Landscape rock calculator

Plan decorative stone for beds, borders and ground cover. You'll see the volume, an approximate weight for your stone type and a suggested order.

Units
Area shape
ft
Common depths:

Presets are conveniences, not specifications. Use the depth your project or supplier calls for.

Waste allowance5%
%

Suggested starting point: 5%. You can set it to 0.

Waste covers spillage, uneven ground, settling and cutting. The right amount depends on the material, your site and how it is installed. No single percentage suits every project.

Material densityindicative 2528 lb per cu yd

Using an indicative 2528 lb per cu yd for pea gravel. Real density varies with stone type, grading and moisture. Enter your supplier's figure if you have it.

Supplier order rulesorder step 0.5

Example supplier increment. Check your supplier's ordering rules. Orders round up to this step; leave blank for no rounding.

Optional. Some suppliers have a minimum delivery.

Price and deliveryoptional

Enter prices from your own supplier quote. This site does not provide live retailer prices.

Applied to materials plus delivery.

What to buy

Enter positive dimensions for the area. Results appear as you type.

Add several areas and materials, then see one combined shopping list. Saved only in this browser.

How to use it

  1. Enter the bed shape and size.
  2. Enter the depth of stone you want.
  3. Pick the stone type, or enter your supplier's density for a custom stone.
  4. Choose bulk, weight or bags, and check What to Buy.

Formula and assumptions

  • Volume = area × depth
  • Volume with waste = volume × (1 + waste % ÷ 100)
  • Weight = volume with waste × density

Order amounts always round up, never down. Prices apply to the rounded amount, in the unit your supplier sells by. See the methodology for constants and indicative densities.

Example

A round bed 8 ft across, 3 in of river rock, 5% waste:

  • Before waste: 0.47 cu yd (0.36 m³)
  • With waste: 0.49 cu yd (0.37 m³)
  • Suggested order: 0.5 cubic yards

Questions

Do all decorative stones weigh the same?

No. River rock, pea gravel and crushed stone pack differently, and density changes with size and moisture. The defaults are labelled indicative. Use your supplier's number if you have it.

How deep should decorative rock be?

It depends on stone size and the look you want. Larger stones usually need more depth to cover the ground. The depth buttons are just shortcuts.

Should I use landscape fabric under stone?

Many people do, to reduce weeds. Fabric isn't calculated in this version.