DG for paths and patios · compacted depth, tons and prices
Decomposed granite calculator
Enter length, width and the finished depth to calculate decomposed granite (DG) in cubic yards and US tons. DG shrinks when it is compacted, so order more loose material: producers publish 6.7% to 33.3% extra.
How much decomposed granite you need
Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, tons and bags
The short answer
How much decomposed granite do I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches, then divide by 324 for cubic yards. A 30 × 4 ft path at 3 in needs 30 ft³, or 1.11 cubic yards, which is about 1.39 US tons at the Outdoor Warehouse Supply figure of 2,500 lb per cubic yard (1.25 tons per yard). That is the loose volume. For a finished 3-inch path, order 1.19 to 1.48 loose yards instead, using the compaction figures below.
Depth by use
How deep should decomposed granite be?
3 inches compacted for anything you walk on, 4 inches for anything you drive on. Those are the minimums the DG producers below publish, all measured after compaction. The one exception is wax-coated pathway mix, which Kafka Granite allows at 2 inches; it does not recommend 2 inches of standard or stabilized DG.
| Use | DG surface | Base underneath | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking path or patio | 3 in minimum | 4–6 in compacted road base | Kafka Granite, standard and stabilized mix |
| Driveway or vehicle area | 4 in minimum | 8–12 in compacted base | Kafka Granite, standard and stabilized mix |
| Walking path, wax-coated mix only | 2 in minimum | As for a walking path | Kafka Granite |
| Stabilized path, light / heavy traffic | 3 in / 4 in | 3 in compacted DOT crushed road base | Stabilizer Solutions installation sheet (©2008–11) |
Calculate the base as its own layer with the road base calculator, or the paver base calculator for a patio. Kafka recommends laying DG deeper than 3 inches in 2–3 inch lifts.
The calculation
How to calculate decomposed granite
- Measure inside the edging.Length × width in feet of the area the DG will fill. Edging holds the edge of the path, so measure between its inside faces.
- Pick the compacted depth for the traffic.3 in minimum for a walkway or patio and 4 in minimum where vehicles drive, the depths DG producers specify. The base underneath is a separate layer.
- Convert to cubic yards.Length × width × depth in inches ÷ 324. A 30 × 4 ft path at 3 in is 1.11 yd³ once compacted.
- Add the loose allowance, then convert to tons.Multiply by the producer’s loose-to-compacted factor (6.7% to 33.3% extra in the figures below), then by the weight per yard ÷ 2,000.
Rectangle · US measurements
Length × Width × Depth ÷ 324
Feet × feet × inches → cubic yards
Cubic yards × 2,500 ÷ 2,000
Cubic yards × lb/yd³ → US tons at the reference weight
Read the full calculation method ↗Worked examples
Decomposed granite calculator examples
At 92.59 lb/ft³, before any allowance. Open one to load it into the calculator.
| Project | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 30 × 4 ft path at 3 in | 30 ft³ · 1.11 yd³ | 1.39 US tons |
| 12 × 12 ft patio at 3 in | 36 ft³ · 1.33 yd³ | 1.67 US tons |
| 20 × 15 ft parking pad at 4 in | 100 ft³ · 3.7 yd³ | 4.63 US tons |
Bulk quantities
How much does a ton or a cubic yard of decomposed granite cover?
One US ton at 2,500 lb per cubic yard is 0.8 cubic yards (21.6 ft³).
| Depth | One US ton covers | Tons for 100 ft² |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 129.6 ft² | 0.77 tons |
| 3 in | 86.4 ft² | 1.16 tons |
| 4 in | 64.8 ft² | 1.54 tons |
Why the density matters
How much does a yard of decomposed granite weigh?
One cubic yard of decomposed granite weighs 2,400 to 3,000 lb (1.2 to 1.5 US tons) across the published figures below, and 2,500 lb (1.25 US tons) at the calculator’s preset.
| Product | Publisher | lb per yd³ | Tons per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decomposed Granite, 1/4 inch minus | Outdoor Warehouse Supply | 2,500 | 1.25 |
| Decomposed Granite North | Sutherland Landscape Supplies | 2,400 | 1.2 |
| Decomposed granite for stabilized paving | GraniteCrete | 3,000 | 1.5 |
Enter your supplier’s figure under Material & allowance. For gravel in general, see how much a yard of gravel weighs, which lists each supplier weight per yard in our ledger with its source and recorded date.
Published prices
How much does decomposed granite cost?
