Calculate river rock in cubic yards, tons, and bags for landscaping beds, drainage, dry creek beds, and decorative ground cover.
Enter area dimensions to calculate river rock needed.
Measure the area, enter depth (typically 2-4 inches for ground cover), and the calculator returns cubic yards and estimated tons for river rock.
River rock ranges from pea gravel (¼-½ inch) to large cobbles (6+ inches). Smaller sizes settle more. Larger sizes are better for drainage and erosion control.
Garden beds need 2-3 inches. Dry creek beds use 4-6 inches. Drainage swales require 6-12 inches. Deeper applications use more material per square foot.
Install landscape fabric before placing river rock to prevent weed growth. Edge with metal or stone edging to contain the rock. Calculate each section separately for irregular shapes.
At 2 inches deep, you need about 0.17 cubic feet per square foot. At 3 inches deep, about 0.25 cubic feet per square foot.
About 1.35 tons (2,700 lbs) per cubic yard, depending on rock size and moisture content.
Expertise covers cubic yard formulas, material quantity planning, unit conversions, and practical ordering checks.