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Nestiex

Stone & Rock Calculator

Estimate how much landscape stone or decorative rock you need for beds, borders and ground cover. Enter your area and depth for cubic yards and tons.

Stone & Rock Calculator

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cubic yards
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tons
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bags (0.5 ft³)
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est. cost
Stone & Rock Calculator, live preview
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Enter values to see your estimate.

How to Calculate Stone & Rock

Change the calculator above and watch every figure and the diagram below update live.

Top-down view (area × depth)

W L depth 4"

Step 1 · Area

20 ft × 10 ft = 200 ft²

Step 2 · Volume (× depth, ÷ 27)

200 ft² × 0.33 ft ÷ 27 = 2.47 yd³

3.46
tons (× 1.4)
134
bags (÷ 0.5 ft³)

These figures update automatically as you change the calculator above.

Rock coverage by depth

Approximate coverage of one cubic yard of gravel at common depths.

Approximate coverage of one cubic yard of gravel at common depths.
DepthCoverage per yd³Relative coverage
1" 324 sq ft
100%
2" 162 sq ft
50%
3" 108 sq ft
33%
4" 81 sq ft
25%
6" 54 sq ft
17%
3 in
3"

At 3 inches deep, one cubic yard of gravel covers 108 sq ft.

Stone & Rock FAQs

How much rock do I need?
Multiply area by depth and divide by 27 for cubic yards. Most decorative rock covers about 100 sq ft per cubic yard at 3 inches deep.
How much does landscape rock weigh?
Roughly 1.2–1.5 tons per cubic yard depending on stone type; river rock tends to be on the heavier side.
How deep should decorative rock be?
Use 2–3 inches over landscape fabric for ground cover, and up to 4 inches for larger rock or high-traffic areas.
Do I need landscape fabric under rock?
It's recommended, fabric suppresses weeds and stops the rock from sinking into the soil over time.

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