How much gravel do I need for a shed pad?
The short answer
Plan on a compacted 4 to 6 inch base of 3/4 inch road base, extending about a foot past the building on all sides. A 10x12 pad needs roughly 2 to 3 tons; a 12x24 needs about 5 to 7 tons depending on depth. Our Colorado shed foundation guide includes a gravel chart by shed size.
Use 3/4 inch crushed road base, not pea gravel or river rock — angular stone locks together and stays level under a building. Compact it in lifts and check it with a level in both directions before delivery.
- Depth: 4 inches on firm ground, 6 inches on soft or clay soils.
- Footprint: extend the pad 12 inches beyond the building on every side.
- Drainage: crown the pad slightly so water runs away, never toward it.
- Edging: timber or steel edging keeps the base from spreading over the years.
For tonnage by shed size, a step-by-step pad build, and how Colorado freeze-thaw and expansive clay change the plan, read our shed foundation guide for Colorado.