Pea gravel calculator
A 10 × 10 ft patio at 3 inches deep needs about 0.93 cubic yards, or 1.16 tons, of pea gravel.
Pea gravel is the round, ⅜ inch stone used on paths, play spots, and decorative beds. Volume is the same as any other aggregate: area times depth. Typical dry pea gravel is about 1.2 to 1.35 tons per cubic yard, heavier when wet (EPA pebble range); we use 1.25. Ask your supplier for theirs and type it under More options.
- Enter the length and width of the bed or walk in feet.
- Set depth in inches. Three inches is a usual finished walk; two inches can work over landscape fabric on a firm base.
- Leave the material on pea gravel unless you are mixing in crushed stone or ordinary gravel.
- For a round fire-pit ring, switch the shape to Circle and type the diameter.
- Order about 0.93 cubic yards (1.16 tons), or 50 bags (0.5 cu ft), for the default 10 × 10 ft patio at 3 inches. For anything near a yard, price a bulk drop instead of bags.
Length × width × (inches ÷ 12) gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply the unrounded yards by density for tons. Typical dry pea gravel is about 1.2 to 1.35 tons per cubic yard, heavier when wet (EPA pebble range); this page uses 1.25 unless you change it. Bags = cubic feet ÷ 0.5, rounded up.
How much pea gravel do I need?
Multiply length by width by depth in feet, then divide by 27, and multiply by 1.25 for tons. A 10 × 10 ft patio at 3 inches is 100 × 0.25 ÷ 27 = 0.93 cubic yards. At 1.25 tons per cubic yard that is 1.16 tons.
Worked example: 10 × 10 patio at 3 inches
Worked example
A square 10 by 10 ft sitting area, 3 inches of pea gravel, density 1.25, no waste.
10 × 10 = 100 square feet. Three inches is 0.25 feet. 100 × 0.25 = 25 cubic feet. 25 ÷ 27 = 0.93 cubic yards. (25 ÷ 27) × 1.25 = 1.16 tons. In half-cubic-foot bags that is 50 bags.
Those are the default numbers on this calculator. A 12 × 12 ft version at the same depth is 144 × 0.25 = 36 cubic feet. 36 ÷ 27 = 1.33 cubic yards. (36 ÷ 27) × 1.25 = 1.67 tons.
Round stone does not lock together the way crushed gravel does. If the patio sits on bare dirt, plan on edging so the peas do not migrate into the lawn, and do not treat this load as a driveway wearing course.
Pea gravel coverage at common depths
| Depth | Area one cubic yard covers | 0.5 cu ft bags for 50 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 17 bags |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 25 bags |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 34 bags |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | 50 bags |
A 50 square foot walk at 3 inches is about 12.5 cubic feet: 25 bags, or a little under half a yard.