Landscape rock calculator
How much landscape rock do I need?
Estimate landscape rock volume in cubic feet, cubic yards, and tons for gardens, pathways, and decorative beds.
Landscape rock calculator
Landscape rock calculator result
Rock size and coverage
- Small rock (1/4 - 1/2 inch): 2-3 inches deep for pathways
- Medium rock (3/4 - 1 inch): 2-3 inches for garden beds
- Large rock (1-3 inches): 3-4 inches for decorative beds
- Boulders: Placed individually, not covered by this calculator
Larger rock leaves more air gaps, so you may need slightly more volume than the calculator shows. Adding 10% is recommended for larger rock sizes.
Worked example
For example, for a 12×8 ft decorative bed, 3 inches deep:
- Area = 12 × 8 = 96 sq ft
- Volume = 96 × (3 ÷ 12) = 24 cu ft
- Cubic yards = 24 ÷ 27 = 0.89 yd³
- Weight = 0.89 × 1.25 = 1.11 tons
- Order 1.25 tons to have extra for coverage gaps
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Not using landscape fabric | Weed barrier fabric under rock prevents weeds from growing through |
| Going too shallow | 2 inches minimum for decorative rock; less than 2 inches and the ground shows through |
| Mixing rock types in the same bed | Different colors/sizes in the same bed look messy — stick to one rock type |