My experience with Mulch Mound was great and super easy. I ordered two yards of screened topsoil and was able to get it delivered within 2 days. They came in my requested time frame (afternoon) and dropped it off where I asked on my driveway. The topsoil was exactly what was a...
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How Much Material Do I Need?
Two to three inches is right for decorative stone in beds, while a compacted base under pavers or a walkway needs four to six inches. One cubic yard covers roughly 160 square feet at two inches deep.
Use our free stone calculator
What is a Yard?
A yard is approximately 27 cubic feet. As a general guideline, one yard of material can cover an area of about 100-160 square feet at a 2-3 inch depth.
My experience with Mulch Mound was great and super easy. I ordered two yards of screened topsoil and was able to get it delivered within 2 days. They came in my requested time frame (afternoon) and dropped it off where I asked on my driveway. The topsoil was exactly what was a...
How Much Material Do I Need?
Two to three inches is right for decorative stone in beds, while a compacted base under pavers or a walkway needs four to six inches. One cubic yard covers roughly 160 square feet at two inches deep.
Use our free stone calculator
What is a Yard?
A yard is approximately 27 cubic feet. As a general guideline, one yard of material can cover an area of about 100-160 square feet at a 2-3 inch depth.
My experience with Mulch Mound was great and super easy. I ordered two yards of screened topsoil and was able to get it delivered within 2 days. Th...
Read full review
My experience with Mulch Mound was great and super easy. I ordered two yards of screened topsoil and was able to get it delivered within 2 days. They came in my requested time frame (afternoon) and dropped it off where I asked on my driveway. The topsoil was exactly what was advertised, clean with no rocks or other debris. The price was reasonable. I plan to use them again in a couple weeks to order compost for my garden beds.
Really appreciate the care and follow thru that this company had with our order. A hiccup came up but they were quick to respond and address all co...
Read full review
Really appreciate the care and follow thru that this company had with our order. A hiccup came up but they were quick to respond and address all concerns, which made our garden day a success! Thank you for your prompt care.
Measure the length and width of each area and decide on your depth before you calculate, since stone depth varies a lot by use. A decorative bed needs two to three inches while a patio base needs four to six inches compacted. Compaction reduces volume by roughly twenty percent, so order extra for any base course you plan to plate compact.
Complete Your Outdoor Stone Project
Add commercial grade landscape fabric under the rock and steel edging to hold the perimeter, since stone migrates into turf without a hard edge. Larger boulders or flagstone steppers give a gravel area structure and tie it to Boulder's natural foothill look.
Match your stone color to Boulder's local geology and your project will look like it belongs. The Flatirons and the Fountain Formation give the area a warm reddish tan palette, so buff and rose toned crushed granite reads as natural here while cool gray or stark white rock tends to look imported. Bring a photo of your house and existing rock when you come to pick, and always view a sample dry and wet.
Mulch Mound Pro Tip
Compact your base in lifts, not all at once. Spread three quarter inch road base two to three inches at a time, dampen it lightly, and run a plate compactor over each layer before adding the next. Boulder's clay loam subgrade is unforgiving, and a base compacted in one thick lift will settle unevenly through the first freeze thaw winter. The extra hour of work saves you rebuilding a patio corner in year two.
Mulch Mound Pro Tip
Think about snowmelt and ice when you place stone paths. Boulder gets sunny days right after storms, so south facing gravel paths clear quickly while north side paths stay icy for a week. Use a slightly larger angular stone on shaded walkways for traction, and keep gravel paths at least a few inches below adjacent turf grade so meltwater runs onto the lawn instead of pooling and refreezing on the path.
The Unique Landscape of Boulder
Stone earns its place in Boulder yards for reasons that go well beyond looks. Living against the foothills means wildfire mitigation is a real consideration, and gravel or crushed rock in the first five feet around a structure gives you a noncombustible buffer that organic mulch cannot. Our 20 inches of annual precipitation arrives largely as intense summer thunderstorms, so stone lined swales and dry creek beds handle runoff on sloped lots without washing out. Stone also never blows away in a January Chinook, which matters on the exposed west side of town where wind gusts regularly top 70 miles per hour. And with clay loam that stays soggy in spring, a gravel base under patios and paths prevents the heaving and settling that ruin flat work in a zone 6a freeze thaw cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question to see the answer
Answer
What size stone should I use for wildfire mitigation around my foundation?
Three quarter inch to one and a half inch crushed rock works well in the first five feet around a structure. Boulder County guidance calls for keeping that zone free of combustible material, and crushed stone gives you a clean noncombustible band. Avoid rounded river rock right against siding since it shifts underfoot and does not stay in place on a slope.
Answer
Does stone mulch make my beds hotter in the Boulder sun?
Yes, noticeably. At 5,430 feet with intense UV, light colored gravel reflects heat and can push soil temperatures up considerably in July. That is a benefit for xeric plantings like agastache, penstemon, and yucca that thrive in Boulder's dry heat, but it stresses hydrangeas, hostas, and other moisture lovers. Match the stone to the plant palette.
Answer
Will river rock stop my slope from eroding during summer storms?
It helps a great deal if it is sized correctly. Boulder's convective storms can drop an inch in twenty minutes, and pea gravel will simply wash downhill. Use two to four inch or larger cobble for drainage channels and steeper grades, and set it over a permeable fabric so the underlying clay loam stays in place.
Answer
How deep should the gravel base be under a Boulder patio or walkway?
Four to six inches of compacted three quarter inch road base over clay loam is the standard for pedestrian flatwork here. Clay loam holds water and heaves when it freezes, and with our zone 6a swing between the October 3 first frost and May 5 last frost you get repeated cycles. A deeper, well compacted base is the difference between a level patio and a wobbly one in three years.
Answer
Do I need landscape fabric under stone in Boulder?
For stone, yes, unlike with organic mulch. Fabric keeps the rock from sinking into our clay loam and slows weeds. It will not stop everything, since windblown seed from nearby open space germinates in the dust that collects between stones, so expect to spot treat or hand pull each spring.
Answer
How much does a yard of stone weigh, and can my driveway handle it?
Most crushed rock and river rock runs 2,400 to 2,800 pounds per cubic yard, considerably heavier than mulch. Older Boulder driveways with thin asphalt can dent under a loaded truck, so we will discuss placement before delivery and can drop in the street or alley if that is safer.
Answer
Can I use stone instead of turf to cut my water use?
Absolutely, and Boulder homeowners do it constantly given local water rates and drought restrictions. Just avoid a wall to wall gravel yard, which creates a heat island and offers nothing to pollinators. The best results come from stone as pathways and mulch between drought adapted plants, which keeps water use low while the yard still feels alive.
