Decomposed Granite Calculator

This decomposed granite calculator gives the tons, cubic yards and loose spread depth for a DG path, patio or driveway, plus the stabilizer a bound surface needs.

By CalcBuilt Editorial TeamUpdated September 9, 2026Formulas checked against manufacturer specs, see how we calculate.

Quick answer: To size decomposed granite, multiply the area by the compacted depth, then divide by 0.80 for the 20 percent the roller takes out. Convert at 1.4 tons per cubic yard. A 200 sq ft path finished 3 in thick needs 3.24 tons, which is 2.31 cubic yards loose plus 39 lb of organic stabilizer at 12 lb per ton.

Your measurements

Cross-section: volume is the area covered times the depth of the layer.

Areasq ftSurface area of the finished DG. For a walk, multiply length by width: a 50 ft walk 4 ft wide is 200 sq ft. Add the flare at a driveway apron.What it is forSets the depth this page checks against and the binder rate. Stabilizer Solutions blends 12 lb per ton for light pedestrian use and 15 lb per ton where vehicles run on it.Compacted depthinFinished thickness after rolling, not the loose depth you rake out. Kafka Granite calls for a minimum 3 in compacted for pedestrian paths and 4 in for vehicles.FinishLoose DG is raked and rolled with water alone. Stabilized DG carries a psyllium seed hull binder blended in dry. Resin coated DG uses a clear polymer poured on and topcoated.Price per ton (optional)$/tonBulk loose DG is typically $35 to $80 per ton in 2026 US retail before delivery. Pre-blended stabilized pathway mix typically runs $110 to $220 per ton.

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Decomposed granite to order3.24 tonsAll results

Results

Decomposed granite to order: 3.24 tons; 2.31 cu yd loose at 1.4 tons per cubic yard, rolled down to 3 in over 200 sq ft
Loose depth to spread: 3.75 in; Rake it this thick, then roll it to 3 in. DG gives up about 20 percent of its loose depth under a roller, and the tonnage above already carries that allowance
Organic stabilizer: 39 lb; 1 bag at 40 lb each, blended dry into the DG at 12 lb per ton before it is placed. Drop spreading it over placed DG is not an approved method
Water to activate the binder: 81 gal to 146 gal; 25 to 45 gal per ton, soaked through the full depth. Wait 6 to 48 hours, then make 3 to 4 passes with a 1 to 5 ton non-vibrating drum roller
Compacted base under it: 2.31 cu yd; 3.24 tons of 3/4 in minus road base, rolled to a 3 in layer at 95 percent before the DG goes down
Accessible route: Firm and stable; A bound DG surface, rolled and cured, is the usual way to meet ADA 302.1 on a walk and ABA 1017.2 on a trail. Keep the tread at least 36 in wide and the cross slope no steeper than 1:48 on a walk. A DG trail may go to 1:20 where drainage needs it

Decomposed Granite formula

Compacted volume (cu ft) = Area (sq ft) x Compacted depth (in) / 12
Loose volume (cu ft) = Compacted volume / 0.80   (DG settles about 20 percent)
Tons = Loose volume / 27 x 1.4
Stabilizer (lb) = Tons x 12   (15 lb per ton for driveways and heavy traffic)
Resin (gal) = Area / 20 + Area / 50   (pour-in coat plus topcoat)

Worked example

A 60 ft walk 4 ft wide is 240 square feet. Finished 3 inches thick, that is 60 cubic feet compacted, 75 cubic feet loose, 2.78 cubic yards, and 3.89 tons. Blended for pedestrian use at 12 pounds per ton it takes 47 pounds of stabilizer, which is two 40 pound bags. Activating the binder takes 97 to 175 gallons of water soaked through the full depth.

The same walk left loose still takes 3.89 tons and saves the binder, the watering and the roller rental. It also gives up the firm and stable surface the 2010 ADA Standards ask for in section 302.1. That is fine for a garden path between beds, and not fine for the walk to a door that has to be accessible.

