01
Formula
Same yard formula, then a density.
Cubic yards = length × width × (depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27. Tons = yards × tons per yard. Order quantity adds the waste percent. Cost = order tons × your price per ton.
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Rock calculator for stone, river rock, and landscape rock
This rock calculator is the same tool as a stone calculator. Pick river rock, landscape rock, stone, or riprap, set the depth, and read tons and yards. The riprap setting is the rip rap calculator: same volume, with a starting density of 1.5 tons per cubic yard that you can replace.
Rock to order
1.27tons
Area96.00 sq ft
In-place volume0.89 cu yd
Order with waste0.98 cu yd
Order weight1.27 tons
Estimated material cost$95.33
Planning estimate from the numbers you enter. Coverage, density, waste and price are assumptions, not a supplier quote or an engineering specification.
How it works
Rock is sold by the ton and placed by the yard.
Landscape rock and river rock are bulk aggregates. The volume is the bed area times the depth. Weight is that volume times a density. The starting densities are 1.3 tons per cubic yard for river rock, 1.25 for landscape rock, and 1.4 for a generic stone. Larger decorative rock has more void space, so a supplier may quote a lighter yard. Use their number when the pile is going to be more than a few inches of small stone.
02
Example
An 8 by 12 foot bed, 3 inches of river rock.
The area is 96 square feet, 0.89 cubic yards in place, and 1.16 tons at 1.3 tons per yard. With 10% waste, order 1.27 tons. At $75 per ton that is $95.33 of material.
03
Tips
Depth for looks is not depth for a driveway.
Two or three inches covers soil for a decorative bed if the ground is prepared. A drive or a French drain is a different section. Fabric under the rock is optional and not counted here. Round up to the supplier's increment.
04
Equipment
A loader moves rock faster than a shovel.
Once the bed is more than a backyard strip, a skid steer or compact loader does the placing. Dengaro can take an equipment financing application from $15,000 to $2 million. The calculator button names that machine. It does not finance the rock itself.
Important questions
Know what to expect.
Is a stone calculator different from a rock calculator?+
Not in the math. Stone, river rock, and landscape rock are presets on this page. What changes is the density and the price you type.
How do I use the river rock calculator setting?+
Choose river rock. The density starts at 1.3 tons per cubic yard and the price placeholder changes. Measure the bed, set the depth in inches, and add waste if the edges are irregular.
What about a landscape rock calculator for boulders?+
This page estimates a layer of rock over an area. Individual boulders are priced by the piece or by weight on a scale, not by a rectangular depth. Do not use the area formula for a single boulder.
Why is my supplier's tonnage different?+
Moisture, gradation, and how the yard is struck all move the weight. The density field is there so you can match the supplier instead of trusting the placeholder.
Financing built into the sale