River Rock Calculator

Calculate how much river rock you need in cubic yards and tons for landscaping beds, borders, and dry creek beds. Covers Mexican beach pebbles, standard river rock, and large landscape stones.

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ft
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Cubic Yards
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Tons —
Weight (lbs) —
Extended More scenarios, charts & detailed breakdown ▾
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ft
in
Cubic Yards
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Tons —
Professional Full parameters & maximum detail ▾
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ft
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$

Quantities

Cubic Yards —
Tons —
Weight (lbs) —

Site Materials & Cost

Weed Barrier (sq ft) —
Edging (lin ft) —
Est. Material Cost —
Application Note —

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter the length and width in feet.
  2. Set the depth in inches — 3 in for most landscape applications.
  3. Use Extended tabs to select stone type. Professional tab adds weed barrier, edging, and cost estimate.

Formula

Cubic Feet = Length × Width × (Depth_in ÷ 12)

Cubic Yards = Cubic Feet ÷ 27

Tons = Cubic Yards × 1.5 (standard river rock density)

Example

Example: 15 ft × 8 ft bed, 3 in deep → 15 × 8 × 0.25 = 30 cu ft → 1.11 cu yd → 1.67 tons of river rock.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • River rock typically weighs 1.5 tons (3,000 lbs) per cubic yard. Mexican beach pebbles are slightly lighter at ~1.45 tons/yard; large stones can be ~1.55 tons/yard.
  • Use 2–3 inches for decorative Mexican beach pebbles, 3 inches for standard river rock in beds and borders, and 4–6 inches for drainage applications or dry creek beds.
  • A typical 12 ft × 3 ft dry creek bed at 4 inches deep needs about 0.44 cubic yards (0.67 tons) of river rock.
  • Yes for small and medium rocks. Large stones (3–5 in) can be laid directly on soil for erosion control, but smaller decorative rocks benefit from weed barrier to prevent mixing with soil.
  • River rock typically costs $150–$400 per ton depending on type, color, and region. Mexican beach pebbles are on the higher end; standard local river rock is more affordable.

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Sources & References (5) ▾
  1. Lowe's River Rock Guide — Lowe's
  2. Home Depot Landscaping Rock — Home Depot
  3. UC Cooperative Extension – Landscape Materials — University of California Cooperative Extension
  4. ASLA – Landscape Architecture Guide — American Society of Landscape Architects
  5. Cornell University Cooperative Extension – Landscaping — Cornell Cooperative Extension