Tons of DG for a path, patio or driveway — from area and compacted depth, with the loose-order allowance built in.
Decomposed Granite Calculator
Inputs
Depth is in inches. Entering feet here is the most common ordering mistake.
DG is ordered loose and compacts hard once misted and tamped.
Results
Delivered weight
2.56 tons
V = L × W × (depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27, then × 1.5 tons/yd³
Calculated with BuildCalculators.com
Calculated with BuildCalculators.com · buildcalculators.com/decomposed-granite-calculator
Estimates are for planning only — confirm quantities with your supplier or contractor before ordering.
Decomposed granite — DG at every landscape yard west of the Rockies — is granite weathered and crushed to gravel-sized particles and fines, and it behaves like a natural version of crusher run: order it loose, compact it hard. You enter the COMPACTED depth the path or patio needs; the calculator adds the loose-order allowance and converts at 3,000 lb per yard. The granite fines are what make DG both heavier than clean gravel and able to lock into a firm, natural-looking surface.
V = L × W × (depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27order = yd³ × (1 + compaction ÷ 100)tons = order yd³ × 1.5 tons/yd³1 ton ≈ 72 ft² at 3 in compactedLoose DG is the raw material this calculator prices — right for flat paths, patios and xeriscape beds. Stabilised DG has an organic or polymer binder blended in at the yard, adding $15–$30 a ton and real resistance to rain and slopes. Resin-bound DG is a paving system installed by contractors at several times the cost. The arithmetic is identical for all three; only the per-ton price moves.
Dry DG compacts poorly — the fines need moisture to bind. The working method is: spread loose, mist until damp (not soaked), then plate-compact. Done in 2 inch lifts this produces a surface hard enough to roll a wheelbarrow over without leaving a track. Skip the water and the same tonnage stays soft.
Granite fines fill the voids between particles the way crusher run fines do, so loose DG runs about 3,000 lb per cubic yard against clean gravel’s 2,800. Suppliers quote 1.4–1.65 depending on the pit and moisture; if yours states a figure, use theirs — you are paying by the ton.
Loose DG migrates in channelled water. Flat and gently-sloped paths with edging hold for years with an occasional top-up; grades above about 5% want stabilised product or steps. Crown the surface an inch so rain sheds sideways instead of running down the middle — most washed-out DG paths failed on drainage, not material.
The classic DG job — a walking path, compacted finish.
About 2.6 tons
Under the delivery minimum at many yards — worth collecting in a pickup (two trips at a yard per trip) or combining with another material on one truck.
A seating area, compacted in two 2 inch lifts.
About 6.4 tons
Steel or aluminium edging first, then the DG. A patio compacted against solid edging stays a patio; one without edges becomes a gravel drift by year two.
A DG drive over a compacted road-base layer.
About 21 tons — one truckload and change
For a surface carrying cars, put the DG over 4 inches of compacted crusher run rather than deepening the DG — the base carries the load, the DG is the finish.
At 3,000 lb per loose cubic yard, compacted in place.
| Compacted depth | Coverage per ton |
|---|---|
| 2 in | ≈ 108 ft² |
| 3 in | ≈ 72 ft² |
| 4 in | ≈ 54 ft² |
| 6 in | ≈ 36 ft² |
| Product | Per ton, 2026 | Right for |
|---|---|---|
| Loose DG | $40–$70 | Flat paths, patios, beds, xeriscape |
| Stabilised DG | $55–$100 | Slopes to ~8%, rainy climates, high traffic |
| Resin-bound DG | installed only | Driveways and public paths, contractor job |
Loose DG runs $40–$70 a ton delivered in 2026 — cheapest near western quarries, dearer east of the Rockies where it travels. Colour moves the price: standard gold and tan sit at the bottom of the range, greys and rose tones toward the top.
The $15–$30 a ton premium for stabilised DG buys binder mixed at the yard, and it is the difference between a path that sheds a downpour and one that channels. For most flat gardens loose DG is fine; the moment the path slopes or the climate is wet, stabilised pays for itself in skipped top-ups.
A path is 3 inches of DG on prepared soil. A patio or drive is 2–4 inches of DG over 3–4 inches of compacted base — price both layers before comparing quotes. The crusher run calculator handles the base tonnage.
Plate compactor $60–$100 a day, steel edging $2–$5 a linear foot, landscape fabric about $0.50 a square foot where weeds are the enemy. A weekend and a compactor covers most residential paths; the material is usually the smallest line.
Dry fines will not bind — the surface stays dusty and soft no matter how many passes the compactor makes. Mist until damp, then compact. The colour darkens slightly when the moisture is right.
Above roughly a 5% grade, rain turns a loose DG path into a delivery system for your neighbour’s garden. Stabilised product, steps, or water bars — pick one before the first storm does.
DG holds its shape as a compacted mass but its edges shed particles under foot traffic. Unedged paths widen and thin every season. Steel edging set flush is invisible and permanent.
Same trap as every base material: the truck tips loose yards, the path needs compacted yards, and the gap is 10–20%. Order the calculator’s loose figure, not the compacted one.
About 3,000 lb — 1.5 US tons — loose and dry. The granite fines pack densely, which is why DG runs heavier than clean gravel and why it compacts into a near-solid surface.
At 3 inches compacted, about 72 square feet; at 4 inches, about 54. Divide your area by the coverage and add 10–20% for compaction to get order tons.
Loose DG is the raw material this calculator prices — fine for flat paths and beds. Stabilised DG has a binder mixed in (typically $15–$30 more per ton) and holds up to slopes and rain. Resin-bound DG is a paving product at several times the price, installed like asphalt.
Loose DG on a slope will migrate in heavy rain — that is the honest limitation. Flat areas with edging hold fine. For grades above about 5%, use stabilised DG or step the path; and always crown or cross-slope the surface so water sheds rather than channels.
Tons for driveways, pads and base layers
Tons and cubic yards for gravel, stone, base and sand
Cubic yards and bag counts for any bed
Base course tons for driveways, patios and slabs
Cubic yards, tons and bags for lawns and beds
Recycled base tonnage at recycled prices
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This calculator uses published constants from named industry sources, each asserted in an automated test that runs on every build. The formula is printed with the result above, and any correction we make is logged on the changelog.
It is a planning estimate. It does not replace an engineer, a site visit or a written quote — confirm quantities with your supplier before ordering.