Public price lists from 6 suppliers give a median of $120.00 per cubic yard ($74.95–$139.50, 4 lists) and $43.00–$54.00 per ton (3 prices from 2 lists), before delivery. At this page’s reference weight of 2,500 lb per yard, those per-ton prices work out to about $53.75–$67.50 per cubic yard.
| Supplier | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Garden Materials Houston, TX | Decomposed Granite 1/4 inch | $104.99 per cubic yard Pickup; delivery at checkout |
| Bedrock Landscaping Materials Denver, CO | Tan Breeze (crusher fines) | $43.00 per ton Delivery extra (flat fee by distance) |
| Bedrock Landscaping Materials Denver, CO | Colorado Red Breeze (crusher fines) | $54.00 per ton Delivery extra (flat fee by distance) |
| Ainsworth Rock Sales Denver, CO | Gray Breeze (crusher fines) | $52.95 per ton Delivery and tax not stated |
| Sequoia Landscape Materials Santa Rosa, CA | Decomposed Granite, Gold | $139.50 per cubic yard Delivery extra |
| Outdoor Warehouse Supply Lewisville, TX | Decomposed Granite 1/4 inch minus (approx. 1.25 tons) | $135.00 per cubic yard Delivery extra; full or half yards only |
| Sutherland Landscape Supplies Chico, CA | Decomposed Granite North (2,400 lb per yard) | $74.95 per cubic yard Priced per yard; delivery not stated |
Per-ton and per-yard prices are not comparable until you convert with the product’s own weight per yard. Delivery fees, minimum orders and the other materials we track are on the gravel prices page.
Loose versus compacted
How much extra decomposed granite to order for compaction
Between 6.7% and 33.3%, depending on the product. Three producers publish how much their material shrinks, in their own units: two as tons per loose and compacted yard, one as a loose depth for a finished depth. Applied to the 30 × 4 ft path at 3 in, which is 1.11 yd³ compacted:
| Producer and product | Published figure | Extra to order | Loose yd³ (tons) |
|---|---|---|---|
| GraniteCrete DG for stabilized paving | 1.5 tons per yard loose, 1.60 compacted | 6.7% | 1.19 yd³ (1.48 t) |
| Front Range Material crusher fines | 1.5 tons per yard loose, 1.8 compacted | 20% | 1.33 yd³ (1.67 t) |
| Kafka Granite wax pathway mix | Lay 4 in loose for a 3 in finished depth | 33.3% | 1.48 yd³ (1.85 t) |
Enter the percentage for your product as the extra allowance under Material & allowance. For loose decorative stone that is not compacted, use the landscape rock calculator.
Natural, stabilized or polymer
What stabilized DG adds to the order
The aggregate volume stays the same; the binder, water and how you compact change. Each maker’s own instructions, applied to the 120 ft² example path:
| Type | Maker’s rate | For 120 ft² |
|---|---|---|
| Natural (unstabilized) DG | No binder: water and compact | 1.19–1.48 loose yd³ at 3 in |
| Organic binder Stabilizer Solutions | 12–15 lb binder and 25–45 gal water per ton; one ton covers 65 ft² at 3 in; compact to 85% with no vibratory plate | 1.85 t aggregate, 22–28 lb binder, 46–83 gal water |
| Liquid polymer TechniSoil G3 | 1.5–2 in surface layer over a compacted base; one 5-gallon pail treats up to 75 ft² | 2 pails (10 gal) |
The Stabilizer Solutions sheet is dated ©2008–11; check the current rate with the maker. Its 65 ft² per ton at 3 inches is lower than the loose coverage tables above because the sheet measures depth after compaction.
Before you order
Frequently asked questions about decomposed granite
Can decomposed granite be 2 inches deep?
Only as a wax-coated pathway mix. Kafka Granite does not recommend a 2-inch layer of standard or stabilized DG, and specifies 3 inches compacted as the minimum for foot traffic.
Is decomposed granite better than pea gravel for a path?
They behave differently. DG packs into a firm surface when compacted; pea gravel stays loose and rolls underfoot. The pea gravel calculator opens on pea gravel’s published weights if you want to compare tonnage.
References
- Decomposed Granite, 1/4 inch minus: 2,500 lb/yd³, Outdoor Warehouse Supply. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Decomposed Granite North: 2,400 lb/yd³, Sutherland Landscape Supplies. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Decomposed granite for stabilized paving: 1.5 US tons/yd³, GraniteCrete. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Standard Pathway Mix, Kafka Granite. Recorded September 24, 2026
- How much aggregate you should order for your pathway, Kafka Granite. Recorded September 24, 2026
- Stabilizer pedestrian installation sheet (©2008–11), Stabilizer Solutions. Recorded September 24, 2026
- crusher fines: 1.5 tons per yard loose, 1.8 compacted, Front Range Material. Recorded September 24, 2026
- wax pathway mix: Lay 4 in loose for a 3 in finished depth, Kafka Granite. Recorded September 24, 2026
- G3 Pathway Stabilizer FAQ, TechniSoil Industrial. Recorded September 24, 2026
About these calculations
Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. Each figure links to its source; recorded dates are shown with the figures or in the gravel weight and price ledgers, and the arithmetic is covered by automated tests. The 2,500 lb per cubic yard preset is Outdoor Warehouse Supply’s approximate published weight for its 1/4 inch minus decomposed granite. How this page was made · Report an error