How to calculate how much rock i need for landscaping

Jim from up the street spruced up his yard and now your lovely wife marvels at it every time you drive by. Thanks Jim. Next thing you know, a home landscaping project is calling your name. We know. We’ve been there.  

The good news is that your instinct is right – you don't need to hire a professional landscaper. Take advantage of the free resources out there and you can definitely pull it off yourself. Updating your home landscape requires minimal knowledge and is an ideal do-it-yourself project; and, with an expert resource and partner like Online Stone Solutions, you can save significant time and money.

One of the initial and most important things do-it-yourself landscapers must learn is how to calculate the amount of stone you’re going to need to complete your landscaping project. Under-estimate the number significantly and your landscape will look bare and incomplete; on the other hand, ordering too many rocks means you throw good money away and have to store or dispose of the excess. 

Calculating the right amount of landscape rock requires a little high school-level math. As you will see below, Online Stone Solutions’ website features a unique Coverage Calculator which streamlines the entire process, saving you hassle and headache. 

Key Steps

1. Using a tape measure, determine the width and length of the area to be covered in feet. (If area is over 50 feet, consider using a measuring wheel instead of measuring tape.) 

1. Calculate the area by multiplying the width by the length. If your width is 4 feet and your length is 5 feet, then your area is 20 square feet. If your area isn’t a square or rectangle please use an internet search to determine the correct formula. 

1. Determine your desired depth for your landscape rocks.  Every application is different so it is impossible to tell you how deep you need to install our product.  As a rule of thumb, for ground cover landscape installations, use the depth listed on our site as a minimum for that specific product and size.  If it will be installed in heavily traveled area where material tends to get more easily displaced you should most likely increase the depth by 1”-2”.

After completing those three short steps, Online Stone Solutions’ easy-to-use Coverage Calculator will crunch the numbers for you and determine the optimal amount of rocks needed for your landscape project. In an instant you will know the price, the weight of your rocks, and the number of pallets they’ll arrive in, so you can allocate adequate space and storage in your yard.  It’s much easier and faster than other landscaping calculators which require you to calculate additional measurements like cubic feet and then convert them into cubic yards. 

While our Coverage Calculator provides a very accurate estimate, keep in mind that every job is unique and there may be variance in the actual coverage of stone that is required to complete your project.  The calculator is set to determine the amount of stone needed if used in a loose ground cover area such as a dry riverbed or decorative planting beds. If your intended application is different then you will most likely need to contact us directly for a more accurate calculation.  

For your next home landscaping project, shop our catalog of decorative stone and look for our intuitive Coverage Calculator under the title of our product pages. 

For more information, check out our FAQ.

How Much Rock Do I Need for Landscaping? Using Stone Coverage Formulas. 

Are you planning a project that involves landscaping rocks? Congratulations! You are making a rock-solid investment that will bring you enjoyment for many years. We can help with how to figure out how much rock you need for landscaping. Let’s get the measuring tape, scale, and calculator out and see exactly how many cubic yards or tons you need to buy for your stone coverage requirements.

If you’re curious about how to figure out how much rock you need for landscaping, keep reading — we’ll help you figure it out!

How Is Stone Coverage Calculated?

Stone is priced either by volume, which is calculated in cubic yards; or by weight, which is calculated in tons. We’re about to show you how to calculate what you need in either measurement unit.

Option 1: Cubic Yards

Step 1: Measure length and width in feet to calculate the area you need to be covered.

How much does a yard of rock cover? Whether you are covering a driveway, mulching a garden bed or creating a dry creek, the first thing you need to measure is the area to be covered. How long is it in feet? How wide is it in feet? Once you have those numbers, multiply them using the formula you learned in elementary school:

Length X Width = Area

Step 2: Measure how high you'd like the rock in inches (depth).

You may need some advice to determine how deep your stone coverage should be. For example, if you are using stone for mulching, 1 ½ or 2 inches are plenty. If you’re covering a driveway, the recommendation is at least 4 inches.

If you’re not sure which depth is appropriate, reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to advise you.

Once you know the depth of decorative stone you want, in inches, use this other formula:  

Area X Depth = ??

Step 3: Divide this by 324.

Once you have multiplied all three numbers, all you have to do is divide your result by 324 to get the number of cubic yards of decorative stone you need for your project. 

??? / 324 = cubic yard

Option 2: Tons

Step 1: Measure length and width in feet to calculate the area you need to be covered.

Take out your tape measure, and get the length and width of the fire pit, path, or focal point you want to fill with decorative stone. Make sure your measurements are in feet and then multiply them to get the area.

Length X Width = Area

Step 2: Measure how high you'd like the rock in feet (depth).

The depth of rock will depend on the type of project - if you’re using stone as a groundcover and you want to prevent weeds from sprouting, use at least 3 inches. Remember there are 12 inches in one foot.

Multiply the previous result by the depth in inches you want to reach.

Area X Depth = ??

Step 3: Divide this by 21.6 (the number of cubic feet in a ton).

What you have right now is the volume of rock you need, which we converted to cubic yards with the previous formula. Since what you want now is the weight, divide your result by 21.6, and this will give you the number of tons required for your project.

??? / 21.6 = tons

How Many Square Feet Does a Ton of Rock Cover?

use info from tables here: https://www.westurf.net/sections/calc

Decorative Stone Solutions Available Nationwide

When you’re starting a new outdoor project, there are all kinds of questions you might be asking yourself. How much landscape rock do I need? How much river rock do I need? Remember, we are always happy to answer your decorative stone questions! We have colors and sizes you will not find in other places, and we ship them nationwide! Give us a call anytime you want to talk about landscaping rocks.

minickmaterial Author

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