Calculate decorative rock tonnage, cubic yards, wheelbarrow loads, retail bag counts, and bulk dump truck deliveries for garden beds and xeriscaping.
Specify coverage boundary, stone depth, and rock mineral density
Bed length along perimeter
Garden bed depth / span
2" for pea rock • 3-4" for 1-3" river rock
Quarry weight factor with inter-stone voids
2.04 Cubic Yards • 5,500 Total Pounds
55 cu ft
0.5 cu ft per bag
3 cu ft contractor cart
~22.2 sq yds
@ $65 / ton bulk delivered
Porous volcanic lava rock weighs only 0.90 tons per cubic yard, while smooth river rock weighs 1.35 tons and crushed granite weighs 1.40 tons. Using generic density causes homeowners to over-order or under-order weight by as much as 40%.
Buying 110 fifty-pound bags of river stone at retail stores costs \$500 to \$700, whereas having 2.75 tons delivered by a local aggregate quarry dump truck costs under \$200. Our calculator clearly shows both bag and bulk tonnage totals.
Heavy decorative stone compresses loose garden topsoil over the first few rainstorms. Failing to factor in a 10% compaction settling allowance leaves bare patches of dirt or landscape fabric exposed within months.
Spreading large 2-inch to 4-inch river cobbles at a shallow 1.5-inch depth creates visible black weed fabric peeking through voids. Larger stones require at least 3 to 4 inches of depth for complete, uniform coverage.
Measure length and width in feet or meters. For irregular curved garden beds, divide the shape into smaller rectangles and add them.
Use 2 inches for fine pea gravel and crushed granite, or 3 to 4 inches for 1-3 inch river cobbles and lava rock.
Select river rock (1.35 tn/yd³), lava rock (0.90 tn/yd³), pea gravel (1.40 tn/yd³), or marble chips (1.45 tn/yd³).
Examine total weight in US tons, cubic yards, 50-lb retail bag count, wheelbarrow loads, and total project budget.
Landscape rock provides permanent, fire-resistant mulch that eliminates organic decay, prevents weed germination, and reduces landscape irrigation evaporation by up to 70% in arid xeriscaping.
Always lay professional-grade 4-oz to 6-oz non-woven landscape fabric beneath decorative stone. It prevents rocks from working their way down into native clay while allowing rainwater and oxygen to penetrate tree and shrub root zones.
Install a 4-inch deep commercial steel or heavy aluminum edging strip along lawn borders. This prevents loose decorative stones from migrating into turf where lawnmower blades can turn them into dangerous projectiles.
Supports pea gravel, 1"-3" river stone, 3"-5" decorative cobbles, and heavy rock riprap with tailored coverage rates.
Automatically enforces depth equal to at least twice stone diameter to prevent visible weed barrier exposure.
Outputs total quarry short tons, cubic yards, and 0.5 cu ft bagged retail packaging for budget optimization.
Calculates required square footage of commercial woven weed barrier fabric with perimeter overlap margins.
Calculate area in square feet (Length x Width) and multiply by depth in feet (Depth in inches / 12) to get cubic feet. Divide by 27 to find cubic yards. Finally, multiply cubic yards by your rock type's bulk density (typically 1.3 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard for river rock or crushed gravel) and add 5-10% settling waste.
Layer depth depends on rock size: for fine pea gravel (1/4" to 1/2"), a 2-inch layer is ideal. For medium river rock (1" to 3"), install at a 3-inch depth. For large cobbles or river stones (3" to 5\"), spread to a 4-inch to 5-inch depth to completely cover the ground and underlayment fabric.
Weight varies by mineral type: Standard rounded river rock weighs approximately 2,700 to 2,800 lbs (1.35 to 1.40 tons) per cubic yard. Crushed granite chips weigh about 2,800 lbs (1.4 tons). Porous volcanic lava rock is much lighter, weighing only 1,600 to 1,800 lbs (0.80 to 0.90 tons) per cubic yard.
One ton (2,000 lbs) equals exactly forty (40) 50-pound bags. Because one cubic yard of river rock weighs about 2,700 lbs, you need approximately 54 bags of 50-lb rock to equal one cubic yard of coverage.
Yes, heavy-duty woven or non-woven geotextile landscape fabric is strongly recommended. It prevents heavy rocks from sinking into underlying soil over time, blocks persistent weed growth, and allows rainwater to drain freely into the soil profile.
Crushed driveway stone, pea gravel, and road base tons.
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Aggregate material weight in tons and cubic yards.
