How Much Does River Rock Installation Cost? [2025 Data]
The average cost to install river rock is $700, and most projects total between $300 and $1,600 depending on square footage, rock size, and delivery fees.
The cost to install river rocks ranges between $300 and $1,600 for materials, delivery, and installation. On average, expect to pay $700 for a 500-square-foot patch of land when laying the pile 3 inches thick. You could pay $8 to $220 per cubic yard, depending on the type of river rock.
River Rock Cost Factors
You can estimate the cost of river rocks by taking the major factors below into consideration. In addition to the type of stone—the largest river rock cost factor—keep delivery, installation, size of the river rock, and even where you live at the front of your mind.
Type
Landscapers and garden supply companies measure river rocks by the ton or cubic yard. You'll find stone from $35 per ton and all the way up to $800 per ton—quite the wide range. Its rarity and availability drive up the cost, as well as how easy it is to spread. We'll break down each type in the table below.
| Type of River Rock | Average Cost Range per Ton | Average Cost Range per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|---|
| River Rock (General) | $100–$800 | $30–$220 |
| Lava Rock | $80–$240 | $25–$65 |
| Bull Rock | $70–$110 | $20–$30 |
| Pebble | $50–$65 | $14–$20 |
| Boulder | $100–$600 | $30–$165 |
| Riprap | $35–$250 | $10–$70 |
| Crush Limestone Rock | $30–$200 | $10–$60 |
| Arizona Rock | $150–$210 | $40–$60 |
| Delaware Rock | $95–$130 | $30–$35 |
| Cherokee Rock | $95–$180 | $30–$50 |
Size
River rocks range from a diameter of 1/2 inch all the way up to 36 inches or larger. Large river rocks count as anything larger than 10 inches in diameter. Since larger rocks and boulders are more challenging to move and take more time to position manually, you’ll pay more for the installation as your rocks get larger.
Smaller river rock comes with the added cost of landscaping fabric to keep them from sinking into the ground, but the minimal material cost won’t offset the added cost from paying for manual installation of larger rocks.
You’ll see costs for river rock as per ton, per cubic yard, or per cubic foot (rather than per square foot) because river rock installation involves the space's length, width, and depth. Note that the prices below are just for the materials. You’ll pay higher costs for delivery and installation.
| River Rock Size in Inches | Average Cost Range per Ton | Average Cost Range per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|---|
| >1 | $10–$60 | $3–$20 |
| 1 | $50–$100 | $15–$30 |
| 3 | $60–$100 | $15–$30 |
| 5 | $75–$100 | $20–$30 |
| 10 | $120–$320 | $35–$90 |
| 12 | $120–$390 | $35–$105 |
| 18 | $150–$350 | $40–$95 |
| 24 | $150–$360 | $40–$100 |
| 30 | $150–$360 | $40–$100 |
| 36 | $150–$360 | $40–$100 |
Project Size and Quantity
The square footage of your landscaping project—the size of the flower beds or pathways you’re covering with river rock—will play a significant role in your pricing. You need to consider the depth of the river rock, too, but since most garden beds call for 2 to 4 inches of river rock, you can get a good estimate of your costs based on just the square footage of your project.
The table below includes some average rock quantities based on square footage, as well as pricing to help you nail down your budget. The prices in the table below include the costs for the materials, delivery, and installation. Note that smaller projects will also include basic trip fees that make them nearly as expensive as larger jobs.
| Dimensions (Sq. Ft.) | Cubic Yards Required | Average Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0.06–0.12 | $150–$300 |
| 25 | 0.15–0.3 | $150–$300 |
| 50 | 0.3–0.6 | $150–$300 |
| 100 | 0.7–1.3 | $200–$500 |
| 200 | 1.4–2.6 | $300–$600 |
| 500 | 3–6 | $400–$1,800 |
Quality of River Rock
River rock is characterized by its round, smooth appearance, and choosing a high-quality river rock will provide exactly that, as well as uniform coloration. Some lower-quality rock can come in less appealing colors and even have less rounded edges, depending on where the landscaping rock company sources it from. Investing in high-quality rock can cost 10% to 15% more, but you’ll secure a nice appearance for your landscaping project.
Delivery
The cost of river rock delivery falls between $100 and $600, but your total will depend on how much rock you need delivered. Most companies will charge a minimum of $100, regardless of how small of a quantity you need. For projects under 50 square feet, it’s most cost-effective to pick up the river rocks yourself if you have a means of transporting them. Delivery fees can climb to $600 if you’re delivering multiple tons for larger projects.
