Pea Gravel Calculator
Estimate how much pea gravel you need for driveways, paths, patios, or garden beds. Live results in cubic yards, tons, pounds, kilograms, and 50‑lb bags — with optional cost estimate.
Project Details
Live Results
📐 How the Calculator Works
- • Pea gravel (0.2–2"): 1,680 kg/m³ (~105 lbs/ft³)
- • Gravel with sand: 1,920 kg/m³ (~120 lbs/ft³)
- • Dry sand: 1,600 kg/m³ (~100 lbs/ft³)
- • Wet sand: 1,920 kg/m³ (~120 lbs/ft³)
- • 1 yd³ = 27 ft³ = 0.7646 m³
- • 1 m³ = 1,000 L = 35.31 ft³
- • 1 ft = 12 in = 0.3048 m
- • 1 inch = 2.54 cm
🪨 What Is Pea Gravel?
Pea gravel is a small, smooth, rounded stone about the size of a garden pea (roughly ⅜ inch / 1 cm in diameter). Formed by natural weathering, it comes in warm earthy colors — tan, brown, white, rust, and grey — and has excellent drainage properties.
It's one of the most versatile landscaping materials available, commonly used for driveways, pathways, patios, playgrounds, garden beds, and decorative ground cover.
Common Uses
Attractive, low-maintenance walkways. Combine with landscape fabric to resist weeds and improve drainage.
Natural look with good drainage. Use 3–4 inches depth for typical residential driveways.
Rounded stones are soft underfoot, offer cushioning, and drain better than wood chips or rubber mulch.
Decorative mulch alternative that never decomposes. Helps retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.
Drains fast, stays cool, and is gentle on bare feet compared to concrete or pavers.
Perfect for French drains and trench fills — allows water flow while blocking soil infiltration.
Quick Coverage Guide
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
For decorative purposes and garden paths, 2 inches is usually enough. For driveways, 3–4 inches is recommended. Drainage trenches typically use 3–6 inches.
Pea gravel typically costs $25–$55 per ton or $35–$75 per cubic yard in bulk. Bagged (50 lb) runs about $4–$8 per bag. Prices vary by region and supplier, and delivery is extra.
The calculator shows the exact number of 50-lb bags needed after computing the total weight. As a reference: a 10 ft × 10 ft area at 2 inches deep needs about 35 bags. Always round up.
Standard pea gravel has a bulk density of approximately 1,680 kg/m³ (~105 lbs/ft³). Wet or compacted gravel may be denser.
Yes — lay permeable landscape fabric (weed barrier) first to prevent weeds and keep the gravel from mixing into the soil below.
Enter your area and depth in the calculator for an exact figure. Rough guide: 1 cubic yard covers 108 ft² @ 3", 162 ft² @ 2", or 324 ft² @ 1".
Switch to Circle mode and enter the diameter. The tool uses π × (d÷2)² × depth. A 12 ft-diameter patio at 2" deep needs ~0.70 yd³ (~1,980 lbs).
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