Landscape Rock
A ton of landscape rock covers roughly 125 square feet at 2 inches deep or 85 at 3 — most decorative rock is sold by the ton, and lava rock, at half the weight or less, is the exception.
Work out what you need
Measure the area, set the depth, and this converts it to tons, what it weighs on the truck, how many bags that replaces, and roughly what it should cost delivered.
Weight is quoted as a band because moisture moves it more than grade does — landscape rock after heavy rain runs to about 105% of its dry weight. The delivered range starts from a published $40–200 per cubic yard and is scaled by how your region's material prices compare with the national average, so treat it as a sanity check and not a quote.
Get a real price from yards near youTypes of landscape rock
| Rock | Size | Locks together? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| River rock | ¾–5 inch | No — rounded | Beds, borders, dry creek beds, drainage |
| Pea gravel | ⅜ inch | No — rounded | Patios, paths, play areas |
| Decomposed granite | grit and fines | Yes, when compacted | Paths, patios, driveways in dry climates |
| #57 crushed stone | ¾–1 inch | Partly — no fines | Drainage, under sheds, behind walls |
| Lava rock | ¾–3 inch | No | Beds where weight matters; very light per yard |
| Marble chips / white rock | ¾–1½ inch | No | Bright beds — but it is limestone and raises soil pH |
| Mexican beach pebbles | 1–3 inch | No | Accents and small areas; priced far above other rock |
Decorative stone sold by the ton: river rock, pea gravel, crushed granite, marble chips. Lava rock is the outlier — often half the weight or less, so far more per ton.
What a ton covers
| Depth | One ton covers |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | about 125 sq ft |
| 3 inches | about 85 sq ft |
| 4 inches | about 60 sq ft |
Rock deeper than about twice its own size just buries itself, and on a slope rounded stone ends up at the bottom whatever depth you start with.
Landscape rock questions
How much landscape rock do I need?
Measure the area in square feet and divide by what a ton covers at your depth: about 125 square feet at 2 inches and 85 at 3. A 10 by 10 foot bed at 2 inches is a little under a ton.
How deep should landscape rock be?
About twice the size of the stone, and never less than 2 inches. One-inch rock goes 2 inches deep; 3-inch river rock wants 3 or more, or soil shows through the gaps.
Is landscape rock sold by the ton or the yard?
Mostly by the ton. A ton of most stone is roughly three-quarters of a cubic yard; lava rock is the exception, at half the weight or less, so a ton of it is far more rock.
Should I put landscape fabric under rock?
It slows weeds from below but not seeds that blow in on top, and fines collect on it over time. The case for and against is in our guide to fabric under gravel.