Gilbert Stone Delivery

Will my decomposed granite wash away during a bad monsoon storm?

This is one of the most common questions from Gilbert homeowners and the answer depends heavily on how the DG is installed. Loose DG without a stabilizing binder can shift noticeably during the intense sheet flow that accompanies a strong July or August storm in our area. Installing a two to three inch base layer and using a stabilized DG product for the top inch, or applying a DG stabilizer after installation, solves most of the erosion issues. Proper grading that moves water away from stone areas also makes a major difference.

How deep should I lay river rock in my Gilbert yard?

For weed suppression and ground cover applications in Gilbert, two to three inches of river rock over a quality landscape fabric is generally sufficient. Dry creek bed features that need to handle actual monsoon water flow should use four to six inches of rock for stability, with larger rock on the sides and bed of the channel. Keep in mind that Gilbert soils are often quite hard and rocky below the surface, so deep installation can require some effort if you hit caliche near the surface.

Is landscape fabric under stone actually necessary in Gilbert, or is it overkill?

Landscape fabric under stone is strongly recommended in Gilbert, but it needs to be a commercial-grade woven fabric rather than the cheap black plastic sheeting sold at big box stores. Our caliche clay soil bakes hard in summer and weeds that do establish push up through thin materials easily. A heavy woven geotextile fabric under three inches of DG or river rock creates a barrier that keeps weed seeds in the stone layer from reaching the soil and prevents the stone from slowly mixing into the caliche below over years of monsoon cycles.

What stone color looks best in a Gilbert desert landscape?

Golden tan and buff-toned decomposed granite is the most popular choice in Gilbert because it echoes the natural desert floor color and pairs beautifully with the warm earth tones of stucco homes throughout the area. Apache brown and sunset red DG are also widely used and complement the rust and terracotta tones common in East Valley landscaping. For accent areas and dry creek beds, naturally rounded tan and brown river rock blends seamlessly with the Sonoran Desert palette. Stay away from pure white marble chip rock in Gilbert because the stark contrast with our native soil and plants can look artificial, and the light color reflects intense heat directly onto nearby plant material.

Can I put stone around my citrus trees, or will it hurt them?

Stone around citrus trees in Gilbert is a topic worth thinking through carefully. Decomposed granite and gravel radiate significant heat, and citrus roots are sensitive to extreme soil temperature fluctuations. If you want a clean look around your citrus, keep the stone at least two feet away from the trunk and consider using organic mulch in the immediate root zone instead. The combination of organic mulch near the tree and DG or gravel as a perimeter border further out is a smart compromise that many Gilbert citrus growers use successfully.

How many cubic yards of decomposed granite do I need for a typical Gilbert front yard?

A standard Gilbert front yard of roughly 800 square feet installed at three inches deep requires about seven to eight cubic yards of decomposed granite. Smaller courtyard entries of 300 square feet need around three cubic yards. Use our online calculator for your exact measurements and add about ten percent for material that will settle and compact over the first few months. In Gilbert, DG compacts noticeably after the first monsoon season, so slightly overfilling at installation keeps coverage looking full and even through that first settling period.