How to Replace Lava Rocks

Lava rocks add beauty and richness to your home's curbside appeal. They also act as a repellent to animals like stray cats who hate to walk over sharp objects. Due to weathering, lava rock wears down and eventually breaks down as all rocks do. Lava rock is available in several colors, shapes and sizes. The most popular lava rock is the smaller red rock used to decorate flower beds. Lava rock can be purchased from your local home and garden store and is also often found at reduced prices and even for free through local community websites.

Gardening Gloves
Shovel
Rake
Cardboard Boxes
Lava Rock

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the weathered lava rock while wearing gardening gloves so as to not scratch or cut your hands. To save money you can remove only the lava rock which has become weathered. Removing the lava rock is a very tedious process.
- 2
  Dig up the area that you just removed the lava rock from. Often the lava rock will sink into the ground over time forming a smaller more scattered layer.
- 3
  Rake through the area that you just dug up. This will help pull the loosely scattered lava rock together for easier removal.
- 4
  Take out the lava rock that was raked up and place it in the cardboard box. Leave the box on the curb when it is time for bulky trash pick-up as lava rock is considered landscape debris.
- 5
  Determine how much lava rock you will need to replace the area that has been uncovered. A 50 pound bag of medium to small lava rock should cover approximately 4 to 5 square feet of surface.
- 6
  Open the bag or bags of lava rock and evenly pour them out onto the area you are replacing the lava rock in.
- 7
  Spread the lava rock using the rake by pulling the pieces to the location that you desire. If you prefer, you can simply move the rock by hand. Be sure to wear your gloves so as not to cut yourself on some of the sharp edges of the lava rock.

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