If you have ever stared at an order form wondering whether to buy by the cubic yard or by the ton, here is the short version. A cubic yard is a measure of volume, the space the material fills. A ton is a measure of weight, how heavy it is. They are not interchangeable, but for most landscape rock and decomposed granite, one cubic yard weighs roughly 1.3 to 1.5 tons. Knowing which unit applies, and how they convert, keeps you from over or under ordering.
Volume versus weight
A cubic yard is a cube three feet on each side, which works out to 27 cubic feet of space. It tells you how much area a material will cover at a given depth, no matter how heavy it is.
A ton is 2,000 pounds. It tells you nothing about how much space the material takes up, only how much it weighs. A ton of feathers and a ton of rock weigh the same but fill wildly different volumes. That is why you cannot simply swap the two units without a conversion.
Why rock sells by the ton and mulch by the yard
Heavy materials like landscape rock, gravel, river rock, and decomposed granite are usually sold by the ton because weight is the honest way to price and haul dense material. Trucks are limited by weight, and stone is heavy, so the ton is the natural unit. It also keeps pricing consistent, since a yard of rock can weigh more or less depending on stone size and moisture.
Light, fluffy materials like bark mulch and topsoil are usually sold by the cubic yard because they are bulky but not heavy. A cubic yard of mulch might weigh only a few hundred pounds, so charging by weight would be confusing and pricing by volume makes more sense.
The rough conversion
For most landscape rock and DG, plan on about 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard. The exact figure shifts with stone type, size, and how wet it is, so treat it as a planning range, not a precise constant. Mulch is far lighter, often well under half a ton per cubic yard, which is exactly why it is sold by volume instead.
When in doubt, do not convert by hand. The coverage calculator takes your area and depth and works out the quantity in the right unit for the material, so you never have to juggle tons and yards yourself.
How far a cubic yard goes
Coverage comes down to depth. The deeper you spread, the less area one cubic yard covers. Here is the rough math for a single cubic yard, since a yard is 27 cubic feet.
| Depth | Approximate coverage per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | about 300 square feet |
| 2 inches | about 150 square feet |
| 3 inches | about 100 square feet |
| 4 inches | about 80 square feet |
These are approximate. Real coverage varies with how the material settles and compacts, so use them to plan and confirm with the calculator before you order. For decomposed granite specifically, our guide on how much decomposed granite do I need walks through a full example.
Ordering and delivery
Once you know your quantity, the next question is getting it to you. Bulk rock and DG arrive by truck, and how much you can take depends on access and weight limits. Our guide on how landscape rock is delivered covers what to expect. For large or long-distance loads, rates vary by distance and weight, so request a quote and we will work out freight for your address.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cubic yard and a ton?
A cubic yard measures volume, the amount of space material fills. A ton measures weight, 2,000 pounds. They describe different things, so converting between them depends on how heavy the material is.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of rock?
For most landscape rock and decomposed granite, figure roughly 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard. The exact number depends on stone type, size, and moisture, so treat it as a planning range.
Why is mulch sold by the yard but rock sold by the ton?
Mulch is bulky but light, so pricing by volume (the cubic yard) makes sense. Rock is dense and heavy, and trucks are limited by weight, so pricing by weight (the ton) is the natural unit.
How much area does a cubic yard cover?
A cubic yard covers roughly 100 square feet at 3 inches deep, about 150 at 2 inches, and about 300 at 1 inch. These are approximate; the coverage calculator gives an exact figure for your job.
Do I have to convert tons to yards myself?
No. Enter your area and depth into the coverage calculator and it returns the quantity in the correct unit for the material you chose, so you never have to do the conversion by hand.
Get the materials
Start with the coverage calculator to turn your dimensions into a real quantity in the right unit, then request a quote for bulk loads or long-distance delivery. We deliver nationwide from our California yards.