You need
- 25.0cu ft
- 0.71m³
- 50bags of 0.5 cu ft
Prices: what stone yards and garden centers post, October 2026.
- You need 0.93 cubic yards of crushed rock to cover 100 sq ft, 3 in deep.
- It weighs about 1.2 tons, 1.1 to 1.3.
- In bulk, it costs about $73 to $217. Delivery adds about $40 to $140.
- In bags, that is 50 bags of 0.5 cu ft, about $373 to $530.
- Bulk costs less, even with delivery.
Text this to a stone yard
Hi! I need about 0.93 cubic yards of crushed rock, about 1.2 tons, delivered. What colors and sizes do you have, and what would it cost with delivery?
Kinds of landscape rock
| Rock | Tons a cubic yardTons a cubic yard | Price a ton | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed rockGranite, limestone and colored rock | 1.19 to 1.4 | $61 to $180 | |
| Marble or beach pebblesFancy stones. They cost more | 1.2 to 1.4 | $100 to $720 | |
| Lava rockA very light rock | about 0.5 | $195 to $420 |
Lava rock is light. A ton of it fills about 2 cubic yards. Crushed rock fills less than 1. So for lava rock, ask for the price by the yard.
Weights: Alabama DOT (crushed stone) and stone yards' own pages. Only one yard gives a weight for lava rock. Prices: what yards post, October 2026.
How deep to lay landscape rock
Colorado Springs Utilities says rock 3 in deep around trees and shrubs, and 2 in around flowers. It says to use wood mulch under trees, not rock.
Bigger stones need a deeper layer. Utah State says 3 to 6 in for coarse stuff, ½ to 3 in across.
One cubic yard covers 108 sq ft at 3 in deep, and 162 sq ft at 2 in.
Colorado Springs Utilities and Utah State Extension (2010).
Fabric and heat
UC IPM says to put landscape fabric under rock. It keeps the stones from sinking into the soil. Utah State says the same.
Rock holds heat. Clemson says it warms the ground. UC IPM says white rock can reflect too much light, and dark rock can heat up plants.
UC IPM (2018) and Clemson HGIC.
How the math works
- Area. Length times width. For a circle, half the width times itself, times 3.1416. One meter is 3.28084 feet.
- Volume. Area in sq ft times the depth in inches, divided by 12, gives cubic feet. Divided by 27 gives cubic yards.
- Weight. Cubic yards times the tons a cubic yard for your rock, from the table.
- Bags. Cubic feet divided by the bag size, rounded up.
- Prices. Bulk: what yards post a ton for each kind. Bags: what stores post, $14.90 to $21.20 a cu ft. We leave out the cheapest and dearest tenth. We add delivery to bulk before we say which costs less.
Questions
How much landscape rock do I need?
At 3 in deep, one cubic yard covers about 108 sq ft. Type your size above to get yours.
How much does a yard of landscape rock weigh?
Crushed rock is about 1.2 to 1.4 tons a cubic yard. Lava rock is far lighter, about half a ton.
How many bags of rock in a yard?
A yard is 27 cu ft. That is 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft.
How much does landscape rock cost?
Crushed rock costs about $61 to $180 a ton at the yard. Fancy pebbles cost more. Bags cost about $7.45 to $10.60 for 0.5 cu ft.
Sources
- Colorado Springs Utilities, Choosing and Using MulchundatedRock 3 in around shrubs, 2 in around flowers
- Utah State Extension, Using Mulches in Utah LandscapesDec 20103 to 6 in of coarse material; fabric under rock
- UC IPM, Weed Management in LandscapesSep 2018Fabric under rock; white and dark rock
- Clemson HGIC, Mulch or Rockread Oct 2026Rock holds heat
- Alabama DOT, List I-1, Sources of AggregatesOct 2026Loose weight of crushed stone