Stone Calculator (Metric)
Enter your area, depth, and stone type to get the cubic feet, cubic yards, tons, and pounds of stone you need.
What your result means
Order stone by the ton or cubic yard, whichever your supplier uses. The pounds figure helps if you're hauling it yourself and need to know your trailer can take the load. Add about 10% to whatever you order to cover settling and spillage at the edges.
How to use this calculator
- Measure the length and width of your area in feet.
- Choose a depth in inches based on use case (decorative vs structural).
- Select the stone type from the dropdown.
- Enter values and read cubic feet, cubic yards, tons, and total pounds.
- Add 10 percent buffer when ordering to cover settling and edge spillage.
The formula
Multiply length by width by depth (in feet) for cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply cubic feet by the stone's density (pounds per cubic foot) to get total pounds, then divide by 2,000 for tons.
Worked example
Say you're filling a 10 by 3 m bed with 7.6 cm of crushed stone. Enter 10, 10, 3, and pick Crushed Stone. You'll get 0.71 m³, 0.71 m³, 1.25 tons, and 2,500 pounds. Order about 1.4 tons to cover settling.
Stone weight by type
| Stone type | Density | Tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed Stone | 100 lb/cf | 1.35 |
| Pea Gravel | 96 lb/cf | 1.30 |
| River Rock | 95 lb/cf | 1.28 |
| Lava Rock | 50 lb/cf | 0.68 |
Tips & gotchas
- Densities here: crushed stone 100 lbs/cf, river rock 95, pea gravel 96, lava rock 50.
- Stone comes by the cubic yard or ton, and buying bulk beats bagged by a wide margin.
- Decorative cover needs only 2 to 7.6 cm. A structural base wants 4 to 6.
- Put landscape fabric down first so weeds don't push through.
- Bigger stones hold up under foot traffic; small ones compact nicely but tend to kick out.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic yard of stone weigh?
Around 1.35 tons for crushed stone. Lighter material like lava rock runs closer to 0.7 tons per yard.
How deep should landscape stone be?
2 to 7.6 cm for decorative ground cover, 4 to 15.2 cm for a driveway or structural base.
What is the cheapest landscape stone?
Crushed limestone or pea gravel, usually about $20 to $50 per ton delivered.
How do I keep stone from spreading into my lawn?
Set plastic, metal, or concrete edging and bury it at least 10.2 cm deep.
Do I need landscape fabric under stone?
For decorative areas, yes, to block weeds. Under a structural base you can skip it.
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