Pea gravel calculator
Calculate this loadRounded 1/4–3/8 inch pea gravel is a 2-inch path material. It migrates, so plan edging and a little extra.
Project calculator
Area 1
Cubic yards
0.62 yd³
Tons
0.80 t
2 cu ft bags
9
Estimated cost
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Pea gravel planning density 1.3 t/yd³ (Landscape industry pea-gravel bulk density, 2,400–2,800 lb/yd³). Order 0.75 yd³ with 5% waste. 3 cu ft bags: 6.
Pea gravel looks soft and behaves like ball bearings. That is charming on a garden path and annoying on a driveway. Use it where feet, not tires, are the load, and contain it with steel, stone, or timber edging. Without an edge, the 2-inch layer you paid for will be a 1-inch layer plus gravel in the lawn by August.
Rounded stone packs with more voids than crushed gravel, so the planning density is a bit lower: 1.3 tons per cubic yard, mid-range of landscape-industry 2,400–2,800 lb/yd³ tables. Washed pea gravel is cleaner and more expensive; pit-run is cheaper and dusty.
Two inches is enough to hide fabric and feel like a bed. Three inches is better for a play area. Deeper than that and you are wading. For French drains you usually want clean angular stone, not peas.
If the same project has a crushed-stone base and a pea-gravel finish, calculate them as two areas or two projects and order both. The related crushed-stone calculator uses a slightly higher density.
Formula
Yards = area × depth ÷ 27. Tons ≈ yards × 1.3.
Worked example
A 30 × 3 ft path at 2 inches is 90 × 0.167 ÷ 27 = 0.56 yd³, about 0.72 tons.
Pea gravel on the ground
Typical cover is 2 inches. Range 1.2–1.4 t/yd³. Rounded 1/4–3/8 inch stone. Voids are higher than angular crushed stone.
Density table
| Material | t / yd³ | lb / yd³ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 1.4 | 2800 | FHWA / typical crushed gravel 2,400–3,000 lb per loose cubic yard |
| Crushed stone | 1.35 | 2700 | ASTM C29 typical bulk density for crushed stone aggregates |
| Pea gravel | 1.3 | 2600 | Landscape industry pea-gravel bulk density, 2,400–2,800 lb/yd³ |
| Sand | 1.35 | 2700 | FHWA / Engineering Toolbox dry-to-damp sand ~2,400–3,000 lb/yd³ |
Related calculators
Gravel calculator
Size a driveway, path, or French drain in cubic yards first — then convert to tons using a cited 1.4 tons/yd³ planning density.
River rock calculator
Measure the bed, pick a depth at least as large as the stone, and convert to yards and tons at 1.25 tons/yd³.
Crushed stone calculator
Crushed stone is the angular base under driveways and pavers. Plan 4 inches, compacted, at about 1.35 tons per yard.