How Much Decomposed Granite for a 16 Foot Circle?
Round areas such as fire pit patios, tree rings and seating circles use less stone than a square of the same width. A 16-foot circle is about 201.1 square feet; at 3 inches that is 2.5 tons of decomposed granite.
Volume and tonnage calculator →The math
- Area: 201.1 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 3 ÷ 12 = 0.250 ft.
- Cubic yards: 201.1 × 0.250 ÷ 27 = 1.86 yd³.
- Tons: × about 1.35 tons per yard = 2.5 tons.
The gravel calculator does this for any size.
Related: How Much Gravel for a 16 Foot Circle?
Decomposed granite needed by depth
| Depth | Cubic yards | Tons of decomposed granite | Tons +10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 1.24 | 1.7 | 1.8 |
| 3 in | 1.86 | 2.5 | 2.8 |
| 4 in | 2.48 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
| 6 in | 3.72 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
Using a circle of stone
A round gravel area is easy to lay out with a stake and string at the center. Set flexible edging along the line and lay fabric inside before the stone goes in. Do not pile stone against tree trunks; leave a gap at the base.
Related: How Much Decomposed Granite for a 6 Foot Circle?
Getting it delivered
If you haul it yourself, a typical half-ton pickup should carry only about half a cubic yard of stone, well under what the bed looks like it can hold. Decomposed granite packs into a firm, natural path when wetted and compacted in thin lifts. Ask your supplier for their own tons-per-yard number, since stone source and moisture change it.
Measuring the area
Use a long tape and measure each side twice. If the ground slopes, measure depth at the high and low ends and average them. Irregular outlines can be broken into simple rectangles, triangles and circles; add the pieces for the total square footage before converting to tons.
Common mistakes
People often forget that compaction reduces volume, so they come up short. Others order clean, round stone where a packable crushed stone with fines would have stayed put. Finally, dumping the whole load in one pile far from the work area adds hours of wheelbarrow trips.
Questions people ask
How many tons of decomposed granite for a 16 ft circle?
About 2.5 tons at 3 inches deep.
How many square feet is a 16 foot circle?
About 201.1 square feet.
How many tons of decomposed granite are in a cubic yard?
Roughly 1.35 tons for planning, but suppliers vary with stone size and moisture.
Should I put landscape fabric under the stone?
On soft or clay soil, a woven geotextile keeps stone from sinking into the dirt and makes the layer last longer.
Related guides
- Gravel for a Fire Pit Area: Best Types and Depth
- How Much Does a Ton of Gravel Cover? Depth Chart
- Tons to Cubic Yards for Gravel: Conversion Chart
- Crushed Stone vs Gravel: Differences and Best Uses
- Geotextile Fabric for Driveways: Woven vs Nonwoven and How Much You Need
- Compacting a Driveway Gravel Base in Lifts
- How Much Pea Gravel for a 16 Foot Circle?
- How Much River Rock for a 16 Foot Circle?
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