Gravel in St. Louis, MO

Prices fluctuate with material type and season, but a typical delivered price in the St. Louis area is roughly $25 to $45 per ton for common crushed gravel or limestone. Hello Gravel requires a 3-ton minimum order and may offer free delivery in many zip codes; check our checkout for exact pricing for your address and material choice.

On average 1 ton of gravel is about 0.74 cubic yards and will cover roughly 240 sq ft at 1 inch depth, 120 sq ft at 2 inches, or about 80 sq ft at 3 inches. Local stone density and settling vary, so plan on ordering 5-10% extra for compaction and local variation.

Bulk delivery is almost always cheaper per ton once you need more than a few bags; there are 54 50-lb bags in a cubic yard, and buying the equivalent volume in bags adds handling and retail markup. For any project larger than a small planter or patch, bulk delivery through Hello Gravel (minimum 3 tons) will usually save money and time.

A 50 lb bag is about 0.018 cubic yards and will cover roughly 6 sq ft at 1 inch depth, 3 sq ft at 2 inches, or 2 sq ft at 3 inches. Bags are convenient for small jobs but become costly for larger areas.

A typical tri-axle dump truck carries about 10-12 cubic yards (roughly 12-15 tons) of gravel. That equals about 3,240-3,888 sq ft at 1 inch depth, 1,620-1,944 sq ft at 2 inches, or 1,080-1,296 sq ft at 3 inches — enough for most residential driveways in one load depending on thickness required.

Generally no. In St. Louis with seasonal freeze-thaw, rain, and vehicle loads, aim for a compacted base of 4-6 inches (crusher-run or compacted subbase) plus a 2-3 inch wearing course of smaller stone. A total of only 2 inches will tend to shift, rut, and wash out quickly under regular use.

Costs depend on driveway width, depth, and site prep. As an example, a 20 ft long by 10 ft wide driveway at 4 inches depth needs about 2.5 cubic yards (roughly 3.3 tons) of material; at $25-$45 per ton material cost is about $85-$150, while professional installation (grading, compaction, edging) typically brings total installed cost to roughly $300-$800. Get a local quote for exact pricing and any prep work required for good drainage.

A 7x14 dump trailer typically holds about 4 to 7 cubic yards depending on side height (roughly 3.5 to 9 tons for gravel), but capacity is limited by trailer GVWR and legal road weight limits. For most St. Louis residential projects, a tri-axle dump truck delivery (10-12 cu yd) is more practical and efficient than multiple trailer loads.

With proper base and drainage, a well-built gravel driveway or area can last several years before needing topping — commonly 3-10 years for surface refresh depending on traffic. Routine maintenance includes periodic grading, adding fresh stone where it washes or thins, compacting after regrading, and keeping drainage clear to prevent washouts from heavy Missouri rains.

Common, cost-effective choices in the St. Louis area are crushed limestone or crusher-run (a mix of fines and stone) as a base, with 3/4u0022 crushed stone or #57 stone as a wearing surface. Availability drives price, so locally sourced crushed limestone is often the most economical and performs well when compacted and edged properly.

A 10x10 area is 100 sq ft. For 1 inch depth you need about 0.31 cubic yards (roughly 0.42 tons), for 2 inches about 0.62 cubic yards (0.84 tons), and for 3 inches about 0.93 cubic yards (1.25 tons). In 50 lb bags that is roughly 17 bags for 1 inch, 34 bags for 2 inches, and 50 bags for 3 inches; bulk delivery is usually more economical for these volumes.

There are about 54 50-lb bags in a cubic yard of gravel. For any project needing more than a few cubic feet, bulk delivery is typically cheaper per cubic yard and easier to install than buying dozens of bags; Hello Gravel's minimum order is 3 tons, which is usually well below the cost of the equivalent bagged volume.