Decomposed Granite Delivery in New Orleans, LA

Crews and homeowners across Orleans Parish can arrange decomposed granite delivery in New Orleans, LA when they want a firm, tan-gold surface without pouring concrete. This page covers what the material is, where it works in a city built on soft, wet ground, and how to order it by the ton.

Decomposed granite delivery in New Orleans, LA

Decomposed granite is crushed, weathered granite sized from dust up to about 1/4 inch. The color runs tan to gold, which suits the warm brick, stucco and painted wood of older neighborhoods. It is sold by the ton, and the smallest order is 2 tons. Enter your ZIP and the page shows the delivered price for your address. Bigger orders get a lower rate per ton.

Much of the city sits at or below sea level, and it is known for high water tables and heavy summer downpours. That shapes how this material should be used here, so the sections below lean on those conditions.

Where it works best around the city

• Garden paths and courtyard floors. The fine fraction packs tight, and the look fits a French Quarter or Garden District courtyard.
• Patios and seating areas. Once compacted it gives a flat, stable base for chairs and bistro tables.
• Light-traffic driveways and parking pads. Fine for cars if the base underneath is sound.
• Dog runs and play areas. It is easier on paws than coarse stone.
• Planting bed borders. A thin layer gives a clean edge next to lawn.

Working with wet ground and heavy rain

Because the soil here holds water, the surface needs somewhere for rain to go. Build a gentle crown or a slight fall away from the house so water leaves the surface instead of pooling. Put down a compacted layer of #57 crushed stone first where the ground stays soft, because fines on top of mud will rut. Rounded stone does not lock together, so keep our Pea Gravel for separate drainage or planting areas rather than under the granite.

How much you need

Measure the area in feet, then pick a depth. Paths and patios usually take 2 to 3 inches after compaction. Cubic yards equal length times width times depth in inches, divided by 324. One cubic yard of this material weighs about 1.5 tons, so multiply by 1.5 to get an order in tons. Our calculator does the same arithmetic if you would rather enter the numbers. Add a little extra for settling, since a tight fine surface drops once it is rolled.

Small jobs may land under the 2 ton minimum. In that case, order 2 tons and use the extra to touch up low spots later, or fill a second bed.

Ordering and delivery

Pick Decomposed Granite on this page, enter your ZIP, and the delivered price appears for that address. Details on how drops work are on our page for delivery in New Orleans. Narrow streets and overhead lines are common in older blocks, so note where a truck can reach when you place the order.

Preparing the site before the truck arrives

Strip sod and organic matter down to firm soil, then check that the bed is level from side to side. Roots and old fill left in place rot and leave dips within a season. Mark the edges with stakes and string so the finished grade is clear before any stone is spread. Set the edging first, since it holds the layer in, keeps the line crisp against lawn or a raised bed, and stops storm runoff from washing material into the street or a neighbor's yard. Rake each lift flat, wet it, and compact before adding the next.

Plan the dump spot too. A pile on the lawn will kill grass, so a tarp or a sheet of plywood under the load keeps the yard clean. Move the pile by wheelbarrow in the order you will spread it, working away from the house so you never walk on finished work.

Pairing it with other materials

Soil beside a granite path often needs improvement. Premium Screened Topsoil fills the planting beds next to it. Our River Rock is a good contrast for drainage strips along a downspout. For the full range of sizes and uses statewide, see Decomposed Granite in Louisiana.

About Decomposed Granite

Decomposed granite is weathered granite crushed to a fine, gritty mix, with particles from powder up to about 1/4 inch. The color is tan to gold, and the fines act like a natural binder. When it is wetted and compacted it sets into a firm surface that still looks like loose stone. That is why it is popular for paths, patios, and garden floors.

The fine grading is the main reason to pick it over larger stone. Walking on it is comfortable, wheelchairs and strollers roll across it, and it fills tight between pavers or stepping stones. It does not shift underfoot the way pea gravel does. The tradeoff is that fines can wash in heavy rain, so edging and a slight slope matter. It is sold by the ton, with a 2 ton minimum, and the live price for your ZIP is shown on this page.

For best results, spread in thin layers, mist with water, and compact each layer with a plate compactor or hand tamper until it feels solid. Refresh the top with a thin layer every few years where traffic is heavy.

What Decomposed Granite costs in New Orleans

Local New Orleans yards quote decomposed granite by the ton; the delivered number includes fuel, the truck, and the haul. Send your ZIP and load size and we will send back a same-hour quote with the truck rate and the per-ton figure spelled out. A ton of this material spreads across about 72 sq ft when laid 3 inches deep, useful when you are sizing a patio base or a walkway run.

How crews use Decomposed Granite in New Orleans

In and around New Orleans, decomposed granite shows up most often on two project types. The most common deployment is walkway gravel, often in tight urban lots and infill builds in two to three inch lifts. Second on the list is patio gravel, which we see in dense neighborhoods where curb access is short on partial-truck deliveries. At roughly 376,971 people, the New Orleans order mix leans toward 3 to 8 ton residential drops with the occasional 16 ton job for a contractor.

Delivery day in New Orleans

A typical New Orleans drop is dispatched from the closest yard with a two hour window and a heads-up call once the truck is loaded. Tandem trucks want a 12 ft lane in and out; tri-axles need 14 ft, and both want firm ground at the tipping spot so the load releases cleanly. Standard lead time on this lane is Mon-Sat, with same-day windows held open for orders that hit the desk before 11 AM and clear payment.

Estimate how much you need