Pea gravel calculator
Enter the area and depth to get tons (how yards sell it), bags, and the bulk order rounded up to the half ton. Patios and paths typically use 2–3 in.
Enter your measurements
More options: Compaction · Waste · Bag price …
- Bags of that size
- 55 bags · 0.5 cu ft bag
- Bulk order (rounded up)
- 1.5 tons (sold by the half ton)
10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft
100 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 12 = 25 cu ft ÷ 27 = 0.93 cu yd
0.93 cu yd compacted × 1.03 = 0.95 cu yd loose × 1.4 tons/cu yd = 1.34 tons
+ 5% waste = 1.4 tons
Effective rate: ≈ 1.51 tons per cu yd compacted
Bulk: 1.4 tons rounded up to the next ½ ton = 1.5 tons
27 cu ft loose ÷ 0.5 cu ft per bag = 55 bags
- Edging keeps pea gravel where you put it. Without a raised border it migrates into lawns and beds.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much pea gravel for a 10×10 patio | 1.4 tons |
| How much pea gravel for a 10×10 play area | 5.44 tons |
Pea gravel needed by depth
| Depth | Loose volume (as delivered) | Pea gravel to order | Bags of that size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 0.67 cu yd | 0.93 tons | 37 bags |
| 3 in | 1 cu yd | 1.4 tons | 55 bags |
| 4 in | 1.34 cu yd | 1.87 tons | 73 bags |
| 6 in | 2 cu yd | 2.8 tons | 109 bags |
| 9 in | 3 cu yd | 4.21 tons | 163 bags |
| 12 in | 4.01 cu yd | 5.61 tons | 217 bags |
Pea gravel is small, rounded stone about the size of a pea (roughly ⅜ in) — comfortable underfoot, but it moves around. Play areas need far more depth than patios and paths.
How much pea gravel you need
Multiply the area by the finished depth to get volume, then by pea gravel’s loose bulk density — typically around 1.4 tons per cubic yard (about 1.66 tonnes per m³) — to get weight. Round stones don’t pack much, so the calculator adds only about 3% for settling, plus 5% for spillage and uneven ground. A 0.5 cu ft bag of pea gravel weighs roughly 50 lb, which lines up with that density. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, a box 3 ft on each side.
cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 loose cubic yards ≈ cubic yards × 1.03 × 1.05 (settling, waste) tons ≈ loose cubic yards × 1.4 0.5 cu ft bags = loose cubic feet ÷ 0.5 (54 bags per cubic yard)
Landscape yards sell pea gravel by the ton, usually in half-ton steps, so the result also shows the bulk order rounded up. Under More options you can add the yard’s minimum order, truck size and delivery fee, and a bag price, to see which way is cheaper for your job.
Metric bags are sold by weight (20 or 25 kg, or bulk bags of roughly 850 kg), so the metric bag count is weight ÷ bag weight. Switching units keeps your US bag size, listed by what it weighs at a typical density (a 0.5 cu ft bag is about 23.5 kg).
Typical depths
| Use | Typical depth |
|---|---|
| Garden path | 2–3 in over a firm, compacted base |
| Patio / seating area | 3 in, with solid edging |
| Dog run | 3–4 in, over compacted base for drainage |
| Around downspouts / drainage strips | 3–4 in |
| Under home play equipment up to 5 ft high | 9 in maintained (CPSC); fill about 12 in to start |
Worked examples
- How much pea gravel for a 10×10 patio — 3 in deep, bags or bulk.
- How much pea gravel for a 10×10 play area — 12 in deep, and why the safe area is usually bigger than 10 × 10.
- How much pea gravel for a 3×30 ft garden path — a narrow path, with fabric and edging on both sides.
- Filling a sandbox instead? Play sand is figured the same way: how much sand for a 4×4 sandbox.
Tips for pea gravel
- Pea gravel doesn’t lock together, so it feels loose to walk on if it is too deep. For paths, 2 in over a compacted crushed-stone base walks better than 4 in of pea gravel alone.
- Use rigid edging — steel, stone, or pavers set on edge — at least an inch taller than the gravel.
- Stabilizer grids (honeycomb panels) under pea gravel help on patios where chairs and feet push it around.
- Bags are handy for small spots; above roughly half a yard, bulk is usually cheaper — enter both prices to compare for your job.
What you’ll need
- Wheelbarrow (6 cu ft class)Mid-range price
Most home wheelbarrows hold 4–6 cubic feet — so a cubic yard of mulch is five or six trips. Two wheels are steadier on soft ground.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Bow rake / landscape rakeBudget price
Steel tines for spreading gravel and soil and leveling it flat. The flat back of a bow rake doubles as a leveling tool.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Steel or aluminum landscape edgingMid-range price
Rigid edging that holds gravel and pea gravel in place and keeps a clean line against lawn.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Landscape fabric (woven or heavy non-woven)Budget price
Separates stone from soil under gravel and rock. Less useful under wood mulch, which breaks down into soil on top of it anyway.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Hand tamper (8 × 8 in or 10 × 10 in)Budget price
Compacts gravel in small areas and along edges where a rented plate compactor won’t reach. For a whole patio base, rent the plate compactor.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How much pea gravel do I need for a 10 × 10 area?
At 3 in deep, 25 cubic feet in place; with a little for settling and 5% waste, about 1 cubic yard — 1.4 tons, or 55 bags of 0.5 cu ft. The full breakdown is on how much pea gravel for a 10×10 patio.
How much does a yard of pea gravel weigh?
Typically about 1.4 tons (around 2,800 lb), give or take depending on moisture and the source.
How deep should pea gravel be for a playground?
The CPSC home playground handbook calls for 9 in of pea gravel for equipment up to 5 ft high, and says a 12 in initial fill compresses to about that. Worked through for a small area in how much pea gravel for a 10×10 play area.
Do I need landscape fabric under pea gravel?
It helps keep the gravel from sinking into soil and mixing with it. Weed seeds can still sprout in the gravel on top, so expect some light weeding.
Related guides
Sources
- CPSC — Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook (opens in a new tab) — 9 in of sand or pea gravel for equipment up to 5 ft; a 12 in initial fill compresses to about 9 in; surfacing 6 ft beyond the equipment
- Gravel Monkey — How many tons of gravel in a dump truck? (opens in a new tab) — Typical payloads: single-axle about 6–10 tons, tandem 12–16, tri-axle 18–25; gravel hits the weight limit before the bed is full.