✓ The Decision — What to Order
- Driveway surface → ¾" minus crushed gravel. Drainage layer → clear stone. Base/bulk fill → pit run. Don't mix the roles.
- Under ~15 tonnes → one tandem trip. 15–50 t → multiple tandems or a tri-axle. 50 t+ → ask for truck-and-pup pricing; the per-tonne rate drops.
- Always order +15% for compaction (+25% on deep fills or soft ground) and round up to full loads.
- Tight access, soft lawn, or a septic field in the route → smaller truck, even at a worse rate. A stuck or sunk tandem costs more than the savings.
Ordering gravel comes down to three numbers: your volume, the material's density, and the truck size your supplier runs. Get those right and you'll order confidently instead of paying for a half-empty second truck — or running short with a project half done.
Try the Fill & Gravel Calculator
Step 1: Calculate Your Volume
Volume = length × width × depth, in consistent units. A driveway 30 m long and 4 m wide, topped with 15 cm (0.15 m) of gravel:
30 × 4 × 0.15 = 18 m³
Then add a compaction allowance. Gravel compacts when packed in place, so the loose volume you order shrinks. For a typical compacted lift, add 15%; for deep fills or soft ground, add 25%. Our 18 m³ becomes about 20.7 m³.
Step 2: Convert Volume to Tonnes
Suppliers sell by the tonne, not the cubic metre. Multiply volume by density:
| Material | Density (t/m³) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Pit run / bank run | ~1.8 | Base layers, cheap bulk fill |
| Crushed gravel (¾" minus) | ~1.65 | Driveway surface, packs hard |
| Clear stone (¾") | ~1.5 | Drainage, no fines |
| Crusher dust / screenings | ~1.8 | Levelling, paver base |
| Sand | ~1.6 | Bedding, backfill |
Our 20.7 m³ of crushed gravel: 20.7 × 1.65 ≈ 34 tonnes.
Step 3: Divide by Truck Capacity
Truck sizes vary by supplier and region, but these are the common classes in Canada:
| Truck | Capacity | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Single axle | ~6–9 t | Small jobs, tight access |
| Tandem | ~13–15 t | The standard residential delivery |
| Tri-axle | ~16–18 t | Bigger jobs, decent access |
| Truck & pup / trailer | ~25–40 t | Large fills, rural sites |
34 tonnes ÷ 14-tonne tandem = 2.4 → order 3 loads, or ask whether a truck-and-pup can deliver it in one trip for less. Always round up — and remember you pay for the trip, so two suppliers quoting the same per-tonne price can differ a lot on delivery.
Worked Examples
- Parking pad, 6×6 m, 15 cm crushed gravel: 5.4 m³ → 6.2 m³ with allowance → ~10 t → 1 tandem load.
- Driveway, 50×4 m, 15 cm: 30 m³ → 34.5 m³ → ~57 t → 4–5 tandem loads or 2 truck-and-pup trips.
- Building pad, 20×20 m, 60 cm pit run: 240 m³ → 276 m³ → ~497 t → this is truck-and-pup territory (13–20 trips); get a unit price with trucking included.
✗ Deal-Breakers — Solve Before the Truck Comes
- No firm route to the dump spot. A loaded tandem weighs ~25 t — lawns, septic fields, and light culverts can fail under it. If there's no safe route, plan a dump-and-move with a skid steer instead.
- Overhead wires or branches where the box needs to lift. Drivers will refuse — check before booking.
- Nobody on site to direct the drop. A pile in the wrong place is hours of shovel work; thirty seconds of pointing prevents it.
- Ordering exact volume with no allowance. Running 2 tonnes short means paying full delivery for a near-empty second trip.
The Safest Path Forward
- Measure the area and pick the depth for the job (15–20 cm surfaces; deeper for pads).
- Run the calculator — volume, tonnes, loads, and cost with the allowance built in.
- Walk the truck route and pick the dump spot — close to the work, clear overhead, firm ground.
- Call the supplier with the use, not just the tonnage — "driveway top-up, tandem access" gets better advice and the right material.
- Book spreading equipment for delivery day. Material moved while the machine is there is nearly free; moved later, it's misery.
Tips Before You Order
- Tell the supplier the use, not just the product. "Driveway top-up" gets you better advice than "10 tonnes of gravel."
- Check access. A loaded tandem weighs ~25 t — soft lawns, septic fields, and short culverts can fail under it. Plan where the driver dumps.
- Spread the same day if you can. A dumped pile is cheap to move while the loader's on site and miserable to move by hand later.
- Order the last load short if unsure. Many suppliers deliver partial loads for a small premium — cheaper than a surplus mountain.
Bottom Line
Volume × density ÷ truck size, plus 15% for compaction, rounded up. Or let our Fill & Gravel Calculator do it — it has the densities built in and prices the order while it's at it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tonnes are in a truckload of gravel?
A standard tandem dump truck carries about 13–15 tonnes. Single-axle trucks carry 6–9 t, tri-axles 16–18 t, and truck-and-pup combinations 25–40 t. Always ask your supplier what they run.
How much area does one tandem load cover?
At a typical 15 cm (6") compacted depth, one 14-tonne load of crushed gravel covers roughly 45–55 m² (about 500–600 sq ft) — a parking-pad's worth.
Should I order gravel by the tonne or by the cubic yard?
Most Canadian suppliers price by the tonne. If you've calculated in cubic metres or yards, convert with the material's density (about 1.5–1.8 t/m³ for common aggregates) — or use our calculator, which does both.
Why order 15% extra gravel?
Aggregates compact when packed in place, so the loose volume delivered shrinks. A 15% allowance covers typical compaction; deep fills or soft ground may need 25%.