Decorative Stone
Cotswold chippings, slate, granite and cobbles — coverage, depth and what stays put on a slope.
Decorative aggregate is the cheapest way to finish a large area and the easiest to get slightly wrong. Colour changes when it is wet, stone travels if the depth is too deep or the slope too steep, and weeds arrive within a season without a membrane underneath.
Sold by
Tonne, bulk bag (~850kg) or handled bag
Coverage
~1 tonne covers 12–14m² at 50mm
Recommended depth
40–50mm over membrane
Driveway size
14–20mm angular, not rounded
Decorative Stone on Loadbase
Delivered prices depend on the distance from the yard to your site, so they are quoted against your postcode rather than listed here.
See decorative stone near youChoosing a stone
Cotswold and golden chippings — warm buff limestone, the traditional choice for cottage gardens and drives. Lightens as it dries and weathers paler over time.
Slate chippings — flat, angular plates in plum, blue or grey. The colour deepens dramatically when wet. Flat shape means it knits and stays put well, but it is not comfortable underfoot barefoot.
Granite chippings — hard, angular, silver to pink. The most durable option and the best choice for heavily trafficked areas.
Flint and pea shingle — rounded river-worn stone. Attractive and soft-looking, but rounded stone rolls, so it migrates on any slope and scatters under tyres.
Cobbles and boulders — larger sizes for borders, water features and edging where you want a deliberate feature rather than ground cover.
Depth, membrane and drives
Aim for 40–50mm over a weed membrane. Deeper is not better: anything much over 50mm feels unstable to walk on and scatters easily.
Always lay a permeable woven membrane underneath. It suppresses weeds and, more importantly, stops the stone working down into the soil, which is what makes a gravel area look tired after two winters.
For driveways, use angular stone at 14–20mm. Angular grades interlock; rounded pea shingle will be pushed into ridges by tyres and end up on the pavement. On a slope, angular stone and edging restraint are both necessary.
Ordering
One tonne covers roughly 12–14m² at 50mm depth — decorative stone covers more ground per tonne than sub-base material because it is not compacted.
Colour varies between quarry batches, exactly as it does with bricks. Order the whole area in one delivery, and where possible ask to see a sample wet as well as dry.
Work out how much you need
Common questions
How much decorative gravel do I need?
Around one tonne per 12 to 14 square metres at 50mm depth. For a 30m² front garden, allow roughly 2.5 tonnes.
What depth should decorative stone be?
40 to 50mm over a weed membrane. Deeper is unstable underfoot and scatters; shallower lets the membrane show through and weeds establish.
What gravel is best for a driveway?
Angular stone in the 14–20mm range, such as granite or crushed limestone. Rounded pea shingle migrates under tyres and will not stay in place, particularly on any gradient.
Do I need a membrane under gravel?
Yes. A permeable woven membrane suppresses weeds and stops the stone sinking into the soil beneath, which is the main reason gravelled areas need topping up.
Other materials
Trade guidance, not a specification. Always work to the product's Declaration of Performance and any drawing or engineer's specification for the job. Reviewed 2026-07-12.