YardHow to use the decomposed granite calculator
Calculate decomposed granite
One cubic yard of decomposed granite weighs about 1.4 tons (2,800 lb). Lay DG in lifts of about 1.5 inches, watering and compacting each lift. Estimates only - confirm quantities with your supplier.
- Choose the shape of your area: rectangle, circle or triangle.
- Enter the length and width (or diameter) in feet.
- Enter the depth in inches. Two to three inches over a compacted base is standard for paths and patios.
- Read off the cubic yards, weight in tons and number of bags. Keep the extra allowance at 10 percent or more: DG compacts down noticeably as you roll it.
Loose DG or stabilized DG?
Regular (loose) DG is just crushed granite fines. It is cheap and easy to lay, but it can track indoors on shoes, dust in dry weather and wash in heavy rain. Stabilized DG is mixed with a binder (often a natural resin or polymer) before delivery: it sets firmer, resists erosion and tracks less, and costs more. For a main path or a patio you sit on, stabilized is usually worth it. For garden paths, mulched areas and around trees, loose DG does the job.
How deep and over what base?
| Project | DG depth | Base underneath |
|---|---|---|
| Garden path | 2–3 in | 2 in compacted crusher run |
| Patio | 3 in | 3–4 in compacted crusher run |
| Driveway (light use) | 3–4 in stabilized | 4–6 in compacted base |
| Around trees / xeriscaping | 2 in | Straight over levelled soil and fabric |
Lay DG in lifts of about 1.5 inches, water lightly and compact each lift with a roller or plate compactor. One thick loose layer never packs as hard as two compacted lifts.
Tips before you order
- Edge it firmly with steel, stone or timber: DG creeps sideways under foot traffic without a hard edge.
- Colour varies by quarry (gold, grey, rose and tan are common) and darkens when wet. See a sample from your supplier before covering a large area.
- Keep DG a few inches below door thresholds and drain inlets; it migrates in heavy rain more than gravel does.
- Plan a top-up after the first season: most paths settle a quarter inch or so once they have been rained on and walked on.