Road base calculator for Mississippi

A lane 100-foot long and 10 feet across with 6 inches of compacted road base calls for about 31 tons. Material needs grow fast on lanes, so free delivery has added value when moving 30 tons can otherwise cost nearly as much as the stone. Road base combines crushed stone and fines in a graded mix, at about 3,000 lb per cubic yard, to form a dense layer beneath roads, driveways, and equipment yards. Use this same calculation for recycled crushed concrete base when the specification permits.

Lane calculations

1. For a lane, use its centerline length with the average width. For pads, multiply length by width.
2. Choose 4 inches compacted for light residential use, 6 for daily vehicles and delivery trucks, or 8-12 for weak subgrades and equipment.
3. Find yards by dividing cubic feet by 27. Multiply yards by 1.5 for tons, then retain +10% for compaction.

Lane coverage and tonnage

Build a lane for wet seasons

• Clear away organic material before placing base. Topsoil beneath stone will pump mud into the layer regardless of how deep it is placed.
• Lay woven geotextile over soft or wet subgrade before placing stone. It helps keep the base separate from the soil on a lane.
• Place no more than 4 inches per lift, then roll each layer before adding another.
• Slope the finished surface 2-3% outward from the centerline. Rain should run off at the sides, not work down into the base.
• For a neat, low-dust driving surface, add #57 or driveway gravel on top.
• Plan on equipment for 20-plus tons. A skid steer or tractor with a box blade can spread the material in an afternoon, while doing it by hand can take a week.

Example: a 100-foot farm lane

A farm lane that is one hundred feet long and ten feet wide, built at 6 inches, comes to 1,000 x 0.5 = 500 cubic feet = 18.5 cubic yards. That is about 28 tons, or 30-31 after the allowance. Material will arrive in two tandem loads. Use two drop points along the run so you can spread downhill instead of hauling stone uphill from a pile at the gate.

Equipment, container, and RV pads

Pads use the same calculation, but axle weight sets the depth. A 12 x 40 RV pad compacted to 6 inches needs about 12 tons. A 20 x 40 equipment yard at 8 inches takes 27. Container weight bears on four corners, so place fabric below a full 8-inch base for container pads, even on sound soil, to keep corners from settling into the surface by spring.

Recycled concrete road base

Recycled concrete base can be used much like virgin road base for compaction and load support, and it may cost less. Review county specifications first, since some call for virgin aggregate. It works for private pads and lanes. Use the same calculation: 1.5 tons per yard, with the same lifts and crown.

Road base by ton or lane

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