Rock calculator for beds and yards · tons and cubic yards
Landscape rock calculator
Enter length, width and depth to find how much landscape rock you need in cubic yards and US tons. The preset is a published weight of 2,600 lb per cubic yard for 3/4 inch decorative rock; replace it with your supplier’s figure.
How much landscape rock 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 landscape rock do I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches, then divide by 324 for cubic yards. A 20 × 10 ft front yard bed at 2 in needs 33.33 ft³, or 1.23 cubic yards, which is about 1.6 US tons at the Granite Landscape Centers figure of 2,600 lb per cubic yard (1.3 tons per yard). Across the published figures below the same 1.23 cubic yards weighs 1.53 to 1.6 tons, so check the weight per yard before comparing per-ton quotes.
The calculation
How to calculate landscape rock 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 2,600 lb/yd³ that is 1.3 tons per yard.
Rectangle · US measurements
Length × Width × Depth ÷ 324
Feet × feet × inches → cubic yards
Cubic yards × 2,600 ÷ 2,000
Cubic yards × lb/yd³ → US tons at the reference weight
Read the full calculation method ↗Worked examples
Landscape rock calculator examples
Each example uses the 96.3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 20 × 10 ft front yard bed at 2 in | 33.33 ft³ · 1.23 yd³ | 1.6 US tons |
| 40 × 5 ft side yard at 3 in | 50 ft³ · 1.85 yd³ | 2.41 US tons |
| 12 × 12 ft area at 3 in | 36 ft³ · 1.33 yd³ | 1.73 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 landscape rock cover?
One cubic yard is 27 ft³ whatever the material. One US ton of this reference product is 20.77 ft³ (0.77 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 | 124.62 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² | 83.08 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² | 62.31 ft² |
| 6 in | 54 ft² | 41.54 ft² |
Material for 100 square feet
| Depth | Cubic yards | US tons |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 0.62 yd³ | 0.8 tons |
| 3 in | 0.93 yd³ | 1.2 tons |
| 4 in | 1.23 yd³ | 1.6 tons |
| 6 in | 1.85 yd³ | 2.41 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 landscape rock
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Pearl 3/4 inch decorative rock | Granite Landscape Centers | 2,600 | 1.3 | 13 tons |
| Yuba Blue 3/4 inch decorative granite rock | Sutherland Landscape Supplies | 2,480 | 1.24 | 12.4 tons |
| Most landscape rock (general conversion) | Southwest Boulder & Stone | 2,500 | 1.25 | 12.5 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.
Which rock calculator to use
Volume is the same for every rock: length × width × depth. Only the weight per yard changes. Use this page for crushed decorative rock and chips, the river rock calculator for rounded, water-worn stone, and the decomposed granite calculator for fine paths and patios that are compacted.
Published weights for decorative rock on this page range from 2,480 to 2,600 lb per yard (1.24 to 1.3 tons). The same supplier can list different colours of 3/4 inch rock at different weights, so the size alone does not fix the tonnage.
Before you order
Frequently asked questions about landscape rock
Every answer states the weight per yard it assumes.
Check our formulas & sources ↗How much landscape rock do I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards. A 20 × 10 ft front yard bed at 2 in is 1.23 cubic yards, about 1.6 US tons at 2,600 lb per yard. The calculator above does the same arithmetic for any shape and adds bags and cost.
How much landscape rock do I need for 100 square feet?
At 2 inches deep, 100 ft² needs 0.62 cubic yards (0.8 tons). At 3 inches it is 0.93 yd³ (1.2 tons) and at 4 inches 1.23 yd³ (1.6 tons), at 2,600 lb per yard.
How many tons is a yard of landscape rock?
The published figures on this page run from 2,480 to 2,600 lb per cubic yard, 1.24 to 1.3 US tons. Southwest Boulder & Stone uses 1.25 tons per yard for most landscape material, but excludes lava rock, which is much lighter. Ask for the weight of the exact rock you choose.
How much does a ton of landscape rock cover?
At 2,600 lb per cubic yard, one US ton is 20.77 ft³. It covers about 124.62 ft² at 2 inches, 83.08 ft² at 3 inches or 62.31 ft² at 4 inches.
How much area does a yard of rock cover?
One cubic yard is 27 ft³ whatever the rock, so it covers 162 ft² at 2 inches, 108 ft² at 3 inches and 81 ft² at 4 inches. Weight does not change the coverage of a yard; it changes the coverage of a ton.
Can I use this for lava rock or a different stone?
Yes. Open Material & allowance and enter your supplier’s bulk density, or leave density blank for a volume-only estimate. Lava rock is far lighter than the decorative rock figures here, so the preset would overstate its weight.
Is landscape rock sold by the ton or by the yard?
Both. Many rock yards price decorative rock per ton; others sell by the cubic yard or in bags. Convert with the product’s published weight rather than a rule of thumb. The gravel prices guide compares dated per-ton and per-yard prices from suppliers.
How is the side yard example calculated?
A 40 × 5 ft strip is 200 ft². 200 × (3 ÷ 12) = 50 ft³, or 1.85 cubic yards. At 2,600 lb per yard that is 2.41 US tons before any allowance.
References
- Desert Pearl 3/4 inch decorative rock: 2,600 lb/yd³, Granite Landscape Centers. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Yuba Blue 3/4 inch decorative granite rock: 2,480 lb/yd³, Sutherland Landscape Supplies. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Most landscape rock (general conversion): 1.25 US tons/yd³, Southwest Boulder & Stone. Recorded September 23, 2026
About these calculations
By Site Measure · Last updated . The 2,600 lb per cubic yard reference is Granite Landscape Centers’ approximate published weight for its Desert Pearl 3/4 inch decorative rock. 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.