Rock calculator

A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 1 inch deep needs 0.31 cubic yards of rock, about 0.4 tons at 2,570 lb per loose cubic yard. The calculator uses 2,570 lb per loose cubic yard (Los Angeles County Public Works).

Shape of the area

Length

Width

Depth

Result

0.4 tons

A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 1 inch deep needs 0.31 cubic yards of rock, about 0.4 tons at 2,570 lb per loose cubic yard.

Cubic yards: 0.31
Cubic feet: 8.3
Tons: 0.4
Pounds: 793
Tons at the published range, same condition: 0.37–0.4
Rounded up to the next half yard: 0.5 yd³

How it is calculated

Area = 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft.
Volume = 100 sq ft × 1 in ÷ 12 = 8.33 cu ft.
Cubic yards = 8.33 ÷ 27 = 0.309 yd³.
Weight = 0.309 yd³ × 2,570 lb/yd³ = 793 lb; ÷ 2,000 lb per ton = 0.4 tons.

How to calculate rock in cubic yards and tons

The worked numbers use the calculator's defaults: a 10 ft by 10 ft area 1 inch deep, the calculator's default depth for rock.

Step 1: area in square feet

Rectangle: length × width

Circle: π × diameter² ÷ 4

Triangle: base × height ÷ 2

Example 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft

Split an irregular area into rectangles, circles and triangles and add their areas.

Step 2: cubic feet from area and depth

Cubic feet = area in sq ft × depth in inches ÷ 12

Example 100 × 1 ÷ 12 = 8.33 cu ft

Step 3: cubic yards from cubic feet

Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27

Example 8.33 ÷ 27 = 0.309 cubic yards

Step 4: tons from cubic yards

Tons = cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard ÷ 2,000

Example Rock at 2,570 lb per loose cubic yard (Los Angeles County Public Works): 0.309 × 2,570 ÷ 2,000 = 0.4 tons

Rock for common areas

Rock for areas of 50 to 1,000 sq ft at the published depths: cubic yards and tons at 2,570 lb per loose cubic yard
Area, sq ft	1 inch deep
50	0.15 yd³ · 0.2 t
100	0.31 yd³ · 0.4 t
200	0.62 yd³ · 0.79 t
500	1.54 yd³ · 1.98 t
1,000	3.09 yd³ · 3.97 t

How much does a yard of rock cover?

One cubic yard of rock covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep; one ton at 2,570 lb per loose cubic yard covers 252 sq ft at the same depth.

Square feet one cubic yard and one ton (at 2,570 lb per loose cubic yard) of rock covers by depth
Depth, in	1 cubic yard covers, sq ft	1 ton covers, sq ft
1	324	252
2	162	126
3	108	84
4	81	63

1 cubic yard
1 ton

Area one cubic yard and one ton of rock covers by depth.

Recommended rock depth by use

The published depth for rock is 1 inch, for one use: landscape mulch layer (gravel, pebbles, stones).

Rock depths as published, with the area one cubic yard covers at that depth
Use	Depth, in	1 cubic yard covers, sq ft	Source
Landscape mulch layer (gravel, pebbles, stones)	1	324	Mississippi State University Extension

Rock weight per cubic yard

A loose cubic yard of rock weighs about 2,570 lb (1.28 tons) (Los Angeles County Public Works). One ton of rock is about 0.78 cubic yards.

Weight of rock used by the calculator, its document row and condition, with the ranges of published values
Pounds per cubic yard	2,570
Published as	“Rock, loose”, 2,570 lb/yd³, Los Angeles County Public Works; condition: loose.
Published range, same condition, lb	2,400–2,570
Tons per cubic yard	1.29
Cubic yards per ton	0.78

Every published value with its source, and tables of weight by volume and yards by tons: Rock weight.

Rock compared with other gravel and stone

Weight of a cubic yard as published, its condition (loose, compacted or not stated) and cubic yards per ton of the gravel and stone on this site, heaviest first; weights in different conditions are not comparable
Material	Condition	Pounds per cubic yard	Cubic yards per ton
Crusher run	compacted	3,770	0.53
Pea gravel	not stated	2,840	0.7
Sand	loose	2,795	0.72
River rock	not stated	2,650	0.75
Rock	loose	2,570	0.78
Gravel	loose	2,565	0.78

Weight of a cubic yard of the gravel and stone on this site.

Rock questions

How much rock do I need?

A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 1 inch deep needs 0.31 cubic yards of rock, about 0.4 tons at 2,570 lb per loose cubic yard. One cubic yard of rock covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep, so divide the area in square feet by 324 for the cubic yards at that depth.

Why the rock you need can differ from the result

The weight of rock changes with the source, the moisture and how tightly it is packed, so published values differ (here from 2,400 to 2,570 lb per cubic yard across all conditions). Before ordering, ask the supplier for the weight per yard of their own material and enter it as your own density under More options.

No document gives a compacted weight or a compaction factor for rock: a compacted layer takes more than the tons shown, so ask the supplier.

Embed this calculator

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<iframe src="https://calculate.diy/embed/cubic-yard/?material=rock" title="Rock calculator" width="100%" height="720" style="border:0" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://calculate.diy/materials/rock/">Rock calculator</a> by Calculate.diy</p>

Sources

Los Angeles County Public Works, Environmental Programs Division (factors of the California Integrated Waste Management Board) (PDF, date not stated): Converting from Volume to Weight, Conversion Table (Attachment 3)
Seattle Public Utilities (PDF, date not stated): General Measurement Standards and Reporting Guidelines, Volume and Weight Conversion Factors for Recyclables
Pro Green Services (landscape contractor and supplier): Landscape Materials Coverage (coverage per cubic yard, bags, tons per cubic yard)
Mississippi State University Extension (POD-10-20, copyright 2020): Mulches for the Landscape, Publication 2301, Table 1

Values compared with these documents, last on 2026-11-13.

Methodology. For planning only: density and coverage vary with the source, the moisture and compaction, so confirm the weight per yard with your supplier before ordering.