River Rock Calculator

Calculate the exact amount of river rock needed for your landscaping, garden beds, or drainage project. Get instant estimates in tons, cubic yards, and standard bags.

Length feet Please enter a positive number

Width feet Please enter a positive number

Depth inches Standard depth is 2–3 inches for decorative beds Please enter a valid depth

Calculation Results

River rock needed

— tons

Based on a standard density of 2,700 lbs per cubic yard.

How to use this river rock calculator

Measure your area

Input the length and width of your landscaping bed or project space in feet. For circular areas, treat them as squares and expect a little extra material.

Determine the depth

Enter the thickness of the rock layer in inches. For general landscaping and garden beds, 2 to 3 inches is the standard recommendation. For larger river rocks (2"+), you may need 3 to 4 inches.

Get your instant material list

The tool instantly calculates the required tons and cubic yards for bulk deliveries, as well as the number of standard bags for smaller DIY projects.

River Rock Tonnage by Coverage Area (1.35 Tons per Cubic Yard)

Coverage Area	Depth (Thickness)	Cubic Yards	Tons Required
100 sq ft	2 inches	0.62 yd³	0.8 Tons
100 sq ft	3 inches	0.93 yd³	1.3 Tons
100 sq ft	4 inches	1.23 yd³	1.7 Tons
100 sq ft	6 inches	1.85 yd³	2.5 Tons
250 sq ft	2 inches	1.54 yd³	2.1 Tons
250 sq ft	3 inches	2.31 yd³	3.1 Tons
250 sq ft	4 inches	3.09 yd³	4.2 Tons
250 sq ft	6 inches	4.63 yd³	6.3 Tons
500 sq ft	2 inches	3.09 yd³	4.2 Tons
500 sq ft	3 inches	4.63 yd³	6.3 Tons
500 sq ft	4 inches	6.17 yd³	8.3 Tons
500 sq ft	6 inches	9.26 yd³	12.5 Tons
1000 sq ft	2 inches	6.17 yd³	8.3 Tons
1000 sq ft	3 inches	9.26 yd³	12.5 Tons
1000 sq ft	4 inches	12.35 yd³	16.7 Tons
1000 sq ft	6 inches	18.52 yd³	25.0 Tons
2000 sq ft	2 inches	12.35 yd³	16.7 Tons
2000 sq ft	3 inches	18.52 yd³	25.0 Tons
2000 sq ft	4 inches	24.69 yd³	33.3 Tons
2000 sq ft	6 inches	37.04 yd³	50.0 Tons
5000 sq ft	2 inches	30.86 yd³	41.7 Tons
5000 sq ft	3 inches	46.30 yd³	62.5 Tons
5000 sq ft	4 inches	61.73 yd³	83.3 Tons
5000 sq ft	6 inches	92.59 yd³	125.0 Tons

Frequently asked questions

How much river rock do I need for a 10x10 area?

For a 10x10 area at a standard depth of 2 inches, you need approximately 0.62 cubic yards, which is about 0.83 tons of river rock. If you are buying bags, it's roughly 34 standard 0.5 cubic foot bags. Use this river rock calculator for precise estimates based on your exact dimensions.

How deep should river rock be?

For standard 1-inch to 1.5-inch river rock used in decorative garden beds, a depth of 2 to 3 inches is ideal to completely cover the soil and weed barrier. If you are using larger river rock (2 to 4 inches), you should aim for a depth of 3 to 4 inches to ensure adequate ground coverage.

How much does a cubic yard of river rock weigh?

A cubic yard of river rock typically weighs between 2,600 and 2,750 pounds, or approximately 1.35 tons. Because river rock is smooth and rounded, it tends to leave slightly larger air gaps than crushed stone, but its solid mass makes it relatively heavy per cubic yard.

What size river rock should I use?

For general landscaping and plant beds, 1-inch to 2-inch river rock is the most popular choice as it looks proportional and covers ground efficiently. For drainage or dry creek beds, larger 2-inch to 4-inch rocks are better because they allow water to flow freely without washing away.

About this calculator

This river rock calculator helps homeowners and landscapers estimate exact material quantities for outdoor projects. Whether you are filling a decorative garden bed, creating a dry creek for drainage, or laying a durable perimeter around your foundation, ordering the correct amount of stone saves both time and delivery costs.

The calculations are based on the standard density of river rock and dimensional conversions:

Volume (Cubic Feet) = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × (Depth (in) ÷ 12)
Volume (Cubic Yards) = Cubic Feet ÷ 27

Tons Needed = Cubic Yards × 1.35
Bags Needed = Cubic Feet ÷ 0.5 (assuming standard 0.5 cu ft bags)

We highly recommend installing a heavy-duty landscaping fabric or weed barrier underneath your river rock. This prevents weeds from growing through the stones, stops the rocks from slowly sinking into the muddy soil over time, and makes future removal or redesign much easier.