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Contractors & trades / Landscape Stone Calculator

Landscape Stone Calculator

Tons of river rock or landscape stone for a bed, and a job price with labor and markup.

Enter a number of at least 0

Enter a number of at least 0

Enter a number from 0 to 48

2–3 in for river rock and decorative stone, 4 in for crushed stone paths.

%

Enter a number from 0 to 100%

Enter a number from 0.1 to 3

Typical figure, not exact: river rock and crushed stone usually weigh 1.3–1.5 tons per yd³. Lava rock is far lighter. Ask your supplier.

$

Enter a number of at least 0

Typical bulk river rock price, not a quote. Crushed stone is often cheaper, decorative stone dearer.

Turn on to price the job, not just the material.

h

Enter a number from 0 to 10000

Total crew hours, including fabric and edging if you install them.

$

Enter a number of at least 0

What one crew hour costs you, including payroll taxes.

%

Enter a number from 0 to 500%

Added on top of materials + labor. A 30% markup is a 23% margin.

Job price
$940.69
4.28tons
3.06cubic yards
70sq ft per ton
$0job price $940.69
  • Materials
  • Labor
  • Profit
Bed area300 sq ft
Stone to order4.28 tons · 3.06 yd³
Materials · 4.28 tons × $85.00$363.61
Labor · 8 h × $45.00$360.00
Markup · 30% on cost$217.08
Job price$940.69

Profit is 23.1% of the price. Bagged river rock costs far more per ton than bulk, so price bulk for anything over a few bags.

Turn this into a quote

A one-page PDF for your customer, filled in from the numbers above. Your markup isn't shown.

Quote total
Job done? Make an invoice from this →
See breakdown

How the landscape stone calculation works

  1. Cubic feet = length × width × depth in feet

    A 30 × 10 ft bed at 3 in deep is 30 × 10 × 0.25 = 75 cu ft.

  2. Convert to yards and add a margin

    75 ÷ 27 = 2.78 yd³. With 10% extra for settling it is 3.06 yd³.

  3. Multiply by the weight to get tons

    At a typical 1.4 tons per yard, 3.06 yd³ is 4.28 tons. Each ton covers about 77 sq ft at 3 in, or about 70 sq ft once the 10% extra is counted.

  4. Add labor and markup

    Crew hours for fabric, edging and spreading at your hourly cost, plus your markup on the total cost, is the price to quote.

Worked example. A 30 × 10 ft bed with 3 in of river rock and 10% extra needs 3.06 yd³, about 4.28 tons at 1.4 tons per yard. At $85 a ton the stone costs $363.61. With 8 labor hours at $45 ($360) and a 30% markup ($217.08), the job price is $940.69.

Landscape Stone FAQ

How many tons of river rock do I need?

Find cubic yards (length × width × depth in feet ÷ 27) and multiply by the weight per yard, typically about 1.4 tons. A 300 sq ft bed at 3 in needs about 3.9 tons before any extra.

How much area does a ton of stone cover?

At a typical 1.4 tons per yard, one ton covers about 116 sq ft at 2 in deep, 77 sq ft at 3 in and 58 sq ft at 4 in.

How deep should river rock be?

2–3 in for most decorative beds over landscape fabric. Larger stone of 3 in and up needs at least 3–4 in to cover the fabric.

How much does a ton of 57 stone or 3/4 crushed stone weigh per yard?

Washed #57 and 3/4 in crushed stone usually run about 1.4–1.5 tons per cubic yard. Use your quarry's figure if it gives one.

How do I price a landscape rock job?

Add the stone, fabric, edging and delivery, then crew hours at your full hourly cost, then your markup. Many landscapers also check the result as a price per square foot.

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