DG for paths and patios · tons and cubic yards
Decomposed granite calculator
Enter length, width and depth to calculate decomposed granite (DG) in cubic yards and US tons. The preset is a published weight of 2,500 lb per cubic yard for 1/4 inch minus DG, loose; replace it with your supplier’s figure.
How much decomposed granite you need
Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, tons and bags
Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, weight and bags, with every assumption explained.
The short answer
How much decomposed granite do I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches, then divide by 324 for cubic yards. A 30 × 4 ft path at 3 in needs 30 ft³, or 1.11 cubic yards, which is about 1.39 US tons at the Outdoor Warehouse Supply figure of 2,500 lb per cubic yard (1.25 tons per yard). Published loose DG weights on this page run from 2,400 to 3,000 lb per yard. DG is compacted after spreading, so order more loose material than the finished depth suggests.
The calculation
How to calculate decomposed granite in four steps
- Measure the area.Length × width in feet gives square feet. Split an L-shape into rectangles and add each as a separate area above.
- Convert the depth.Divide depth in inches by 12. Three inches is 0.25 ft; four inches is 0.333 ft.
- Find the volume.Square feet × depth in feet gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. Volume does not depend on the material.
- Convert to tons.Multiply cubic yards by the supplier’s pounds per cubic yard and divide by 2,000. At 2,500 lb/yd³ that is 1.25 tons per yard.
Rectangle · US measurements
Length × Width × Depth ÷ 324
Feet × feet × inches → cubic yards
Cubic yards × 2,500 ÷ 2,000
Cubic yards × lb/yd³ → US tons at the reference weight
Read the full calculation method ↗Worked examples
Decomposed granite calculator examples
Each example uses the 92.59 lb/ft³ reference, no extra allowance and no compaction adjustment. Open one to load its measurements into the calculator, then change the depth or density to match your product.
| Project | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 30 × 4 ft path at 3 in | 30 ft³ · 1.11 yd³ | 1.39 US tons |
| 12 × 12 ft patio at 3 in | 36 ft³ · 1.33 yd³ | 1.67 US tons |
| 20 × 15 ft seating area at 4 in | 100 ft³ · 3.7 yd³ | 4.63 US tons |
Suppliers sell by the ton or by the cubic yard. Ask which unit the quote uses and which weight per yard they bill by; the calculator’s Bag sizes & cost section accepts either.
Bulk quantities
How much does a ton or a cubic yard of decomposed granite cover?
One cubic yard is 27 ft³ whatever the material. One US ton of this reference product is 21.6 ft³ (0.8 yd³), so its coverage depends on the published weight.
Coverage by depth
| Depth | One cubic yard covers | One US ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 162 ft² | 129.6 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² | 86.4 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² | 64.8 ft² |
| 6 in | 54 ft² | 43.2 ft² |
Material for 100 square feet
| Depth | Cubic yards | US tons |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 0.62 yd³ | 0.77 tons |
| 3 in | 0.93 yd³ | 1.16 tons |
| 4 in | 1.23 yd³ | 1.54 tons |
| 6 in | 1.85 yd³ | 2.31 tons |
Multiply the 100 ft² row by your area ÷ 100. The ton-of-gravel coverage guide explains the arithmetic, and the cubic yards to tons converter compares several published weights side by side.
Why the density matters
Published weights for decomposed granite
A size or grade label does not fix a density. These are the published figures behind this page; each names the supplier and product it describes, and none is a specification for another yard’s material.
| Product | Supplier | lb per yd³ | Tons per yd³ | 10 yd³ weighs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decomposed Granite, 1/4 inch minus | Outdoor Warehouse Supply | 2,500 | 1.25 | 12.5 tons |
| Decomposed Granite North | Sutherland Landscape Supplies | 2,400 | 1.2 | 12 tons |
| Decomposed granite for stabilized paving | GraniteCrete | 3,000 | 1.5 | 15 tons |
Enter your own supplier’s figure under Material & allowance to replace the preset. The full gravel density reference records every figure with its source and date.
Loose versus compacted decomposed granite
A cubic yard delivered on a truck is loose. After watering and compacting, the same material fills less space. GraniteCrete’s published quantity sheet puts DG at 1.5 tons per loose yard and 1.6 tons per compacted yard: the same weight takes up about 6.25% less volume once compacted. Treat that as one product’s figures, not a rule for every DG.
To apply an allowance, open Material & allowance and enter the percentage your supplier or installer recommends. For a paver or slab base under the DG, calculate that layer separately with the paver base calculator. For loose decorative stone instead of a firm surface, use the landscape rock calculator.
Before you order
Frequently asked questions about decomposed granite
Every answer states the weight per yard it assumes.
Check our formulas & sources ↗How much decomposed granite do I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards. A 30 × 4 ft path at 3 in is 1.11 cubic yards, about 1.39 US tons at 2,500 lb per yard, before any compaction allowance.
How much decomposed granite do I need for 100 square feet?
At 2 inches, 100 ft² needs 0.62 cubic yards (0.77 tons); at 3 inches 0.93 yd³ (1.16 tons); at 4 inches 1.23 yd³ (1.54 tons), loose, at 2,500 lb per yard.
How many tons is a yard of decomposed granite?
The published loose figures on this page run from 2,400 lb (1.2 tons) to 3,000 lb (1.5 tons) per cubic yard. GraniteCrete’s quantity sheet uses 1.5 tons per yard and gives 1.6 tons per yard once compacted and stabilized.
How much does a ton of decomposed granite cover?
At 2,500 lb per cubic yard, one US ton is 21.6 ft³ loose. It covers about 129.6 ft² at 2 inches, 86.4 ft² at 3 inches or 64.8 ft² at 4 inches, before compaction.
How much extra decomposed granite should I order for compaction?
It depends on the product and how hard it is compacted, so ask your supplier. As one published reference, GraniteCrete’s sheet gives 1.5 tons per loose yard and 1.6 tons per compacted yard. At those figures a compacted yard needs 1.07 loose yards, about 6.67% more material.
Does stabilized DG change the calculation?
Not the volume. Measure the path or patio and calculate cubic yards the same way. Stabilizer is added by weight or per yard according to the product’s own instructions, which this calculator does not model.
Is decomposed granite better than pea gravel for a path?
They behave differently. DG packs into a firm surface when compacted; pea gravel stays loose and rolls underfoot. The quantity arithmetic is identical, and the pea gravel calculator opens on pea gravel’s published weights if you want to compare tonnage.
How is the patio example calculated?
A 12 × 12 ft patio is 144 ft². 144 × (3 ÷ 12) = 36 ft³, or 1.33 cubic yards. At 2,500 lb per yard that is 1.67 US tons loose.
References
- Decomposed Granite, 1/4 inch minus: 2,500 lb/yd³, Outdoor Warehouse Supply. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Decomposed Granite North: 2,400 lb/yd³, Sutherland Landscape Supplies. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Decomposed granite for stabilized paving: 1.5 US tons/yd³, GraniteCrete. Recorded September 23, 2026
About these calculations
By Site Measure · Last updated . The 2,500 lb per cubic yard reference is Outdoor Warehouse Supply’s approximate published weight for its 1/4 inch minus decomposed granite. The examples are illustrative arithmetic, not measured deliveries, product specifications or installation depths. Content was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the calculator’s arithmetic tests; no independent engineering review is claimed.
See our calculation checks or report a calculation discrepancy with your dimensions, density and units.