Quick reference

Decomposed granite per 100 sq ft, compacted depth to loose order (1.4 tons per cubic yard, 20 percent compaction)
Compacted depth	Loose depth	Cubic yards	Tons	Stabilizer at 12 lb per ton
2 in	2-1/2 in	0.77	1.08	13 lb
3 in	3-3/4 in	1.16	1.62	19 lb
4 in	5 in	1.54	2.16	26 lb
6 in	7-1/2 in	2.31	3.24	39 lb

How to size a decomposed granite job

Decomposed granite is sold by the ton, and the number that matters is the compacted depth, not the loose depth you rake out. Multiply the area by the finished depth in feet, then divide by 0.80 to add back the roughly 20 percent the material gives up under a roller. Convert that loose volume to weight at about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.

A 200 square foot walk finished 3 inches thick works out to 50 cubic feet compacted, 62.5 cubic feet loose, 2.31 cubic yards, and 3.24 tons. Stabilizer Solutions publishes 65 square feet of coverage per ton at 3 inches compacted, which would be 3.08 tons for the same walk. This page orders about 5 percent more than the manufacturer figure. That margin covers the loss at the edges and the wheelbarrow spills.

Screened DG varies by quarry, so ask the supplier for the weight per cubic yard of the pile you are buying and for the gradation. Binders only work on a mix that carries fines the whole way down to stone dust. Stabilizer Solutions publishes a sieve envelope for this, and a clean 3/8 in chip with the fines washed out will not bind at any rate.

Loose, stabilized or resin coated

Loose DG is screened granite fines raked and rolled with water. It reads as a natural path, it costs the least, and it moves. It tracks indoors on shoes, it washes off any real slope in a downpour, and it will not hold a wheelchair caster or a cane tip.

Stabilized DG carries an organic binder, usually crushed psyllium seed hull, blended dry into the aggregate before placing. Stabilizer Solutions specifies 12 pounds per ton for light pedestrian use and 15 pounds per ton for heavier traffic. Activating it takes 25 to 45 gallons of water per ton through the full depth. Wait 6 to 48 hours, then compact with a non-vibrating drum roller. The binder is not cement, so the surface still crunches underfoot and still wants a top-up every few years.

Resin coated DG swaps the organic binder for a clear polymer. TechniSoil publishes 20 square feet per gallon for the pour-in coat of G3 Pathway Stabilizer and 50 square feet per gallon for the topcoat. Both rates assume a 1.5 to 2 inch surface layer. It costs the most per square foot, sheds water hardest, and is the usual pick for a driveway apron, a hose-down dog area or a path under deciduous trees.

What this calculator leaves out

The base row assumes a 3 inch compacted layer of crushed road base at the same density as the DG. A clay or soft subgrade takes more, plus geotextile between the soil and the stone. The page does not price delivery, the steel or composite edging that keeps the DG out of the lawn, the roller rental, or the annual top-up load. It also leaves out the blending charge if the yard pre-mixes the binder for you. It does not check the running slope or cross slope of the finished path. It is not a substitute for an accessibility survey where the walk serves a public building.

Code limits that apply

ADA 302.1checked
Ground surfaces on an accessible route are stable, firm and slip resistant
If you miss it: Loose DG ruts under a wheelchair caster, so a walk serving a public entrance fails the accessibility survey
ABA 1017.2
Trail, passing space and resting interval surfaces are firm and stable
If you miss it: An unbound surface deforms after rain and the segment cannot be counted as an accessible trail
ABA 1017.3
Clear tread width of an accessible trail is at least 36 in
If you miss it: A 30 in path cannot pass a wheelchair, so it has to be widened and resurfaced later
ABA 1017.7.2
Cross slope 1:48 on concrete, asphalt or boards; up to 1:20 on DG where drainage needs it
If you miss it: A flatter cross slope ponds water on the DG and the bound surface softens and ravels
ADA 403.3
Walking surface running slope no steeper than 1:20 and cross slope no steeper than 1:48
If you miss it: A steeper walk counts as a ramp and then needs handrails, landings and edge protection

