Material calculator
Gravel Base Calculator for Asphalt
The base course carries the load — get it wrong and the asphalt above it fails. Size your crushed aggregate here.
Your project
Residential driveways use 4-6". Truck traffic needs 8-12".
Crews typically order 5-10% extra to cover compaction, spillage and uneven subgrade.
Aggregate base needed
17.01
US tons
- Area
- 480 sq ft
- Compacted volume
- 8.89 cubic yards
- Loose volume to order
- 11.11 cubic yards
- Material cost
- $510
- Truckloads (20-ton)
- 1
Aggregate loses about 20-25% of its volume when compacted, so the loose quantity you order is higher than the finished depth suggests.
Why the base matters more than the asphalt
Asphalt is a flexible pavement — it distributes load rather than spanning it. Almost every premature driveway failure traces back to an undersized or poorly compacted base, not to thin asphalt.
A compacted crushed aggregate base spreads wheel loads across the subgrade and, just as importantly, drains water away from the underside of the pavement. Water trapped beneath asphalt is what turns a hairline crack into a pothole over one freeze-thaw cycle.
Depth guidance
Use 4 inches of compacted base for a car-only driveway on firm, well-drained soil. Use 6–8 inches for typical residential ground, and 10–12 inches over clay, in cold climates, or anywhere trucks will turn.
Compact in lifts of no more than 4 inches at a time. A single 8-inch dump rolled once will look finished and behave like loose stone.
Frequently asked questions
+How deep should gravel be under asphalt?
4-6 inches compacted for residential driveways on good soil, 8-12 inches for heavy vehicles, clay subgrade, or freeze-thaw climates.
+How much does a ton of crushed base cover?
At 6 inches compacted, one ton of crushed aggregate base covers about 25 square feet.
+Can I put asphalt directly on dirt?
Only on exceptionally firm, well-drained subgrade, and even then it is a false economy. Without a base course the pavement will rut and crack within a few seasons.