Stone calculator
Limestone Base Calculator
Crushed limestone base compacts tight and cements slightly over time. Enter your area and compacted depth for tonnage and cost.
Your project
Patios 4", driveways 6", clay subgrades 8".
Crews typically order 5-10% extra to cover compaction, spillage and uneven subgrade.
Delivered limestone base typically runs $20-$42 per ton.
Limestone base needed
11.34
US tons · includes 5% waste
- Area
- 480 sq ft
- Volume
- 6.22 cubic yards
- Volume (cubic feet)
- 168 cu ft
- Total weight
- 22,680 lb
- Density used
- 135 lb per cu ft (1.82 tons/yd³)
- Truckloads (15-ton)
- 1
- Estimated delivered cost
- $352
Quarry densities vary by source and moisture. Confirm tons per cubic yard with your supplier before placing a bulk order — a 10% density difference is a whole extra load on a big job.
The shareable link reopens this calculator with your exact inputs.
What limestone base is
Limestone base — sold as crusher run, 3/4" minus, road base or Class 5 depending on the region — is crushed limestone graded from about 3/4 inch to dust. Limestone fines have a mild cementing action when wetted and compacted, so the layer stiffens over the first few weeks rather than staying granular.
At 135 lb per cubic foot, one cubic yard weighs about 1.82 US tons, and one ton spread 2" deep covers roughly 89 square feet.
How to install it
Compact in 4 inch lifts at near-optimum moisture — damp enough to hold a squeezed ball, not wet enough to pump. Add 15-20% to your loose order volume, because that is roughly what compaction takes out.
The mistake that costs the most
Building base on top of organic topsoil. Limestone base is only as good as what is under it: strip to firm subgrade, and put woven geotextile down over soft clay so the stone does not slowly disappear into it.
The math behind the calculator
Square feet × (depth in inches ÷ 12) = cubic feet. Cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Cubic feet × 135 ÷ 2,000 = US tons. The waste allowance is applied to the volume before the weight conversion, which is how suppliers quote it.
Limestone base needed per 100 square feet
At 135 lb per cubic foot, before waste.
| Depth | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | Tons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1" | 8.3 | 0.31 | 0.56 |
| 2" | 16.7 | 0.62 | 1.12 |
| 3" | 25 | 0.93 | 1.69 |
| 4" | 33.3 | 1.23 | 2.25 |
| 6" | 50 | 1.85 | 3.38 |
| 12" | 100 | 3.7 | 6.75 |
Recommended depth by application
| Application | Depth |
|---|---|
| Paver patio / walkway | 4" compacted |
| Residential driveway | 6" compacted |
| Soft or clay subgrade | 8-10" compacted |
| Concrete slab sub-base | 4" compacted |
Frequently asked questions
+How many tons of limestone base do I need?
Multiply square feet by depth in feet to get cubic feet, then multiply by 135 and divide by 2,000. A 500 sq ft area at 4" needs about 11.25 tons before waste.
+How many tons of limestone base are in a cubic yard?
Roughly 1.82 tons at 135 lb per cubic foot. Wet material weighs 5-10% more, which matters when you are buying by the ton and measuring by the yard.
+How deep should limestone base be?
Paver patio / walkway: 4" compacted. Residential driveway: 6" compacted. Soft or clay subgrade: 8-10" compacted. Concrete slab sub-base: 4" compacted.
+What does limestone base cost?
$20 – $42 per ton delivered in most US markets, before the haul fee. Short loads carry a minimum charge, so half a load often costs nearly as much as a full one.