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Concrete, Masonry & Stone

Limestone Calculator

Crushed limestone by area and depth, in the cubic yards and tons a quarry sells by.

Your measurements

Area to cover
3 in for a base layer under paving, 4 to 6 in for a drive surface.
Grade
Crusher run has fines in it and locks up under a plate. Clean grades stay loose and drain.

Your result

Sample values

6.11

Cubic yards

165

Cubic feet

8.25

Tons

16,500

Pounds

Includes a 10% allowance for compaction and spillage.

What to order

Sold as Quantity
Bulk, by the ton 8.25 tons
Bulk, by the yard 6.11 yd³
Tri-axle load (about 15 tons) 1 load
1 ton bulk bags 9 bags

How to use this calculator

Measure the area and the compacted depth you want to finish at. Limestone settles noticeably under a plate compactor, so enter the finished depth and let the waste allowance cover the loss.

Pick the grade for the job rather than the price. Crusher run contains fines that lock the stone together under compaction, which is what you want in a base. Clean graded stone has the fines screened out, stays loose and drains, which is what you want in a trench or behind a retaining wall.

Formula

Volume = Length × Width × Depth

Tons = Volume × Density ÷ 2,000

Density
about 100 lb/ft³ for crushed limestone
Depth
converted to feet first

Crusher run compacts by roughly 20%, so the delivered volume exceeds the finished volume.

Worked example

A 30 ft by 20 ft base pad, 3 in compacted, #411 crusher run, 10% waste.

  1. 30 ft × 20 ft = 600 ft²
  2. 3 in ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft
  3. 600 × 0.25 = 150 ft³
  4. 150 × 1.10 = 165 ft³
  5. 165 ÷ 27 = 6.11 yd³
  6. 165 × 100 lb = 16,500 lb, or 8.25 tons

6.11 cubic yards, about 8.25 tons

Understanding your results

Quarries price by the ton and landscape yards often by the yard, so both figures are given. Where the two disagree it is because the density assumption differs — ask what tonnage the yard uses per cubic yard and enter that figure directly.

Order in full loads where you can. A tri-axle carries around fifteen tons and delivery is charged per trip, so two half loads cost considerably more than one full one for the same stone.

Questions

About this calculator

Ask something else

Number 57 is washed, roughly three-quarter inch stone with the fines removed, so it drains freely but never locks up. Crusher run keeps the fines and compacts to a hard, near-solid surface. Use crusher run for a base you will build on and #57 where water has to move through.

Crusher run loses roughly a fifth of its loose volume under proper compaction. That is why the calculator adds an allowance on top of the finished depth. Clean graded stone barely compacts at all, so it needs less.

Yes, and crusher run is a common choice. It packs into a firm surface and sheds water if you build a crown into it. It does produce dust in dry weather and will need topping up every few years where vehicles turn.

Because density varies with grade, moisture and how recently it was crushed. A wet load weighs more for the same volume. If you are buying by weight and the figure matters, ask for the supplier\u2019s own conversion rather than relying on a generic one.

Keep going

All Concrete, Masonry & Stone tools
Estimates, not specifications. Results are based on the values you enter and on typical material properties. Densities, coverage rates and product sizes vary between suppliers, so confirm quantities against your supplier's data before ordering. Structural work must be signed off by a qualified professional and meet your local building code.