Aggregate and sub-base calculator.
Calculate aggregate and sub-base tonnage from area and compacted depth. Enter the area and finished (compacted) depth for each zone, pick the material — Type 1 MOT, Type 3 MOT, crusher run, crushed concrete or gravel — and this calculator finds the volume and tonnage using a typical compacted density for that material. No separate compaction factor is needed, since the depth and density you enter are both already the compacted, finished values a supplier would order tonnage against, whether you're pricing a driveway, a car park or an access road. Use our Basic Cut & Fill Calculator first if you need the compacted volume before pricing sub-base on top of it.
Drop an Excel or CSV file or to replace the table below.
Column A: zone name. Column B: area. Column C: compacted depth. Column D (optional): material — rows without a recognised material default to Type 1 MOT.
Parsed entirely in your browser — your file is never uploaded to our servers.
| Zone | Area (m²) | Compacted depth (mm) | Material | Volume (m³) | Tonnage (t) | Row actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | |||||
| — | — | |||||
| — | — |
How we calculate this.
Calculate aggregate and sub-base tonnage from area and compacted depth. Enter the area and finished (compacted) depth for each zone, pick the material — Type 1 MOT, Type 3 MOT, crusher run, crushed concrete or gravel — and this calculator finds the volume and tonnage using a typical compacted density for that material. No separate compaction factor is needed, since the depth and density you enter are both already the compacted, finished values a supplier would order tonnage against, whether you're pricing a driveway, a car park or an access road. Use our Basic Cut & Fill Calculator first if you need the compacted volume before pricing sub-base on top of it.
For each zone (row): volume = area × compacted depth, then tonnage = volume × compacted density for the selected material. Volumes and tonnages are summed across every zone for the totals.
| Assumption | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1 MOT density (compacted) | 2,150 kg/m³ | Typical compacted density for Type 1 MOT granular sub-base — a widely cited aggregate-supplier reference figure. |
| Type 3 MOT density (compacted) | 1,950 kg/m³ | Typical compacted density for open-graded Type 3 MOT — lower than Type 1 due to coarser, more open grading. |
| Crusher run density (compacted) | 2,100 kg/m³ | Typical compacted density for crusher-run aggregate — widely cited aggregate-supplier reference figure. |
| Crushed concrete density (compacted) | 2,000 kg/m³ | Typical compacted density for recycled crushed-concrete sub-base — widely cited reference figure. |
| Gravel density (compacted) | 1,900 kg/m³ | Typical compacted density for gravel sub-base — widely cited reference figure. |
This is an early-appraisal planning estimate, not a quotation or a substitute for a surveyed takeoff. Last reviewed 31 Aug 2026.
A domestic driveway is commonly 100–150 mm of compacted Type 1; a lightly trafficked access road is often 150–225 mm; a road expected to carry heavy vehicles needs a pavement-design calculation, not a rule of thumb — check your project specification.
No separate factor is needed — the depth you enter is the finished, compacted depth, and the density used is already a compacted density, so tonnage is worked out directly against what a supplier would order.
Volume = area × compacted depth. Tonnage = volume × the selected material's typical compacted density (e.g. 2,150 kg/m³ for Type 1 MOT).
Yes — click or drop an Excel (.xlsx/.xls) or CSV file onto the upload area. The first column should be an item name and the second the measurement for that row; extra columns this calculator uses are read too if present. The file is parsed entirely in your browser — it's never uploaded to our servers. Download the blank template first if you're not sure of the layout.
Yes — use the metric/imperial switch above the calculator. Values you've already entered convert automatically; nothing is lost switching back and forth.
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