Calculate exactly how much decorative river rock you need for garden beds, dry creek beds, pathways, and water features. Get instant estimates in tons with material costs.
Recommended: 10% for irregular areas and borders
Ready to calculate
Enter your project dimensions
90 sq ft/ton
$80/ton • Pathways, borders
75 sq ft/ton
$100/ton • Garden beds, mulch alternative
60 sq ft/ton
$120/ton • Water features, focal points
50 sq ft/ton
$150/ton • Dry creek beds, edging
85 sq ft/ton
$180/ton • Premium decorative
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Every calculator is reviewed by certified professionals to ensure accuracy.Hawkin's CCP, CEP certification ensures professional-grade precision.
Small: 90 ft²
Medium: 75 ft²
Large: 60 ft²
Small: 60 ft²
Medium: 50 ft²
Large: 40 ft²
Small: 45 ft²
Medium: 38 ft²
Large: 30 ft²
Small: 30 ft²
Medium: 25 ft²
Large: 20 ft²
How much river rock do I need?
Calculate L × W × depth (ft), divide by 27 for cubic yards, multiply by 1.3 density for tons.
How much does a ton cover?
At 2" deep: small rock covers 90 sq ft, medium 75 sq ft, large 60 sq ft per ton.
How deep should river rock be?
2-3" for ground cover, 3-4" for pathways and beds, 4-6" for dry creek beds.
River rock vs pea gravel?
River rock (1-4") for visual impact, pea gravel (¼-½") for walking surfaces.
The calculator multiplies your project's length, width, and desired depth to determine total cubic yards needed. It then converts cubic yards to tons using the density for your selected river rock size. Larger rocks have lower density due to more air gaps between stones. We add your selected overage percentage to ensure complete coverage.
Formula
Cubic Yards = (Length × Width × Depth) ÷ 324
Tons = Cubic Yards × Rock Density × (1 + Waste %)