How Much Decomposed Granite for a 5x100 Walkway?
A 5 by 100 foot walkway is 500 square feet. How much decomposed granite for a 5x100 walkway depends on depth: at 3 inches it is about 4.63 cubic yards or 6.3 tons. Suppliers usually sell by the ton, so the tonnage is the number to give them.
Volume and tonnage calculator →The math for a 5x100 walkway
- Area: 5 × 100 = 500 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 3 ÷ 12 = 0.250 ft.
- Cubic feet: 500 × 0.250 = 125.0 cu ft.
- Cubic yards: ÷ 27 = 4.63 yd³.
- Tons: × 1.35 = 6.3 tons.
The volume and tonnage calculator does this for any size.
Decomposed granite needed by depth
| Depth | Cubic yards | Tons (approx.) | Tons +10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 3.09 | 4.2 | 4.6 |
| 3 in | 4.63 | 6.3 | 6.9 |
| 4 in | 6.17 | 8.3 | 9.2 |
About decomposed granite
DG should be laid in thin lifts, wetted and compacted. Loose DG at a deep depth stays soft and tracks onto shoes. Weight per yard is a planning number; the scale ticket at the yard is the real one.
Preparing the walkway
Dig the path a few inches below grade, compact the bottom, add fabric if needed and install edging on both sides so the material stays on the walk. Since the walkway carries foot traffic, a little extra depth is cheap insurance.
Ordering tips
- Round up. Compaction and uneven ground eat material. Adding about 10 percent is common.
- Delivery size. 6.9 tons fits in a single typical dump truck load; small loads may carry a delivery fee. See how many tons of gravel in a dump truck.
- Bulk vs bags. At this size bulk delivery is usually the practical choice.
- Where it drops. Have the truck dump as close to the walkway as firm ground allows.
Where decomposed granite fits
Best suited to:
- Garden paths and patios with a natural look
- Around trees and in xeriscape designs
- Stabilized DG for accessible paths
Poor fit for:
- Steep grades without a stabilizer
- Areas right outside doors, since fines track in
- Driveways with heavy turning traffic
Quick reference numbers
- Per inch over 100 sq ft: about 0.42 tons of decomposed granite (0.31 cubic yards).
- Per inch over 1,000 sq ft: about 4.2 tons.
- Another size for comparison: a 10x20 area at 4 inches takes about 3.3 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.35 tons per cubic yard.
Mistakes that throw off the order
- Forgetting that compaction shrinks loose material. A loose 4-inch spread of a dense-graded stone may finish closer to 3 inches after rolling.
- Ordering exactly the math. Uneven ground and spillage nearly always need a little more than the flat calculation.
- Using inches as if they were feet. Depth has to be divided by 12 before you multiply; skipping that step inflates the order twelvefold.
- Mixing up cubic yards and tons. Yards are volume, tons are weight; convert with the product’s weight per yard.
Questions people ask
How many tons of decomposed granite for a 5x100 walkway?
About 6.3 tons at 3 inches deep, or 6.9 tons with 10 percent extra.
How many cubic yards is a 5x100 walkway at 3 inches?
About 4.63 cubic yards.
How much does a cubic yard of decomposed granite weigh?
Usually around 1.25 to 1.45 tons, depending on stone size, fines and moisture.
How deep should decomposed granite be for a walkway?
The table above shows 2 to 4 inches. Shallower depths suit top dressing; deeper depths suit new installs and heavier use.
How many square feet is 5x100?
500 square feet.
Related guides
- Crushed Stone vs Gravel: Differences and Best Uses
- Tons to Cubic Yards for Gravel: Conversion Chart
- How Many Tons of Gravel in a Dump Truck? Loads and Coverage
- How Much Does a Ton of Gravel Cover? Depth Chart
- How Much Decomposed Granite for a 5x60 Walkway?
- How Much Decomposed Granite for a 5x75 Walkway?
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