Looking for landscaping stone for your next project, such as a driveway, patio, or walkway renovation? Figuring out just how much stone you need could be tricky and costly if done incorrectly.
When we sell decorative landscaping stones to your local supply yard we usually sell to them by the truckload or ton. These yards in turn, usually offer a better deal when you buy by the ton.
After you find the best stone for your property, you’re also going to want to know the total area these stones or rocks are going to cover so you don’t need to make another trip to the landscape supply yard.
There are some important factors that you need to consider, especially if you want to calculate the total stone you need for your project in one shot. In this article, we are going to share some useful tips and information, so you can buy the right amount of decorative stone easily. You can also use our handy project calculator right here at DiscountRiverRock.com.
This is one of the most important factors that you have to consider, and easily the most overlooked. The thicker you want the stone to cover your area, the more stone you will naturally require to cover the whole landscape. For example, One ton of stone will cover up to 240 square feet with 1” depth, 120 square feet with 2” depth, 80 square feet with 3” depth, etc.
This factor also affects the total amount of stone that you need to buy for your project. For example, you will need about a ton of 1 ½ inches stones for covering up to 240 square feet area.
Different types of decorative stone will have different impacts on how you are going to determine the total amount of stones you need for your landscape. Several types of decorative stones are available on the market, for example, construction rock, sand, flagstone, lava rock, crushed rock, pebble, decomposed granite, etc. For example, you are going to need about a ton of flagstone for covering 80 square feet with a depth of 1” layer.
Different stone shapes will require you to calculate the total amount of stone you need for your property differently. Flat stones are usually able to cover more areas than oval or round stones. Therefore, you are going to use less flat stones than round stones for covering a lot of areas on your property.
There are many other factors that you have to include in your calculation, like weather and drainage. You can consult with us when you want to find the best decorative stones for your needs. Our professional experts have a lot of experience and expertise in the design space.
One of the most popular products in our company is the stone veneer. We have several types of stone veneers that are suitable all projects. We recommend you to use a ton of stone veneers for covering up to 80 square feet. This recommendation is good for you who want to have about 1” thickness of stone veneers on your property.
We have many other product selections that you can choose from our catalog. We update our catalogs regularly, so you will be able to find the best products for any type of job. Thanks for reading!
The coverage area of a ton of stone depends on several factors, including your stone's size and how deep you want to cover the ground. As a general guideline, a ton of stone can cover approximately 240 square feet at a depth of 1 inch, 120 square feet at a depth of 2 inches, or 80 square feet at a depth of 3 inches.
You will probably need more stone to maintain a consistent depth, especially in areas with steeper slopes. It’s recommended to use a laser level to get an idea of how many inches of stone you will need to create an equal surface compared to the more shallow sides of your project, but you may also want to consider creating terraces or retaining walls to help with uneven terrain and reduce the amount of stone needed.
The frequency you replenish or maintain your decorative stone areas mainly depends on factors like foot traffic, weather conditions, and the type of stone you used, but account for around 5-10 years. For areas with high foot traffic and intense weather conditions, you might need to replenish stones more frequently compared to a small stone patio in a covered area.
You can use different stone sizes for the same project, but mixing sizes will affect the overall appearance and may require additional planning or adjustments to the coverage calculations. Common situations to use different stone sizes for the same project are usually for visual interest or to address specific needs, such as drainage or erosion control.
Heavy rainfall or wind can erode the base material and cause stones to shift or sink if the base was not created properly. In colder climates, freezing and thawing can cause stones to shift or become dislodged as well, lowering areas of your stone covered area. In direct sunlight, weeds also tend to grow between stones which will create the need for more frequent maintenance.
Take the guesswork out of your next project! Use our Project Calculator to quickly estimate the materials you need for your landscaping plans. Get started here with our Project Calculator.
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