Decomposed granite calculator
Work out how much decomposed granite a path or patio needs in tons and cubic yards, loose and compacted.
Decomposed granite calculator
Use your supplier's density
You need
- Volume
- Weight
- Area
| Order by | Exact | Order, rounded up for anything sold in whole bags |
|---|
Fewer than three independent suppliers publish a density for this material, so treat this range as provisional and use your supplier's figure where you have one.
Enter your measurements to see what to order.
One cubic yard of decomposed granite weighs about 1.38 US tons and covers about 130 square feet at 2.5 in.
How to work out how much decomposed granite you need
- Measure the area in feet and multiply length by width.
- Pick a depth in inches and multiply it by the area to get a volume.
- Multiply the volume by the bulk density, 1632 kg per cubic metre for decomposed granite, to get a weight.
- Divide the weight by your supplier's ton or cubic yard to get what to order, and round up. Suppliers do not sell part bags.
- Add 10 percent. Covers settlement, uneven ground and the material lost around the edges. A second delivery for half a yard costs more than the extra you did not use.
How many tons in a cubic yard of decomposed granite?
About 1.38 US tons, at 1632 kg per cubic metre. Because published densities run from 1483 to 1780, the honest answer is a range: between 1.25 and 1.5 tons per cubic yard depending on grading and how wet the load is.
How many cubic yards in a ton of decomposed granite?
About 0.73 cubic yards. One tonne is about 0.61 cubic metres.
How deep should decomposed granite be laid?
| Use | Depth | What the supplier says |
|---|---|---|
| Path | 2 in to 3 in | Earth Stone Rock: 2 to 3 inches for paths and patios. |
| Patio surface | 1 in to 1.5 in | Earth Stone Rock: 1 to 1.5 inches as a surface layer over a base. |
| Base layer | 4 in to 6 in | Earth Stone Rock: 4 to 6 inches of base. |
How much does decomposed granite weigh?
Between 1483 and 1780 kg per cubic metre, a spread of 20 percent. Loose, as delivered. Two suppliers. A third was dropped after the verifier showed its loose and compacted pair were two ordering factors applied to the same in-place volume, not two measurements. The calculator above uses 1632, and you can replace it with your own supplier's figure.
2 published figures from 2 suppliers, read 2026-09-20.
Fewer than three independent suppliers publish a figure for this material. Treat the range as provisional and use your supplier's own density where you have one.
| Supplier | Published figure | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Roseville Rock Supplyinternational | Decomposed Granite ~3,000 lbs per cubic yard | Unstated (as-delivered yard figure, i.e. loose) |
| North Bay Materialsinternational | Sand, Gravel, DG, Rock, River Cobble: 2,500 - 2,900 lbs. per cubic yard (1.35 tons) | Unstated |
What you can order decomposed granite in
| Pack | Where | Size |
|---|---|---|
| cubic yard | US, CA | 0.765 m3 |
| US ton | US, CA | 907 kg |
| 0.5 cu ft bag | US, CA | 0.014 m3 |