Provision	Limit	If you miss it
ADA 302.1checked	Ground surfaces on an accessible route are stable, firm and slip resistant	Loose DG ruts under a wheelchair caster, so a walk serving a public entrance fails the accessibility survey
ABA 1017.2	Trail, passing space and resting interval surfaces are firm and stable	An unbound surface deforms after rain and the segment cannot be counted as an accessible trail
ABA 1017.3	Clear tread width of an accessible trail is at least 36 in	A 30 in path cannot pass a wheelchair, so it has to be widened and resurfaced later
ABA 1017.7.2	Cross slope 1:48 on concrete, asphalt or boards; up to 1:20 on DG where drainage needs it	A flatter cross slope ponds water on the DG and the bound surface softens and ravels
ADA 403.3	Walking surface running slope no steeper than 1:20 and cross slope no steeper than 1:48	A steeper walk counts as a ramp and then needs handrails, landings and edge protection

Rows marked checked produce a warning in the results when an entry crosses the limit. The others are on the plans or on site and this calculator does not test them. Local amendments can be stricter; the adopted edition and the inspector govern.

Mistakes that cost money

Ordering DG to the finished depth: a 3 in compacted path takes 3-3/4 in loose, so the order lands about 20 percent short.
Drop spreading the binder powder over placed DG instead of blending it dry leaves crusty patches and soft spots that ravel within a year.
Running a vibratory plate over stabilized DG shakes the coarse stone up out of the fines; the spec calls for a non-vibrating drum roller.
Laying DG straight on soil with no compacted road base lets the path pump into the mud and rut under a wheelbarrow wheel.
Under-watering the binder sets the top and leaves the bottom as powder, so the path breaks up once the surface crust wears through.
Grading a bound DG path dead flat: standing water undoes a stabilized surface faster than foot traffic does.

Key facts

Stabilizer Solutions specifies its organic binder at 12 lb per ton of aggregate for light pedestrian use and 15 lb per ton for heavier traffic.
One ton of stabilized decomposed granite covers about 65 sq ft at a 3 in compacted depth, according to Stabilizer Solutions.
Stabilized decomposed granite takes 25 to 45 gallons of water per ton to carry the binder through the full depth before rolling.
Kafka Granite calls for a minimum 3 in of compacted stabilized pathway mix for pedestrian paths and 4 in for vehicular use.
Section 302.1 of the 2010 ADA Standards requires ground surfaces on an accessible route to be stable, firm and slip resistant, which loose decomposed granite is not.

Frequently asked questions

How much decomposed granite do I need?

Multiply the area in square feet by the compacted depth in feet, then divide by 0.80 to add back what the roller takes out. Convert at 1.4 tons per cubic yard. A 200 sq ft path at 3 in compacted needs 3.24 tons, or 2.31 cubic yards loose. Order by weight, since most yards sell DG by the ton.

Does decomposed granite need a stabilizer?

Only where the surface has to stay put. Loose DG is fine for a garden path or a side yard. A walk to a door, a patio under chairs, or any wheelchair route needs a binder. Blend it in at 12 to 15 pounds per ton.

How deep should decomposed granite be?

Three inches compacted for a path or patio and four inches for a driveway, over three inches of compacted road base. Those are Kafka Granite's published minimums for stabilized pathway mix. Spread about 3-3/4 inches loose to finish at 3 inches.

Is decomposed granite ADA compliant?

Stabilized or resin bound DG, watered and rolled properly, is commonly accepted as the firm and stable surface section 302.1 of the 2010 ADA Standards requires. Loose DG is not. Keep the tread at least 36 inches wide and the cross slope no steeper than 1:48.

Sources and references

Stabilizer for aggregate trails, pathways and patios: blending rate, watering and compaction (Stabilizer Solutions)
Stabilized Decomposed Granite and Crushed Stone Pathway Mix (compacted depth and rolling) (Kafka Granite)
Guide to the ADA Standards, Chapter 3: Floor and Ground Surfaces (302.1 firm, stable, slip resistant) (U.S. Access Board)
Guide to the ABA Standards, Chapter 10: Outdoor Developed Areas (1017 trails, surface and tread width) (U.S. Access Board)
G3 Pathway Stabilizer FAQ: coverage per gallon and surface layer thickness (TechniSoil)

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Results are estimates based on standard formulas and typical product specifications. Confirm quantities with your supplier and local code before ordering.