Stone calculator for Louisiana
Find tonnage for graded stone materials, including 3/8 inch chips and railroad ballast.
Enter your project dimensions
Stone is typically sold by the ton. For most grades, use about 2,800 lb for each cubic yard, or 1.4 tons per yard. This calculator accounts for the selected material weight across twelve graded options, from 3/8 inch chips through 2.5 inch railroad ballast. A contractor may begin with a spec number, while a homeowner may start with the project. The guide below connects either approach to the appropriate stone.
How to calculate
- Start with the footprint in feet. Multiply length by width for drives and pads, or trench length by trench width for drains.
- The layer's purpose sets its depth: 2 to 3 inches for top courses, 4 inches for bases, and 12 inches or more for French drains.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Multiply yards by 1.4 for tons of typical crushed stone.
Product stone weights
| 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 |
Understanding size numbers
Stone grades identify size ranges, with lower numbers representing larger pieces. #4 measures 1-2 inches. #57, a 3/4 to 1 inch general-use stone, works for drainage, driveways and concrete projects. At 1/4 to 3/4 inch, #67 is a finer option often used around pipe. #8 is about 3/8 to 1/2 inch, while #89 extends from 3/8 inch down to fines; each is used in paver joints and finish layers. Screenings combine chips and dust to form a firm, screedable surface when compacted. Railroad ballast uses heavy, angular 1 to 2.5 inches rock for fast drainage and support below tracks and equipment pads.
Clean stone or fines: choose the right type
Stone on this page fits into two groups. Washed material, including #57, stays open so water can move through it, making it suited to drainage. Crusher run and road base include fines that compact into a firm layer, which is why they belong beneath bases. Putting them in the opposite role creates trouble: crusher run can trap water in a French drain, while a #57 driveway base can keep moving. Use the stated gradation when a plan or permit specifies one. If a material name is uncertain, send the line item through our contact form. "3/4 clean" and "#57" often name the same rock differently.
Common stone order sizes
| 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: a 30-foot French drain
A drain trench measuring 30 feet long by 12 inches wide by 12 inches deep has 30 cubic feet of volume. That works out to 1.1 cubic yards, or 1.6 tons of #57. With a 4-inch pipe centered in it, only about 0.1 yards is displaced, so purchase the full 1.6 tons and place the minor extra at the outfall. Before adding stone, install non-woven fabric in the trench to prevent soil from filling the open spaces needed for drainage.
Two ways to avoid ordering mistakes
- Confirm the local nickname after choosing the spec. Crusher run, crush and run, Crushed Concrete, recycled base, and 610 concrete can refer to one product. #57 and "57s" name the same stone.
- Angular stone that is rolled can compact 5 to 10%. For ordinary settling, use the calculator's extra percent toggle. Engineered base work should follow its specified compacted depth.
- Soft Louisiana ground needs a compacted stone base to support pavers. Use screenings or concrete sand only for the thin leveling layer, not dust alone beneath the pavers.
- Calculate the trench volume instead of the pipe volume. Pipes below 6 inches usually displace less than a wheelbarrow load from an order.
Crushed stone measurements
What does a yard of crushed stone weigh?
What area will a ton of #57 stone cover?
How are #57, #67 and #89 stone different?
What stone depth is needed for a driveway?
Stone dust or sand beneath pavers?
Which stone works for a French drain?
Will crushed stone compact?
How is railroad ballast used beyond railroads?
Other calculators
Stone specifications
Twelve graded stone products with per-ton pricing and free delivery across Louisiana.
