Material calculator
Decomposed Granite calculator
Enter your area and depth to get decomposed granite in tons, cubic yards, bulk bags and delivered cost. Decomposed Granite is placed at about 110 lb per cubic foot, or 1.49 tons per cubic yard.
Your project
Decomposed Granite for pathways, patios and xeriscape surfaces is typically placed 3" deep.
Crews typically order 5-10% extra to cover compaction, spillage and uneven subgrade.
Decomposed Granite required
6.93
US tons (incl. 5% waste)
- Area
- 480 sq ft
- Volume
- 4.67 cu yd
- Volume (cubic feet)
- 126
- Tons per cubic yard
- 1.49
- Bulk bags (1 ton each)
- 7
- Dump truck loads
- 1
- Delivered material cost
- $471
Place in 1.5" lifts and compact damp; stabilised DG with a binder resists washout on any slope over 3%.
How much decomposed granite do you need?
Volume first, weight second. Multiply area in square feet by depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by 1.49 to convert to tons — that is the placed density of decomposed granite at roughly 110 lb per cubic foot.
For pathways, patios and xeriscape surfaces, 3 inches is the standard depth. Going shallower to save on material is a false economy: thin layers rut, migrate and expose the subgrade within a season.
Place in 1.5" lifts and compact damp; stabilised DG with a binder resists washout on any slope over 3%.
Ordering and delivery
Yards sell decomposed granite by the ton but stockpile it by the yard, so quote both numbers when you call. A standard tandem dump truck carries about 15 tons; anything under a ton usually comes in bulk bags at a significant premium per ton.
Delivered pricing runs $40 – $95 per ton depending on haul distance from the quarry. Freight, not the stone itself, is usually the larger half of that number.
Decomposed Granite coverage per ton
At 110 lb per cubic foot placed.
| Depth | Coverage per ton | Tons per 100 sq ft | Cu yd per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1" | 218 sq ft | 0.46 | 0.31 |
| 2" | 109 sq ft | 0.92 | 0.62 |
| 3" | 73 sq ft | 1.38 | 0.93 |
| 4" | 55 sq ft | 1.83 | 1.23 |
| 6" | 36 sq ft | 2.75 | 1.85 |
| 12" | 18 sq ft | 5.5 | 3.7 |
Frequently asked questions
+How many tons of decomposed granite are in a cubic yard?
About 1.49 tons. Decomposed Granite weighs roughly 110 lb per cubic foot placed, and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 27 × 110 ÷ 2,000 = 1.49 tons.
+How much area does a ton of decomposed granite cover?
At 3 inches deep, one ton covers about 73 square feet. At 2 inches it covers roughly 109 square feet.
+How deep should decomposed granite be laid?
3 inches is standard for pathways, patios and xeriscape surfaces. Over soft or clay subgrade, add 2 inches and place a woven geotextile separator so the stone does not disappear into the soil.
+Should I order extra?
Yes — 5 to 10%. Spread depth is never perfectly uniform, the subgrade has low spots, and coming up half a ton short means paying a second delivery fee that often exceeds the value of the material.
+What does decomposed granite cost?
Delivered, $40 – $95 per ton in most US markets, versus $25 – $80 per ton across aggregates generally. Picking it up yourself saves the haul but rarely more than a few dollars a ton once fuel is counted.
+Do I need landscape fabric underneath?
Under decorative stone, yes — it slows weed growth and keeps the stone out of the soil. Under a compacted structural base, use a woven geotextile separator rather than a light weed fabric, which will tear during compaction.