Labor
While spreading some river rocks is an easy DIY project, it can be more complex than it looks. Distributing a heavy pile of stones evenly takes skill, so hiring a landscaper in addition to a river rock delivery pro near you is always a great bet. River rock installation costs between $50 and $150 per hour or between an additional $25 to $100 per ton. Higher prices account for tricky installations, such as those along water hardscape elements or steep slopes.
Location
Location plays a role in the price of river rocks in several ways. First of all, if you're located in a state packed with limestone or large boulders, for example, river rocks will be in more abundant supply. On the other hand, sourcing lava rocks from the West Coast and hauling them across the country to the East Coast will undoubtedly cost more than if you used them close to the source.
Additionally, the location of the rocks in your garden can affect installation costs. Spreading rocks on a driveway costs less than intricately placing stones or boulders around your garden for decorative purposes. You can also expect to pay more for installation labor if you need the rocks moved to a portion of your property that isn’t accessible using heavy machinery. Labor costs will increase if your landscapers need to move rocks manually using shovels and wheelbarrows.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Install River Rock
Delivery and installation will cost you between $100 and $600, which means DIYing both can save you a few hundred dollars, depending on the size of your project. Most delivery companies charge flat fees of $100, so it’s best to DIY smaller projects that require less than a cubic yard of river rock.
With that being said, though, the installation can be back-breaking work, and it can also be deceptively tricky to get everything to look right. Don’t hesitate to hire a professional to save yourself from injury or to ensure a beautiful finished appearance.
Cost of Common River Rock Add-Ons
Hiring a landscaper with experience working with river rocks opens up a range of projects and rock garden ideas. Take a look at these related river rock costs in the scheme of larger landscape renovations.
| River Rock Add-Ons | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Water elements | $3,400 |
| Xeriscaping | $17,000 |
| Retaining walls | $6,000 |
| Rock removal | $40–$100 per cubic foot |
How to Save Money on the Cost to Install River Rock
Since you'll stumble upon such a wide cost range for river rocks, don't rush into any decision if you need to stay under a strict budget. Here are some ways to lower the price of river rock installation, regardless of your next project.
Research locally sourced river rocks that require minimal travel.
Consider adding several types of landscaping rocks to your landscape that play different roles in your yard and help keep material costs down.
Buy river rocks in bulk or speak with a landscaper to access bulk prices.
Work with a local hardscaper or landscaping pro off season (in the winter or late fall) to avoid higher prices during times of high demand.
Consider DIYing river rock distribution or even delivery when possible.
How Much River Rock Do You Need for Your Project?
Knowing how much river rock you’ll need will help you estimate your costs. For larger projects, you’re likely to order rock delivery via truck, so you’ll need to know how many tons of rocks you need ahead of time. You can buy bags of river rock for smaller projects, but you’ll still need to know how much you need.
The following steps describe how to calculate how much river rock you need and how to convert cubic feet to cubic yards or tons.
Measure the length, width, and depth of the area where you plan to install your river rock. For example, let’s say it’s 10 feet wide, 20 feet long, and 3 inches deep.
Multiply the three numbers to determine how many cubic feet of rocks you need. For the example above, it comes out to 50 cubic feet (10-by-20-by-0.25 cubic feet).
Divide the total cubic feet by 27 to convert it to cubic yards. For example, 50 cubic feet divided by 27 is 1.85 cubic yards.
To get the number in tons, multiply the number of cubic yards by the density of the river rock you’re using. A density of 0.89 is appropriate for river rock, so that comes out to 1.64 tons (1.85 x 0.89) in this example.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most river rocks range between 1/2 and 3 inches in diameter, and any of these work well for landscaping. The range of sizes covers everything from decorative flower beds to drainage areas around retaining walls, drains, and your foundation. Landscapers may even intersperse smaller river rocks with large boulders for variety.
To prepare your yard for river rocks, smaller rocks may require laying landscape fabric to keep the stones from sinking into the ground while encouraging proper water drainage. You should also clear the land of weeds and larger boulders and, in some cases, test the density of the soil to ensure it can handle the weight.
Depending on the size of the river rock and the density of your soil, add woven landscape fabric or sand under river rock. The extra layer will ensure your river rock sits evenly and doesn't create puddles or uneven areas throughout the design. In some cases, nothing is necessary beneath river rock, but be sure to speak with a landscaper to keep your landscaping looking sharp.
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