River Rock Calculator
Use this river rock calculator to work out how much river rock you need for a bed, a border, a dry creek or a side yard. Enter your area and depth and it converts to cubic yards and tons of river rock, then shows what to order. It covers 1 to 2 inch, 2 to 4 inch and 4 to 8 inch river rock and estimates the cost from our real per-ton prices.
Need decomposed granite, sand, rip rap or mulch too? Open the full landscape rock and gravel 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.
How much river rock do I need?
Measure the length and width of the bed in feet, multiply for square feet, and choose a depth that hides the soil at the size of stone you are buying. River rock is heavier than crushed gravel, about 2,900 pounds per cubic yard (1.45 tons), so one ton of river rock covers about 112 square feet at 2 inches, 74 square feet at 3 inches and 56 square feet at 4 inches. The river rock calculator above uses that density, so the tonnage matches what you will be quoted.
| Project | Size | Depth | Cubic yards | Tons of river rock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bed border | 3 × 40 ft | 2 in | 0.74 | 1.07 |
| Side yard | 8 × 25 ft | 3 in | 1.85 | 2.69 |
| Dry creek bed | 4 × 30 ft | 4 in | 1.48 | 2.15 |
| Tree ring | 6 ft diameter | 2 in | 0.17 | 0.25 |
Figures before the 10 percent waste allowance. The calculator adds it for you.
River rock sizes and how deep to lay them
- 3/8 to 1 inch river pebbles: 2 inches deep for beds, pots, paths and between steppers. Shop river pebbles
- 1 to 2 inch river rock: 2 to 3 inches deep for ground cover and borders, the most popular size.
- 2 to 4 inch river rock: 3 to 4 inches deep for dry creek beds, drainage swales and downspout splash zones.
- 4 to 8 inch river rock and cobble: laid one stone deep, 4 to 6 inches, for creek banks and accents; a 20 foot creek takes 2 to 3 tons of the big stone plus a smaller size to fill between. Shop river rock
River rock cost per ton
River rock at Earth Stone Rock runs $129.99 to $700 per ton depending on color and size, with the common tan and grey grades at the low end and hand-sorted cobble at the top, picked up at the yard or delivered by weight. The 8 by 25 foot side yard above is about 2.7 tons, so the stone costs between $351 and $1,890. Enter your area above and the results show an estimated material cost for your exact tonnage. Read the full guide to how much river rock you need or how to build a dry creek bed.
More calculators: landscape rock and gravel calculator · gravel calculator · bocce court 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.
River rock calculator questions
How much river rock do I need?
Multiply length by width for square feet and choose a depth. One ton of river rock covers about 112 square feet at 2 inches, 74 square feet at 3 inches and 56 square feet at 4 inches. The calculator above converts your area to cubic yards and tons.
How many tons of river rock are in a cubic yard?
About 1.45 tons. River rock weighs roughly 2,900 pounds per cubic yard, a little more than crushed gravel, which is the density this river rock calculator uses.
How deep should river rock be?
Deep enough to hide the soil at the stone size you chose: 2 inches for pebbles and 1 to 2 inch rock, 3 to 4 inches for 2 to 4 inch rock, and one stone deep for 4 to 8 inch cobble.
How much does river rock cost per ton?
River rock at Earth Stone Rock runs $129.99 to $700 per ton before delivery, depending on color and size. Half-ton sacks are priced proportionally and delivery is quoted by weight and distance.
How many bags of river rock do I need?
A 1/2 cubic foot bag covers about 3 square feet at 2 inches, so a cubic yard is 54 bags. Under about half a ton the calculator suggests bags; above that a 1,000 or 2,000 pound sack is cheaper per pound.
How much river rock for a dry creek bed?
Figure 4 inches of 2 to 4 inch river rock for the channel, plus larger 4 to 8 inch stone along the banks. A 4 by 30 foot creek takes about 2.2 tons of channel rock before accents. See our dry creek bed guide for the layout.
Do you deliver river rock?
Yes. We deliver by the sack and by the truckload from our two California yards in Visalia and Rosamond and ship bagged river rock nationwide.