Landscape Rock & Gravel Calculator
Use this rock and gravel calculator to find out how much material your project needs. Enter your area and depth, and we will show you the cubic yards, the tons, and exactly what to order. Works for decomposed granite, gravel, river rock, sand, soil, and mulch.
Building a bocce court? Jump to the bocce court calculator ↓ Add this calculator to your siteDedicated calculators: gravel calculator · river rock calculator
Best depth: 2 to 3 in for paths and patios See the guide
Buying boulders, flagstone, pavers, or fire glass? Those are sold by the piece or by weight. Shop boulders, flagstone, pavers, or glass.
The size that best fits the amount above. Round up if you want a little extra on hand.
For an order this size, bulk or a truckload is usually the best price. Ask us for a delivered quote.
Bocce court calculator: all three layers from the court size
Enter the court length and width and get the compacted base, the playing surface and the oyster flour top dressing figured separately at the recommended depth for each. Pick your surface: plain 1/4 inch minus decomposed granite, a DG and crushed oyster shell blend, or pure oyster shell; courts are built all three ways. Oyster flour is optional and mostly used on shell courts. No sign-up, nothing to install.
| Layer | Depth | Amount to order |
|---|---|---|
| Compacted baseClass II road base, compacted in two lifts | 4 in | — |
| Playing surface | 1.5 in | — |
| Oyster flour top dressingoptional, 3/8 lb per sq ft, broomed in after the surface | — | — |
| Total | 5.5 in | — |
Figures include 10% for compaction and grooming. If you use oyster flour, it goes on after the surface at about 3/8 lb per square foot and is reapplied each year; many DG courts skip it. Below the base most courts also lay fabric and 3 in of drain rock; figure those, the border lumber and every tool, and watch the court build in section, in the layer-by-layer court builder. A pure shell court is a 3 inch playing surface over the base, about one ton per 100 to 150 square feet (one ton covers 300 square feet at 1 inch); to refresh a court you already have, switch to Refresh above: about 1 lb of shell and a quarter pound of flour per square foot, or a half inch of blend on a DG court.
Gravel calculator
Pick Gravel & Crushed Rock above and the tool works as a gravel calculator at 1.35 tons per cubic yard. For worked driveway and path examples, open the dedicated gravel calculator.
Decomposed granite calculator
Decomposed Granite is the material this page opens on, so the depths and the 1.4 tons per cubic yard density are already set for a D.G. path or patio. Browse the decomposed granite collection.
River rock calculator
How much rock do I need? Multiply your length by your width for square feet, choose a depth, and the calculator above converts it to cubic yards and tons: one ton of river rock covers about 112 square feet at 2 inches, and one ton of gravel or decomposed granite covers about 115 square feet at the same depth. For a river rock only version with worked bed, border and dry creek examples, open the dedicated river rock calculator.
How much does one ton cover?
For decomposed granite, gravel, and rock (density about 1.4 tons per cubic yard). Sand stretches a little further, base is a little less.
| Depth | Coverage per ton |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | ~115 sq ft |
| 3 inches | ~75 sq ft |
| 4 inches | ~58 sq ft |
How deep should it go?
| Use | Depth |
|---|---|
| Beds & decorative cover | 1 to 2 in |
| Walkways & paths | 2 to 3 in |
| Patios & seating | 3 in |
| Driveways | 3 to 4 in |
Going over a compacted base or on a slope? Add a stabilizer to keep the surface firm.
Coverage questions
How much rock do I need?
Multiply your length by your width to get square feet, then choose a depth. As a rule of thumb, one ton of rock or gravel covers about 115 square feet at 2 inches, 75 square feet at 3 inches, and 58 square feet at 4 inches. Enter your numbers above and the calculator converts it to cubic yards and tons for you.
Does this work as a gravel, river rock, or decomposed granite calculator?
Yes. Choose your material and the calculator applies the correct density for it, so the tonnage is right for decomposed granite, gravel, river rock, sand, soil, or mulch instead of one generic number. That is why a landscape rock calculator and a mulch calculator give different answers for the same area.
How do I measure my area?
Measure the length and width in feet and multiply them for square feet. For an odd shape, break it into rectangles, calculate each, and add them up. For a round area like a fire pit or tree ring, switch the calculator to Circle and enter the diameter.
How much bocce court surface do I need?
One ton of the decomposed granite and oyster shell blend covers about 145 square feet at 1.5 inches deep. A 10 by 60 foot court takes about 4 tons of surface and 225 pounds of oyster flour; a regulation 13 by 91 foot court about 8 tons and 450 pounds. Use the bocce court calculator above for your exact size.
How much extra should I order?
Add about 10 percent to your calculated amount to cover compaction, uneven ground, and waste. The calculator does this for you with the "Add 10%" box checked.
What is the difference between cubic yards and tons?
Cubic yards measure volume, tons measure weight. Bulk landscape rock is usually sold by the ton, so we convert volume to weight using the material’s density (about 1.4 tons per cubic yard for most rock). Mulch is sold by the cubic yard.
What size should I order?
Small jobs and touch-ups work as bags. Patios and paths usually land on 1,000 lb or 2,000 lb (1 ton) sacks. Driveways and large yards are cheapest by bulk or truckload. The calculator suggests the options for your amount.
Do you deliver?
Yes. We ship nationwide from our two California yards in Visalia and Rosamond, by the bag or by the truckload. Order a sample first if you want to see the color in your own light.