RV Pad Calculator
— How Much Do You Need?

An RV pad is a prepared surface area at your home where you park and store your RV, camper, or travel trailer. Without a proper pad, most RVs end up on grass or bare dirt, which can get soft, rutty, and poorly drained. A gravel RV pad gives you a stable, level, and well‑drained surface that helps protect your RV and keeps your yard looking tidy. Gravel is also affordable and relatively quick to install, and it can be expanded or adjusted later as needed.

Crusher run, also called road base, is the top choice for most RV pads. It is a mix of crushed stone and fine stone dust that tightens up when compacted, locking pieces together to form a strong surface. Crushed concrete is another excellent option that uses recycled material and still compacts well. For a cleaner finish, some homeowners put a four inch base of crusher run and top it with two inches of cleaner crushed stone. Avoid smooth rounds like pea gravel, which do not compact well.

Plan for at least four inches of compacted gravel for a standard RV pad. For heavier RVs such as Class A motorhomes or large fifth wheels, aim for six inches. If your soil is soft or heavy clay, you may want six to eight inches of compacted material. Excavating and removing the top few inches of native soil before adding gravel can also improve drainage and keep the pad level.

Make your pad larger than your RV footprint to allow for safe movement and slide-outs. Add two to three feet of clearance on each side and four to five feet at the ends. Typical sizes range from about 12 by 40 to 14 by 50 feet, depending on your RV. If you have multiple slide-outs or a larger rig, 14 feet wide or more is a good choice. Use the Hello Gravel calculator to dial in exact dimensions for your setup.

Material needs depend on length, width, and depth. For a 12 by 40 foot pad at four inches, plan on roughly 9–10 tons. If you go to six inches, expect about 14–15 tons. A 14 by 50 foot pad at six inches requires about 19–21 tons. Remember that loose gravel can compact by about 20–25 percent after tamping, so your delivered tonnage may look larger than the finished pad. For accuracy, use the Hello Gravel calculator with your exact dimensions.