Construction
Road Base Calculator
Calculate Class-2 road base by area, depth, and compaction. Includes tons, truckloads, and cost.
Inputs
Live estimate
Material needed
11.87 cu yd
- Cubic yards
- 11.87 cu yd
- Tons
- 18.4 tons
- Truckloads
- 0.99
- Area
- 500 sq ft
- Cubic feet
- 250
You will likely need
- •11.87 cu yd — material needed
- •Schedule 1 truck load
- •Approximate delivered weight: 18.4 tons
Supplier tip
Most suppliers sell road base by either the cubic yard or by weight. Confirm your supplier's preferred ordering unit before purchasing.
Weight estimates are based on industry-standard average material densities. Actual delivered weights may vary by supplier and moisture content.
Diagram
Live estimate
- Mathematical quantity
- 12 cu yd
- Compaction demand (already applied)
- Informational
- Field conditions
- Not applied
- Adjusted requirement
- 12 cu yd
- Ordering rule
- Round up to whole ton
- Suggested order
- 12 cu yd
Aggregate base is specified as a compacted depth. The engine converts loose→compacted once via Advanced options.
What you actually need in the field, before rounding to a supplier-friendly ordering unit.
Estimator confidence
LowerThe primary result already includes the compaction factor from Advanced options. Loose delivered volume exceeds the compacted design depth.
Improve confidence: Verify the compaction percentage in Advanced options matches your spec (typical 15–25%).
Why this behavior applies: Aggregate base is specified as a compacted depth, so the loose delivered volume must exceed it. This calculator applies that factor once — in the primary quantity — and the intelligence layer only explains it.
- Compacted design depth — Order loose volume above the compacted spec.
- Lift thickness — Deep single lifts compact less uniformly than 4-in lifts.
- Confirm the required class (Class 2, Type A, etc.) with the geotechnical spec.
- Compact in 4–6 inch lifts.
- Test density with a nuclear gauge on structural applications.
- Substituting the wrong class of base for what the spec called for.
- Under-compacting and getting rutting under first traffic.
- Ordering the design volume without accounting for compaction.
Smart tips
- Ordering 5–10% extra is standard on irregular layouts. Running short costs more than the excess.
- Enter your dimensions to see live material estimates.
How it's calculated
Area is derived from your shape inputs and converted to sq ft.
Depth is converted to feet; cubic feet = area × depth.
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27, then × (1 + waste %) × (1 + compaction %).
Estimated tons = cubic yards (with waste) × 1.55.
Truckloads = cubic yards (with waste) ÷ truck capacity.
Total cost = cubic yards (with waste) × price per cubic yard + delivery.
Material assumptions
- Road base density: about 1.55 tons per cubic yard.
- Standard driveway depth: 6 inches compacted.
- Class-2 base compacts 20–25% from loose volume.
Frequently asked questions
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Deeper guidance from the Learn library — sizing, depth, waste, and ordering for this material.
These results are estimates only. Confirm quantities, compaction, waste, and delivery requirements with your supplier or project professional before ordering materials.