We Are A Full-Service Landscaping Company in Orlando, FL

How Much Landscape Rock Do I Need?

How Much Landscape Rock Do I Need | Landscape Improvemets

When it comes to landscaping your outdoor spaces, going through the DIY route isn’t a bad idea. It might even feel rewarding once you’ve finished the project. It would also be a good conversation topic of how you did your landscaping all by yourself when visitors come over and admire your yard.

When you do landscaping by yourself, make sure to purchase enough materials for your project. That way, you won’t be wasting time, labor, and money with the task at hand. Aside from plants and grass, adding landscape rocks to your project can add to the aesthetics of your yard. If you’re wondering how to determine just how many landscape rocks you’ll need, then whip out your calculators because this post is for you.

Factors to Consider

Accurately calculating how many landscape rocks you’ll need is a must  before you head to the store. It will make your DIY project more fun and less of a source of headaches. If you don’t buy enough rocks, then some spots of your landscape will look sparse or you’ll have to make another trip to the lawn and garden store. On the contrary, if you buy too many, you’ll be wasting money that could’ve been allocated to other aspects of your project.

When calculating how many landscape rocks you need, there are generally two factors to consider:

  1. The size of the space that needs to be covered
  2. Your desired depth of the coverage

How Do I Calculate How Much I Need?

Generally, landscape rock is sold in cubic yards, and it may come in bags or bulk. However, it still depends on where you purchase your landscape rocks. If it’s priced by volume, then you have to calculate it in cubic yards. On the other hand, you need to calculate it in tons if it’s priced by weight.

Here are some formulas to help you figure out how many landscape rocks you’ll be needing for your project. The materials you’ll be needing are a measuring tape and a calculator.

4.Cutting Grass Too Short

Every now and then, you have to bring out the lawnmower to cut the grass and keep your lawn looking presentable. The problem is many people think cutting the grass really short means they can afford to mow the lawn less often. This is understandable, but doing so can actually do more harm than good. 

Going too low can result in bare patches that doesn’t only make the lawn unsightly, but can also become a breeding ground for pests. 

Cubic Yards

Step 1: Using a tape measure, measure the length of the area in feet.

Step 2: Again, using a tape measure, measure the width of the area in feet.

Step 3: Use the formula Length X Width = Area to find the area that needs to be covered. This formula will give you the square footage of the area.

Step 4: Determine the depth of the stone coverage. Depending on the type of project you’re doing, you might need to consult with a professional to get an idea of the ideal depth of the task. For instance, landscape rocks for mulching and landscape rocks for a driveway have different ideal depths.

Step 5: Once you’ve determined the ideal depth of your project, measure in inches how high you want it to be.

Step 6: Calculate the volume by using this formula: Area X Depth =?

Step 7: Take your answer from the formula from step 6 and divide it by 324. That way, you’ll get the number of cubic yards you’ll need for your landscape project.

Tons

Step 1: Using a tape measure, measure the length of the area in feet.

Step 2: Then, measure the width of the area in feet with the tape measure.

Step 3: Use the formula Length X Width = Area to find the area that needs to be covered. This formula will give you the square footage of the area.

Step 4: Determine the depth of the stone coverage. Depending on the type of project you’re doing, you might need to consult with a professional to get an idea of the ideal depth of the task.

Step 5: When you’ve determined the correct depth your project needs, measure how high you want to stone in feet.

Step 6: Compute for its volume through the formula: Area X Depth =?

Step 7: Divide your answer on step 6 by 21.6. The solution will give you the number of cubic feet in a ton. Your answer is now the number of tons needed by your project.

Chart for General Estimates

How many landscape rocks you’ll need will depend partly on the size of the stones you’ll be using. Here is a chart that will help you get general estimates. You’ll have an idea of how large the area that one ton of different types of materials will cover.

 

Type of Material

Suggested Depth

Coverage Area – 1 Ton of Rock

3”-8” rock (75-200 mm)

3”-8” (75-200 mm)

60 square feet (5.6 sqm)

1”-3” rock (25-75 mm)

1”-3” (25-75 mm)

80 square feet (7.4 sqm)

¾”-1” screened gravel (19-25 mm)

2” (50 mm)

100 square feet (9.3 sqm)

½”-⅝” screened gravel (12-15 mm)

2” (50 mm)

120 square feet (11.1 sqm)

¼”-⅜” screened gravel (6-9 mm)

2” (50 mm)

140 square feet (13 sqm)

Tips When Buying Landscape Rocks

  • They’re sometimes called decorative rocks. You can use them in various ways to make your landscape more aesthetically pleasing. Use them to frame landscape elements or create borders and walkways.
  • Ensure that the area is properly graded first before you lay down the rocks. If not, then the weight of the rocks may contribute to drainage issues.
  • The standard dimensions of landscape rocks you’ll find in the market will be ¼ and ⅜ inch. From there, they’ll move up ½ and ¾ inches. The next ones will be 1 and 1 ¼ inches in size.
  • Landscape rocks are usually available in bulk or bagged form. Smaller quantities and smaller sizes like pea gravel and pebbles are generally the ones in bagged form.
  • The typical depth that landscape rocks are installed in is approximately 2 inches. When buying landscape rocks, make sure to buy them all at once to ensure that they all have the same color.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a seasoned landscaper or a DIY enthusiast, getting the right amount of landscape rocks for a project is an important task. When you calculate the right amount, you get to save money, time, and effort, and you can focus more on the task at hand.

If you’re not sure of the depth that’s ideal for your project, or you’re having trouble calculating the right amount of landscape rocks, you can always ask us to do it for you. Landscape Improvements has been around since 1992, and we have been beautifying outdoor spaces for numerous Orlando properties. Give us a call at 407-606-7326 or send us an email at info@landscapeimprovementsfl.com now.

Landscape Improvements
Design and Maintenance Brochure

Family Owned Since 1992
We create beautiful landscapes and outdoor living spaces.

Landscape Improvements Design & Maintenance Brochure

Landscape Improvements Careers