How deep should river rock be?

2–3 inches covers the ground and hides soil for most decorative beds; use more for drainage swales or high-traffic paths. Over landscape fabric, 2 inches is usually enough.

How much does a cubic yard of river rock weigh?

Around 1.4 tons (≈2,800 lb), varying with stone type (granite, limestone, and basalt all differ), size, and moisture. This calculator uses ~1.4 tons per cubic yard as a planning figure — confirm your supplier's per-yard weight.

Should I order by the yard or the ton?

Stone yards quote both; the ton figure here lets you compare. For anything past a yard or so, bulk delivery beats bagged on both price and effort.

River Rock Calculator

Decorative river rock is sold by the cubic yard or ton in bulk and by the bag at the store. Enter the area and depth for all three.

Cubic yards

0.62cu yd

Tons (approx): 0.86 tons
Cubic feet: 16.7 cu ft
Bags (0.5 cu ft): 34 bags

How these numbers are worked out

The formula

Volume = area × depth. Area is length × width; multiply by the depth in feet (inches ÷ 12) for cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.4 (river rock runs roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard). Bags = cubic feet ÷ the bag's size, rounded up.

Constants and sources

Coverage geometry: 1 cu yd = 27 cu ft. River rock density ≈1.4 tons/cu yd (varies with stone size/moisture). Bagged stone ≈0.5 cu ft — verify on the bag.

How it was checked

Last reviewed June 16, 2026. Before this calculator was published, its formula, constants and worked example were checked in a separate, AI-assisted review that redid the arithmetic and tested the factual claims; the site owner then approved it for publishing. No engineer or tradesperson reviews these pages. Where a figure depends on the product (a density, a coverage rate, a bag size), it is either an input you can change above or a fixed planning value stated on this page, so check it against your product's label or your supplier.

Spot a wrong number or an outdated figure? Send a correction.

Worked example

A 10 ft × 10 ft bed, 2 inches deep: 100 sq ft × (2 ÷ 12) ≈ 16.7 cubic feet ÷ 27 ≈ 0.62 cubic yards (~0.86 tons). In 0.5-cu-ft bags: 16.7 ÷ 0.5 ≈ 34 bags.

FAQs

How deep should river rock be?: 2–3 inches covers the ground and hides soil for most decorative beds; use more for drainage swales or high-traffic paths. Over landscape fabric, 2 inches is usually enough.
How much does a cubic yard of river rock weigh?: Around 1.4 tons (≈2,800 lb), varying with stone type (granite, limestone, and basalt all differ), size, and moisture. This calculator uses ~1.4 tons per cubic yard as a planning figure — confirm your supplier's per-yard weight.
Should I order by the yard or the ton?: Stone yards quote both; the ton figure here lets you compare. For anything past a yard or so, bulk delivery beats bagged on both price and effort.