A plain guide to DG for Southern California and High Desert yards: loose, stabilized and resin forms, colors local yards carry, how much you need, and the spots where it gives people trouble.
Get a Free Rockscape EstimateDecomposed granite (DG) is granite broken down into small pieces and fines, 1/4 inch and smaller, sold loose, stabilized with a binder, or bound with resin. Loose DG is the cheapest and most natural looking but washes, ruts and tracks indoors; stabilized DG packs into a firm path surface; resin-bound DG is the hardest and closest to pavement. It works well in dry climates like ours, as long as the ground under it drains and it has edging to hold it in place.
Landscaping Network describes DG as granite aggregate 1/4 inch and smaller and says it works well as paving in low-rainfall places like California, while in wet climates it can turn muddy (Landscaping Network). This page is part of our landscape rock and decomposed granite guide.
Granite weathers into gritty pieces and fine dust, and quarries crush and screen it to sell as DG. All those fines let it pack far tighter than gravel, which is why people use it for paths and the ground between plants.
Sizing is not the same at every yard. One trade definition is 1/4 inch and smaller (Landscaping Network). Majestic Rock & Material, Monarch’s partner supplier in Norco, sells crushed granite and DG as 3/8 inch minus, which means everything from 3/8 inch down to dust.
Some yards call it “crushed granite.” Ask what size and how many fines it carries before you buy.
DG comes in three forms (Landscaping Network). The difference shows up after the first storm.
| Loose DG | Stabilized DG | Resin-bound DG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Plain DG, compacted | DG blended with a binder, then watered and rolled | DG mixed with a resin |
| Surface | Packs down but stays soft on top | Firm surface after compaction | Hard, close to an asphalt-like surface |
| Erosion | Washes out and needs topping off | Holds better; some loose fines show on top the first year | Holds best of the three |
| Tracking indoors | Easy to track inside | Less than loose | Least |
| Good fit | Ground cover between plants, low-traffic areas | Garden paths and patios | Where a pavement-like surface is wanted |
Sources for the table: Landscaping Network for the three forms, erosion and tracking; Stabilizer Solutions installation guide for the first-year loose material on stabilized DG. For binders, install steps and upkeep, see our stabilized decomposed granite guide.
Color names change from yard to yard, so treat this as a starting list and look at the pile before you order. These are DG colors local and regional suppliers list by name:
| Color name | Look | Who lists it |
|---|---|---|
| California Gold | Tan to gold | Angel Rock & Sand, Victorville; also sold as gravel and larger rock (Earth Stone Rock) |
| Sunset Gold | Gold | Angel Rock & Sand |
| Mountain Ash | Gray | Angel Rock & Sand |
| Ruby Red | Red | Angel Rock & Sand |
| Desert Gold | Gold; quarried in central Arizona and shipped into SoCal | Earth Stone Rock |
| Gold and gray tones | Crushed granite / DG, 3/8 inch minus | Majestic Rock & Material, Norco |
Red is a strong color, so most people use it in small doses. Our landscape rock types guide covers the rest of the range.
DG is a good fit for:
Where DG gives people trouble:
DG is sold by the ton or by the cubic yard. Earth Stone Rock uses about 1.35 tons per cubic yard for DG and says to plan on 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard for most landscape rock and DG (Earth Stone Rock). That works out to about 2,700 pounds per cubic yard, and moisture and compaction move it up or down (Yard Compass, BuildWise). The reason crushed stone weighs less than solid rock is air: roughly a third of a crushed pile is empty space (Stone Calculator).
| Depth | Sq ft per cubic yard (Majestic) | Sq ft per cubic yard (Earth Stone, rounded) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 inches | about 160 | about 150 |
| 3 inches | about 110 | about 100 |
| 4 inches | about 80 | about 80 |
Sources: Majestic Rock & Material, Earth Stone Rock. Yard Compass suggests ordering 5 to 10% extra to cover compaction and an uneven subgrade (Yard Compass). Stabilized DG covers less per ton because it goes in deeper and compacts hard; the Stabilizer Solutions guide gives about 65 sq ft per ton at 3 inches (Stabilizer Solutions).
For your own numbers, use the landscape rock and DG calculator.
All three can make a path or a patio. They feel and age differently.
| DG | Gravel | Pavers or flagstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underfoot | Packs into a flat, firm-ish surface | Shifts and crunches, harder to push a wheelbarrow on | Solid and flat |
| Water | Lets water through | Drains fast | Water runs off unless joints are left open |
| Upkeep | Top off and re-compact loose DG over time | Rake back into place | Least day-to-day upkeep once set on a good base |
| Tracking | Fines track indoors | Stones get kicked out of beds | Little |
Many yards mix them, like flagstone set in DG. In a SoCal Water$mart area, its rules allow flagstone or spaced concrete paths that are not grouted (SoCal Water$mart). For a build guide, see how to install a decomposed granite pathway.
DG material prices vary by color, grade, delivery distance and how much you buy, so call a yard for a current quote. On the install side, a professionally installed rockscape from Monarch runs about $3 to $6 per square foot, depending on prep, base, edging and access. Our cost guides go into what moves that number.
Stabilized and resin-bound DG take more steps than loose DG, so expect them to cost more to put in.
Monarch builds DG paths and rockscapes across the Victor Valley. See our Hesperia rockscape and Victorville rockscape pages, or rockscape design for how we plan a yard.
It is granite that has weathered and been crushed into small pieces and fines. One trade definition is 1/4 inch and smaller, though some yards sell it as 3/8 inch minus. It packs down tighter than gravel, which makes it good for paths and open ground between plants.
Loose DG is plain material that is compacted but stays soft on top, erodes and tracks indoors. Stabilized DG has a binder mixed in, then gets watered and rolled into a firm surface. Resin-bound DG is a third type with a hard, pavement-like finish.
Plan on about 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard. Earth Stone Rock uses about 1.35 tons, or roughly 2,700 pounds. Wet DG weighs more than dry.
Majestic Rock & Material figures about 160 square feet at 2 inches deep, 110 at 3 inches and 80 at 4 inches. Order 5 to 10% extra for compaction. Our landscape rock calculator does the math for your area.
Yes, DG suits dry climates. Plan for wind moving loose fines, monsoon storms washing out loose DG, and caliche that keeps water from draining. Good grading, edging and compaction, or a stabilized mix on paths, handle most of it.
We checked every number on this page against the public sources below. If a rule or date changes, the agency page is the final word.
Most DG problems start underneath: no base, no edging, or water with nowhere to go. Monarch builds rockscapes, DG paths and the drainage around them. Get a free estimate and we will tell you whether loose or stabilized DG makes sense for your yard.
Get a Free Rockscape EstimateOr call (760) 792-7627
