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How deep should decorative stone be?
Decorative stones come in all shapes and sizes, from small gravel chippings suitable for borders and pathways to striking slate rocks and large pebbles
Decorative stones come in all shapes and sizes, from small gravel chippings suitable for borders and pathways to striking slate rocks and large pebbles.
They add texture and interest, and are useful if you want a low-maintenance garden that doesn’t require weeding.
They can help plants thrive by protecting them from the elements, and will help with drainage, but their effectiveness hinges on how they’re laid.
If they’re not bedded down deep enough, they’ll lose all of their brilliant benefits.
How deep should decorative stone be?
Basic rule of thumb is the larger the aggregate, the deeper it needs to be laid.
You must ensure you have enough stone to cover the desired area, because if you spread it too thinly then the weed membrane will be visible and it will look untidy.
The amount you need for your garden will vary according to stone size and area to be covered.
Once you’ve made your choice of decorative stone, you can enter the dimensions for the area you intend to cover on the corresponding web page to discover how much stone you’ll require and what it will cost.
So how deep should decorative stone be?
Well, it depends on the type of stone.
Here is a short guide to decorative stone depths for different types of aggregate.
Laying decorative gravel
We’ve a range of beautiful decorative gravels suitable for a variety of projects.
For example, if you’re designing a rockery or alpine-style garden, then our chippings should be laid to a depth of between 20mm and 30mm.
Creating a drive or pathway? Then our Golden Flint Gravel, available in 10mm and 20mm sizes, is ideal.
Laying slate chippings
Our Blue Slate Chippings are an extremely popular decorative aggregate that can be used for multiple purposes.
They’re a striking addition to any garden, and useful for features and borders, as well as for garden paths and other general landscaping projects.
Slate is also an excellent way to suppress weeds and hold moisture in the soil. Our slate chippings should be laid to a depth of 30mm to 40mm, while larger slate should be laid to a depth of 40 to 50mm.
Laying pebbles
Our Scottish Pebbles which are 30mm to 50mm, need to be laid at 50mm to 60mm (or at an even greater depth to avoid looking patchy).
If you use our Scottish Pebbles sized between 50mm and 75mm, for example to enhance a stunning water feature or pond, or to form planting areas, then you don’t have to worry about covering the base area as you will want them to be more spaced out.
We hope this guide is useful, but if you have any further questions about how deep decorative stone should be then please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to help.
In the meantime, you can start planning your garden stone project by taking a look at our range of decorative aggregates.
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