Multiply length × width × depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by 1.55 to get tons of crusher run. Because it compacts by 10–15%, order the compacted depth you want plus a 15% allowance — the calculator’s waste field handles this.
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Order – tons (includes your waste allowance) so compaction and spillage don’t leave you short.
Crusher Run Calculator Guide
Crusher run is what professionals reach for when the job is “make this ground carry weight forever.” Graded continuously from 3/4-inch stone down to dust, it compacts into a dense, interlocked layer that behaves almost like weak concrete — the standard base for driveways, parking pads, sheds, retaining walls, and paver fields. This calculator uses 1.55 tons per cubic yard, the heavier density that dense-graded material demands.
Depending on your region you’ll hear it called crush and run, crusher run, dense-graded aggregate (DGA), quarry process (QP), #411, or PennDOT 2A. The names differ; the estimating math doesn’t.
Accounting for Compaction — the 15% That Saves Your Project
Crusher run loses 10–15% of its loose depth under a plate compactor as the fines migrate into the voids. Order for the loose volume and you’ll finish 15% low. Two ways to handle it: set the waste allowance in this calculator to 15%, or spread loose lifts about one-sixth deeper than your target compacted depth. Either way, compact in 2-inch lifts — a compactor only reaches so deep, and one thick lift left soft in the middle is the classic cause of ruts that appear a year later.
How Much Crusher Run for Common Builds?
| Project | Compacted depth | Per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Paver patio base | 4 in | ≈ 2.1 tons |
| Car driveway base | 4 in | ≈ 2.1 tons |
| Truck / RV driveway | 6–8 in | ≈ 3.2–4.3 tons |
| Shed pad | 4–6 in | ≈ 2.1–3.2 tons |
| Retaining wall footing | 6 in | ≈ 3.2 tons |
Tonnages include the 15% compaction allowance. On soft or clay-heavy subgrades, lay woven geotextile fabric first — it stops the base slowly disappearing into the mud and can halve the stone a bad site swallows.
Crusher Run vs #57 Stone
These two are teammates, not rivals. Crusher run’s fines make it compact solid — and make it nearly waterproof. #57’s washed voids make it drain freely — and keep it from ever compacting dense. So: crusher run where you need bearing strength, #57 where you need water movement, and on a well-built driveway, both — 4 inches of compacted crusher run under 2 inches of clean #57 surface stone. Plan the full build with the gravel driveway calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is crusher run?
Crusher run (also called crush and run, DGA, or #411 depending on region) is crushed stone graded continuously from 3/4-inch rock down to dust. Under a compactor the fines fill every void and the layer locks into a dense, load-bearing base.
How much does crusher run compact?
Expect a loose lift of crusher run to lose 10–15% of its depth under a plate compactor. To end up with 4 compacted inches, spread about 4.5–4.6 loose inches, or simply set the waste allowance to 15% when you calculate.
How thick should crusher run be for a driveway?
Use at least 4 inches of compacted crusher run for a car driveway on firm ground, and 6–8 inches (compacted in two lifts) on soft soil or where trucks will park. Top it with 2 inches of #57 stone for a clean finish.
Is crusher run good for drainage?
No — that is precisely its strength and its limitation. The fines that let crusher run compact solid also block water flow. Where you need drainage, switch to clean washed stone like #57; where you need bearing strength, crusher run wins.