A 10×20 ft driveway at 4 in compacted needs 2.47 cubic yards in place — order about 5.2 tons of crusher run (3.61 cu yd loose) including 10% extra and compaction.
“Cheapest” compares bulk delivered with 0.5 cu ft bags at the prices below.
Payload is on the Tire & Loading sticker in the driver's door jamb. Single-axle dump trucks carry about 5 tons; bigger orders come on a tandem (up to 18 tons).
Bulk prices are typical 2026 yard and national-guide prices (American Rock Supply, Mulch Pros, Roseville Rock Supply); bag prices are retail snapshots. Tap any price to use your yard's.
| Depth | Order (cu yd) | Tons | 0.5 cu ft bags | Bulk delivered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in compacted | 1.81 | 2.6 | 98 | $151 |
| 3 in compacted | 2.71 | 3.9 | 147 | $189 |
| 4 in compacted | 3.61 | 5.2 | 196 | $227 |
| 6 in compacted | 5.42 | 7.9 | 293 | $303 |
200 sq ft × 0.333 ft = 66.7 cu ft, ÷ 27 = 2.47 cu yd. × 1.33 for compaction × 1.10 extra = 3.61 cu yd, × 1.45 t/yd³ = 5.24 tons.
With bags at $5.98 and bulk at $29.00 per ton plus $75 delivery, bulk beats bags from about 0.39 tons. At 5.2 tons bulk is clearly the cheaper way to buy — bags only make sense if a truck can't reach the spot.
The full method, material data and tips are on the main gravel calculator page.