How Much Does a Gravel Driveway Cost? [2024 Data] | Angi (2024)

Factors That Impact the Cost of a Gravel Driveway

The cost of a gravel driveway depends on several key factors, including the gravel itself, square footage, depth, land clearing, and permits.

The cost of a gravel driveway is pretty simple: you’ve got your rock base, the gravel itself, and labor prices to consider. If you’re forgoing the labor, see the section above for additional supply and equipment costs.

Driveway Rock

Driveway rock prices are typically between $0.40 and $2 per square foot for materials alone. Because of supply and demand in the mineral market, prices can fluctuate. You’ll spend about $0.65 per square foot for the rock base, which is the first layer that gets laid before the actual gravel. This is usually around $38 for a cubic yard or about $46 for a ton.

Driveway Square Footage

Driveway gravel prices generally go for around $1.25 to $1.80 per square foot, including the cost of equipment and professional installation. Compared to the cost of concrete driveways, which cost about $4 to $15 per square foot, or asphalt driveways, which cost between $7 and $15 per square foot, it’s no wonder some homeowners prefer this budget-friendly option.

Driveway Depth

Your driveway’s depth plays a role in determining how much gravel it takes to lay a gravel driveway. The deeper the gravel, the more gravel you’ll need to complete the project.

The ideal gravel driveway depth is between 12 and 18 inches, and a standard driveway is 16-feet by 38-feet. To calculate the cost of the gravel at a depth of 12 inches, convert the 12 inches to feet (1 foot), and then multiply 16 by 38 and 1 to get the total cubic feet. Your average driveway needs between 608 and 912 cubic feet of gravel. Since gravel costs around $38 per cubic yard, expect to pay between $850 and $1,300.

Land Clearing

The cost to clear land ranges from $1,400 to $5,800, on average. This separate cost from your typical gravel driveway project may be necessary if you have trees, boulders, or other obstacles in the way of your anticipated driveway or have unlevel ground that needs leveling. Grading and leveling will cost between $1 and $2 per square foot.

Permits

Your municipality may also require you to apply for a permit and pay taxes for building your driveway. These costs can range anywhere from $500 to $2,000.

How Much Does a Gravel Driveway Cost by Gravel Type?

Driveway gravel prices vary by type, and each has its own unique look and texture. Below are the average prices for some of the most popular kinds.

Steel Slag

Steel slag costs about $17 per cubic yard or $24 per ton. This steel byproduct tends to expand in humidity, so it’s best suited for drier climates.

Crusher Run

A crush-and-run driveway, also called a crusher run, is one of the most affordable options at about $0.40 per square foot. You might also pay $20 per cubic yard or around $28 per ton.

Crushed Limestone

The most expensive option, crushed limestone or crushed stone might be as much as $55 per cubic yard or $75 per ton. These come in a variety of colors and styles all at varying price tags, so your cost depends on your pick.

Pea Gravel

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See Also

Fixr.com | Gravel Driveway Cost | Cost to Build Gravel Driveway

Pea gravel costs between $15 and $75 per cubic yard or an average of $45. You’ll pay around $65 per ton for pea gravel. These little pea-shaped stones are most popular in landscaping, but they are an option for gravel driveways as well.

River Rock

Rock pebbles, also known as river rocks, cost anywhere from $25 to $575 per cubic yard or $35 to $800 per ton, but most river rock costs around $40 per cubic yard or $55 per ton. These are another pricier option, but they often have beautiful color variations. As a bonus, rock pebbles have a smooth surface, making them much more foot-friendly than other contenders.

Caliche

Caliche costs about $0.45 per square foot or $25 per cubic yard. A ton goes for around $32. This sedimentary rock is mostly found in the southwest and other arid climates, where it’s best suited.

Crushed Shell

Crushed shells typically run for about $0.60 per square foot or $40 per cubic yard. You might also pay around $50 per ton. They’re a great way to bring the beach to your home if you’re missing your last vacation.

Crushed Granite

Crushed or decomposed granite costs around $45 per cubic yard or $60 per ton, on average. The finer the crushed gravel, the lower the cost, but you’ll need more to fill in the driveway if you choose finer particles.

Crushed Marble

Crushed marble costs around $60 per cubic yard or $85 per ton. Marble is one of the most expensive materials you can choose for a gravel driveway, but its timeless beauty makes it a popular rock for those looking for a bright driveway material.

Bluestone

Crushed bluestone costs anywhere between $40 and $80 per ton or $60 per ton, on average. You’ll pay around $45 per cubic yard to have this natural, blue-gray stone serve as your gravel driveway material.

Cost of a Gravel Driveway by Size

The size of your driveway can make all of the difference in how much you spend to lay a gravel driveway. On average, driveways can be anywhere between 10- and 48-feet wide by 18- to 48-feet long. Remember, gravel costs between $1.25 and $1.80 per square foot.

To help you break down how much you might spend, here are some cost estimates for a 20-foot long driveway, assuming a width of 12 feet per vehicle:

Every driveway is different, so it’s important to consider how long yours needs to be when determining how much gravel you’ll need. The average car is just under 15-feet long and around 6-feet wide. Give at least 5 feet of extra space to the length and the width to account for opening doors and walking around vehicles.

Here are gravel driveway costs for a 35-foot-long driveway with a 12-foot width per vehicle:

Cost to Install a Gravel Driveway Yourself vs. Hiring a Pro

Installing a gravel driveway entails more than just pouring the rocks into place, but it’s still a doable DIY for those willing to take it on. For a standard 480-square-foot driveway, anticipate spending $700 to $1,000 on materials like gravel and landscape fabric costs, and an additional $150 on tools if you don’t already have them on hand, including a wheelbarrow, shovel, hoe, steel rake, twine, gloves, and landscaping stakes

You can speed up the installation process by renting a backhoe or excavator for about $350 per day. You’ll also want to rent a mechanical compactor for about $100 per day to settle the stones into place. If you’ve got a heavy truck to repeatedly drive over the stones, you might get away with that, but the compactor will give you the best results.

Labor Costs

Though you can install a gravel driveway yourself, many things can stop you in your tracks or catch you off guard, including improper drainage, which can send water rolling toward your house after a rainstorm, and miscalculations in material costs.

Hiring a professional can save you time and energy, and prevent water damage restoration costs. Labor costs around $30 per hour per professional and typically takes around two hours to complete, so you’ll spend an extra $120 if you hire a local gravel driveway company.