Road base calculator for Kansas

For a 100-foot lane that is 10 feet across with a 6 inches compacted base, plan on about 31 tons of road base. Lane totals add up fast, and free delivery is especially useful when hauling 30 tons can normally rival the stone cost. Road base uses crushed stone and fines in a graded mix, weighing about 3,000 lb per cubic yard, and compacts into a firm layer below roads, driveways, and equipment yards. Use the same calculation for recycled crushed concrete base when the specification permits it.

Calculate a lane

1. On a lane, measure its centerline length and work from the average width. For pads, multiply length and width.
2. For light residential ground, use 4 inches when compacted. Allow 6 for daily traffic and delivery trucks, or 8-12 on soft subgrades and beneath equipment.
3. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get yards, multiply by 1.5 for tons, then leave 10% on for compaction.

Tonnage and coverage

Build a lane for the next winter

• Remove organic material before placing base. If stone is laid over topsoil, mud can work upward through it regardless of the depth.
• Put woven geotextile down first on soft or wet subgrade, before placing stone. For a lane, it is an economical way to add strength.
• Keep each lift at 4 inches or less, and roll it before placing another.
• Build a 2-3% crown from the centerline toward both edges, directing rain away instead of letting it enter the base.
• For a neat, low-dust driving layer, cover it with #57 or driveway gravel.
• By hand, spreading 20-plus tons can take a week of your life. With a tractor box blade or skid steer, it can take an afternoon, so include the machine in the budget.

Example: a 100-foot farm lane

At one hundred by ten feet and 6 inches deep: 1,000 x 0.5 = 500 cubic feet = 18.5 cubic yards, or about 28 tons, with 30-31 after the allowance. Plan for two tandem loads and use two drop points along the run, not one pile at the gate. On a farm lane, separate drop points save you from moving material uphill while spreading it.

Bases for RVs, containers, and equipment

Use the lane calculation for pads, but set the depth by axle load rather than the calendar. A 12 x 40 RV pad compacted at 6 inches takes about 12 tons, while a 20 x 40 equipment yard at 8 inches takes 27. Because shipping containers focus their load on four corners, use a full 8 inches plus fabric for container pads even on decent ground. Otherwise, those corners can leave their mark in the pad by spring.

Using crushed concrete for base

Recycled concrete base can be used in place of virgin road base where allowed. Some county specifications call for virgin aggregate, so verify requirements before choosing it. For private lanes and pads, calculate it the same way: 1.5 tons per yard, with the same lift depth and crown.

Road base quantities by ton or lane

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