Landscaping calculator

Road base

Crusher-run or class II base volume and tonnage from driveway or pad area, compacted depth and supplier density.

Reviewed formula · v1.0.0

Project inputs

Enter field measurements. Imperial lengths take feet and inches. Unit conversion happens before the reviewed formula is applied.

Lengthft + inDrive, pad or road lengthftinWidthft + inAverage finished widthftinCompacted depthinFinished compacted thickness. 6 in is a common light-vehicle planning figureDensitytons / yd³Tons per cubic yard. 1.5 is a common dense-grade planning figureCompaction / waste%Extra volume so compacted depth lands. 15% is a common crusher-run planning figure

All values can be refined when you edit the estimate. This tool does not replace field verification or local requirements.

Calculated result

12.8yd³

Road base order

FormulaLND-RDB-001

L × W × D ÷ 27 × (1 + waste)

300 ft³

Net volume

19.2 tons

Estimated weight

600 ft²

Area

Transparent cost view

Planning rates only. Pick a currency — badges, inputs, and totals follow. Material is a rate. Labour is hours × a planning hourly rate. Equipment and delivery are this-job amounts.

Material ratePlanning · per calculated unit · USDEquipmentPlanning · this job · USDDeliveryPlanning · this job · USDLabour hoursPlanning · this jobLabour ratePlanning · per hour · USDOverhead %%Contingency %%Markup %%Tax %%

Planning defaults are office figures, not a bid. US ready-mix in 2026 often lands around $125–165 per cubic yard delivered; place-and-finish commonly $2–4 per square foot. Replace every rate with a supplier or crew quote before you send the letter.

Indicative FX as of Aug 2026. Planning conversion, not a live bank rate.

Material costUSD 1,088

Labour (8 h)USD 280

Direct costUSD 1,478

Overhead + contingencyUSD 148

Markup + taxUSD 195

Estimated project totalUSD 1,821

View estimate Quote / invoice Add another item

Embed this calculator

<iframe src="https://construclytic.com/embed/road-base" title="Road base" width="100%" height="820" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" style="border:1px solid #d7e0da;border-radius:16px;background:#fff;"></iframe>

Paste on a contractor site or blog. The iframe is a planning takeoff, not a bid.

How this calculator works

A transparent road base takeoff.

Length times width times compacted depth, plus a visible compaction allowance, rounded to the next 0.1 yd³ and converted to tons at the density you enter.

Worked example. Example: a 50 × 12 ft drive 6 in deep, 1.5 t/yd³ and 15% compaction rounds to 12.8 yd³, about 19.2 tons.

1. Measure the paved or graveled width, including shoulders if they get the same stone.
2. Enter compacted depth. Compaction lives in the waste field so 6 in compacted is not ordered as 6 in loose.
3. Confirm density with the quarry. Recycled concrete, limestone and granite differ.

Need the broader workflow? Read the landscaping planning guide.

Questions

Questions about road base

Why not gravel driveway?

Gravel driveway defaults to 4 in and 1.4 t/yd³. Road base defaults to 6 in of dense-grade at 1.5 t/yd³. Use the page that matches the product.

Does this include the surface gravel?

No. A two-layer drive is two lines: this base, then the gravel driveway calculator for the wearing course.

What is the formula ID?

This calculator publishes formula LND-RDB-001, version 1.0.0. The ID stays on the result and on the estimate line.

Is this engineering advice?

No. Construclytic is a planning website, not a registered engineering or contracting firm. Field checks, codes and product data still sit with you.

Does Construclytic fetch live supplier prices?

No. Costs use the rate you enter. Construclytic does not fetch live supplier prices.