Stone calculator
Stone Dust Calculator
Stone dust is screenings left over from crushing. Enter your area and screed depth to get tons, cubic yards and a delivered cost range.
Your project
Screed bedding is 1". Setting flagstone by hand usually takes 1.5-2".
Crews typically order 5-10% extra to cover compaction, spillage and uneven subgrade.
Delivered stone dust typically runs $18-$40 per ton.
Stone dust needed
2.1
US tons · includes 5% waste
- Area
- 480 sq ft
- Volume
- 1.56 cubic yards
- Volume (cubic feet)
- 42 cu ft
- Total weight
- 4,200 lb
- 50 lb bags
- 84 bags
- Density used
- 100 lb per cu ft (1.35 tons/yd³)
- Truckloads (15-ton)
- 1
- Estimated delivered cost
- $61
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 stone dust is
Stone dust — also sold as screenings, crusher dust, quarry dust or stone sand — is the fine material left after rock is crushed and screened. Particles run from about 1/4 inch down to powder, which is exactly why it compacts into a dense, near-solid layer.
At 100 lb per cubic foot, one cubic yard weighs about 1.35 US tons, and one ton spread 2" deep covers roughly 120 square feet.
How to install it
Spread it in a uniform 1 inch screed layer over a compacted 3/4" minus base, then set the stone into it. For flagstone with irregular thickness, 1.5-2 inches lets you rock each piece into place.
The mistake that costs the most
Using stone dust where drainage matters. It is fine-graded and holds water, so under pavers in a freeze-thaw climate it can pump and heave. Coarse concrete sand is the correct bedding material there; stone dust belongs under flagstone, stepping stones and dry-laid patios that drain at the surface.
The math behind the calculator
Square feet × (depth in inches ÷ 12) = cubic feet. Cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Cubic feet × 100 ÷ 2,000 = US tons. The waste allowance is applied to the volume before the weight conversion, which is how suppliers quote it.
Stone dust needed per 100 square feet
At 100 lb per cubic foot, before waste.
| Depth | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | Tons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1" | 8.3 | 0.31 | 0.42 |
| 2" | 16.7 | 0.62 | 0.83 |
| 3" | 25 | 0.93 | 1.25 |
| 4" | 33.3 | 1.23 | 1.67 |
| 6" | 50 | 1.85 | 2.5 |
| 12" | 100 | 3.7 | 5 |
Recommended depth by application
| Application | Depth |
|---|---|
| Paver / flagstone screed bed | 1" |
| Stepping stone setting bed | 2" |
| Shed or post base leveling | 3-4" |
| Walkway surfacing (compacted) | 2-3" |
Frequently asked questions
+How many tons of stone dust do I need?
Multiply square feet by depth in feet to get cubic feet, then multiply by 100 and divide by 2,000. A 500 sq ft area at 1" needs about 2.08 tons before waste.
+How many tons of stone dust are in a cubic yard?
Roughly 1.35 tons at 100 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 stone dust be?
Paver / flagstone screed bed: 1". Stepping stone setting bed: 2". Shed or post base leveling: 3-4". Walkway surfacing (compacted): 2-3".
+What does stone dust cost?
$18 – $40 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.
+Is stone dust the same as sand?
No. Sand is rounded and washed with the fines removed, so it drains. Stone dust is angular with all its fines still in it, so it locks up hard and sheds water rather than passing it. That difference is why they are not interchangeable under pavers.