Decomposed Granite: Size, Uses, and Cost Per Ton (2026)

Decomposed granite, or DG, is granite that weathered in the ground into a mix of sand, silt, and small chips, then was dug and screened to 1/4 or 3/8 inch minus. It costs $25 to $45 per ton in 2026, weighs 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard, and compacts into a firm, natural-looking path or patio surface in gold, tan, gray, or rose. It is the standard path material in California, Arizona, Texas, and most of the drought-tolerant West.

Loose Versus Stabilized DG

There are two products under the same name. Loose DG is the raw screened material. It compacts well at first, then loosens at the surface with traffic and rain, so it tracks into the house and needs a rake now and then. Stabilized DG has a binder mixed in, either a dry polymer added at the yard (about 10 to 15 pounds per ton) or a liquid stabilizer sprayed on after compaction. It sets up hard, sheds water, and stays put for years. Stabilized costs $10 to $30 more per ton, and it is worth it for any patio, driveway, or path that gets daily use. A third option, resin-bound DG, is a paving product installed by contractors at $8 to $15 per square foot.

What Decomposed Granite Is Used For

• Garden paths and walkways. Two to 3 inches over compacted soil. The classic look in xeriscape and Mediterranean gardens.
• Patios. Three inches of stabilized DG over 3 to 4 inches of compacted base. Firm enough for tables and chairs.
• Driveways and parking (stabilized). Four inches of stabilized DG over 4 inches of crusher run base works for light car traffic. Not for heavy trucks.
• Ground cover between pavers and stepping stones. Fills joints and packs level.
• Tree wells and planting beds. Lets water through, looks like soil, and suppresses weeds.
• Bocce courts and putting green base. Compacts flat and smooth.
• Dog runs. Drains well and is easy to clean.

How DG Behaves

The fines are what make DG work. Wet it, compact it, and the sand and silt lock the chips in place. Compaction is about 12 percent, so order a bit extra. The finished surface is firm underfoot and wheelchair and stroller friendly when stabilized. Water soaks in slowly, so DG counts as a permeable surface in many codes, but standing water on unstabilized DG turns the top half inch to mud. Grade it with a 2 percent slope.

In hot, dry climates DG is nearly maintenance free. In wet climates and freeze-thaw zones it erodes and heaves, so it is far less common east of Texas. If you are in the Midwest or Northeast, stone dust or crushed limestone fines do the same job with local rock.

Installing Decomposed Granite

Excavate 3 to 4 inches, install edging (steel or aluminum is the usual choice, and it matters because DG spreads without it), lay landscape fabric only if you have a weed problem, and spread DG in 1.5-inch lifts. Wet each lift until it is damp all the way through, then run a plate compactor over it. For stabilized DG, follow the binder instructions and keep traffic off for 48 to 72 hours. A 3-inch loose layer packs to about 2.5 inches.

What Decomposed Granite Costs

Loose DG runs $25 to $45 per ton, or $30 to $50 per cubic yard. Stabilized runs $40 to $75 per ton. One ton covers about 80 square feet at 3 inches. A 10 x 20 ft patio at 3 inches needs about 2.5 tons, which is $65 to $115 in loose DG or $100 to $190 stabilized. A 10-ton truckload of loose DG runs $250 to $450 before delivery. Bagged DG at home centers costs $6 to $10 per half-cubic-foot bag, which is 6 to 8 times the bulk price.

What to Avoid

Do not use loose DG next to a pool or on a slope over 5 percent; it washes and tracks. Do not put it where water sheets across it. Do not use it under pavers as the bedding layer (use it as base only if stabilized). Do not use it in freeze-thaw climates without stabilizer. And do not skip the edging. DG without edging turns into a wider, thinner path every year.