Calculators · River Rock Calculator

Landscaping

River Rock Calculator

Enter a bed or border and a depth to get tons and cubic yards of river rock, or see how far a ton goes.

Area 1

Shape

Length

Width

Depth

Extra to add (%)

Optional. For waste or settling. Empty means 0.

River rock source and size

Sets the weight of one cubic yard. The sources do not agree, so pick the one closest to your product or choose “Custom density”.

Density

Type the density of your material.

How to calculate how much river rock you need

River rock is sold by the ton or by the cubic yard. Start with the volume of the bed, border or channel, then turn it into weight with the density of the rock you are buying.

Step	Formula
1. Cubic feet	length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft)
2. Cubic yards	cubic feet ÷ 27
3. Pounds	cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard
4. Short tons	pounds ÷ 2,000

A depth in inches must be divided by 12 before you multiply, because 3 inches is 0.25 feet. This calculator does it for you, and it also reads measurements typed like 10'6" or 10 ft 6 in. For a round bed or a tree ring, pick “Circle” and type the diameter. For a dry creek bed, use its length and its average width. Add one area for each separate piece and the total updates as you type.

Example: a garden bed

A bed measures 8 ft by 12 ft and you want 3 inches of river rock. The figure used here is 2,950 pounds per cubic yard, the midpoint of the 2,700 to 3,200 range that GoodGravel gives for river rock.

Step	Operation	Result
Cubic feet	8 × 12 × (3 ÷ 12)	24.00 ft³
Cubic yards	24 ÷ 27	0.8889 yd³
Pounds	0.8889 × 2,950	2,622 lb
Short tons	2,622 ÷ 2,000	1.31 tons

With the GoodGravel range instead of the midpoint, the same bed weighs 1.20 to 1.42 tons. Across all the sources in the next table, from 2,410 to 3,500 pounds per cubic yard, it weighs 1.07 to 1.56 tons. That spread is why the result shows both ranges next to the single figure.

How much does a cubic yard of river rock weigh?

The sources we checked in October 2026 do not agree, and the size of the stone is only part of the reason. GoodGravel is an information site and gives one range for every size band. Stone Centers, a stone supplier in Ohio, also gives a range. Rohrer’s Quarry in Pennsylvania gives a separate factor for three sizes of River Jack. It does not say which ton its calculator uses, and as a US quarry we read it as the 2,000 lb short ton, converting tons per cubic foot × 2,000 × 27.

Source and product	Pounds per yd³	Tons per yd³
GoodGravel, river rock (all size bands)	2,700 to 3,200	1.35 to 1.60
Stone Centers, river rock	2,800 to 3,500	1.40 to 1.75
Rohrer’s, 3/8 in River Jack	2,447	1.22
Rohrer’s, 3/4 in River Jack	2,532	1.27
Rohrer’s, 1 to 3 in River Jack	2,571	1.29
Southwest Boulder & Stone, most landscape rock	2,500	1.25
Gravelshop, all its river gravel and rock	2,410	1.21

Gravelshop lists 22 river gravel, river rock and pea gravel products by size, from 3/8 inch to 7 inches, and its calculator uses the same 2,410 for every one of them, then adds 15% for compression. Southwest Boulder & Stone says one cubic yard is 1.25 tons for most landscape rock except lava rock and mulch. No source we opened gives a weight of its own for 3 to 5 inch rock. For those sizes pick the closest figure or choose “Custom density” and type the one from your supplier.

How many square feet does a ton of river rock cover?

A ton fills 2,000 ÷ (pounds per cubic yard) cubic yards, and a cubic yard spread over a surface covers 324 ÷ depth in inches square feet. The table uses the lowest figure, the midpoint of the GoodGravel range and the highest figure from the table above. The second tab of the calculator does the same for any amount and depth.

Weight of a cubic yard	2 in	3 in	4 in	6 in
2,410 lb (1.21 tons)	134	90	67	45
2,950 lb (1.48 tons)	110	73	55	37
3,500 lb (1.75 tons)	93	62	46	31

GoodGravel says one ton of 1 to 2 inch rock covers about 100 square feet at 2 inches, and the Hello Gravel river rock product page lists the same figure next to about 2,700 pounds per cubic yard. By the formula above, 2,700 pounds gives about 120, so treat 100 as a rounded rule of thumb. Both figures were checked in October 2026.

River rock sizes and where each one fits

GoodGravel sells and describes river rock in size bands. The weight per cubic yard does not change by band in its table, but the use does.

Size band	Where it is used
3/4 to 1 inch	Ground cover in beds, between pavers and around foundations. It rolls like large pea gravel and needs edging.
1 to 2 inches (egg rock)	The most popular size. Beds, dry creek beds, downspout drainage and borders.
2 to 3 inches	Dry creek beds and swales that move real water.
3 to 5 inches	Creek bed edges, accent stone and erosion control on gentle slopes.
5 to 8 inches (cobbles)	Set by hand as creek bed banks, water feature edging and retaining stone.

Tips for ordering river rock

Lay landscape fabric first. GoodGravel says the rock sinks into the soil without it.
Measure a dry creek bed by its length and average width. Add the border stones as separate areas.
GoodGravel notes that river rock is heavy and awkward to shovel, so plan on a wheelbarrow or a skid steer.
Use the extra box for the allowance your supplier or designer recommends. It raises the volume and the weight together.
For gravel that has to hold under feet or tires, see the crushed stone calculator. For a mix of stones, use the stone calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate how much river rock I need?

Multiply length by width by depth, all in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. Turn inches of depth into feet by dividing by 12. Multiply the cubic yards by the weight of one cubic yard of your rock and divide by 2,000 to get short tons. A bed of 8 ft by 12 ft at 3 inches deep is 8 × 12 × 0.25 = 24 cubic feet, and 24 ÷ 27 = 0.89 cubic yards.

How many square feet does 1 ton of river rock cover?

At 2,950 pounds per cubic yard, the midpoint of the GoodGravel range, one ton covers about 110 square feet at 2 inches, 73 at 3 inches and 55 at 4 inches. Across all the sources we checked, from 2,410 to 3,500 pounds per cubic yard, one ton covers 93 to 134 square feet at 2 inches. GoodGravel and the Hello Gravel river rock product page both give a rule of thumb of about 100 square feet at 2 inches.

How much does 4 yards of river rock cover?

Four cubic yards is 108 cubic feet. Divide that by the depth in feet. It covers 648 square feet at 2 inches, 432 at 3 inches and 324 at 4 inches. This is geometry, so it is the same for every size of rock.

How much does 1 yard of 2 inch river rock weigh?

No source we checked gives a weight for 2 inch rock on its own. GoodGravel gives 2,700 to 3,200 pounds per cubic yard for river rock in every size band, and Stone Centers gives 2,800 to 3,500. Rohrer’s Quarry lists 2,571 pounds for its 1 to 3 inch River Jack. Weigh a sample or ask your supplier for the figure of the rock you are buying.

How deep should river rock be?

GoodGravel recommends 2 to 3 inches over landscape fabric for garden beds, and Stone Centers says at least 2 inches for decorative areas. Follow your designer or contractor if you have one.

Can I use river rock for a driveway or a walkway?

GoodGravel advises against river rock as a driveway, walkway or patio surface. Rounded stone does not lock together, so it never packs and it rolls underfoot. River rock works best in beds, borders, drainage and dry creek beds. For surfaces you drive on, see the crushed stone calculator.

What goes under river rock?

GoodGravel recommends heavy landscape fabric over the soil before the rock goes down. It says that without the fabric the rock sinks into the soil and weeds come up through it. The fabric does not change the amount of rock, so it is not part of this calculation.