density2700 lb/yd³
- ColorGray
From $28/ton- Sizevaries"
- Density2900 lb/yd³
- ColorGray
From $24/ton- Sizevaries"
- Density2400 lb/yd³
- ColorBlack
From $35/ton- Sizevaries"
- Density2900 lb/yd³
- ColorGray
What driveway gravel needs in a material
- Size and shape: 3/4 to 1 inch angular crushed stone.
- Drainage: moderate, lets light rain pass while holding shape.
- Compaction: locks tight under tire load with crusher-run binder.
The three specs above drive every other choice on a driveway gravel job. Order the wrong size and the surface fails fast. Pick a material that drains the wrong way and you fight standing water or washouts. Get these right and the install steps below take care of the rest.
How to install driveway gravel
-
1
Excavate to 8 inches
Strip topsoil and grade subgrade so it pitches away from the house.
-
2
Lay non-woven geotextile
Roll fabric edge to edge with a 12 inch overlap to keep soil from pumping up.
-
3
Spread in 2 inch lifts
Place crusher-run or class-5 in two lifts, plate compact each lift.
-
4
Crown the surface
Top with 3/4 inch stone and rake a 2 inch crown so water runs to the shoulders.
How much driveway gravel material do you need
| Project size | 3 inch depth | 4 inch depth |
|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.9 cu yd / 1.3 tons | 1.2 cu yd / 1.7 tons |
| 300 sq ft | 2.8 cu yd / 3.9 tons | 3.7 cu yd / 5.2 tons |
| 600 sq ft | 5.6 cu yd / 7.8 tons | 7.4 cu yd / 10.4 tons |
Quantities above assume crushed stone at roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Pea gravel and river rock run a bit lighter, decomposed granite a bit denser. Add 10 percent waste for irregular shapes and edge losses.
What driveway gravel costs in 2026
| Region | Delivered per ton | Typical 300 sq ft project |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast | $42 to $72 | $147 to $252 |
| Midwest | $32 to $56 | $112 to $196 |
| South | $30 to $54 | $105 to $189 |
| West | $48 to $88 | $168 to $308 |
These ranges hold for full-truck delivered prices in 2026. Diesel surcharges, distance from the quarry, and load size all shift the number. Quotes get sharper once we know your ZIP and the tonnage you need.
Driveway Gravel mistakes to avoid
- Skipping geotextile fabric, which lets the base mix into the soil and rut.
- Spreading one thick lift instead of two thin compacted lifts.
- Flat surface with no crown, so water sits and washes ruts.
- Using clean stone with no fines on top, so tires kick stone everywhere.