How much pea gravel do I need?

Multiply length × width in feet, multiply by depth in inches, then divide by 324 to get cubic yards. For tons, multiply yd³ by 1.225 (pea gravel density). The calculator above does the exact math.

How deep should pea gravel be?

2 inches for paths and decorative beds. 3 inches if you want a thicker look. 6–9 inches for ASTM-rated playground use. Going deeper than 3 inches in non-playground use is wasted material.

How many bags of pea gravel do I need?

Standard retail bags are 0.5 cubic feet. Multiply your area (sq ft) by depth (inches), divide by 12, then divide by 0.5. A 100 sq ft area at 2" deep needs about 34 bags — at $5/bag, that's $170 vs ~$45 in bulk.

How much area does a ton of pea gravel cover?

About 100 sq ft at 2 inches deep, or 70 sq ft at 3 inches deep. One ton of pea gravel is roughly 0.82 cubic yards.

Does pea gravel need a base?

Yes — at minimum, compacted soil with weed barrier on top. For paths that see weekly foot traffic, lay 2 inches of compacted CA6 or crusher run first, then 2 inches of pea gravel. The base prevents the pea gravel from sinking into the soil.

Can I use pea gravel for a driveway?

Not recommended. Pea gravel rolls under tire weight and migrates to the driveway edges within months. For a gravel driveway, use ABC/crusher run for the base and #57 crushed stone for the top course.

Is pea gravel safe for play areas?

Yes, if you use ASTM-rated washed playground pea gravel at a minimum depth of 6 inches (9 inches for equipment over 5 ft tall). Standard landscape pea gravel may contain dust and is not certified for playground impact attenuation.

Is pea gravel good for dog runs?

Pea gravel is a popular dog-run choice because it's smooth on paws and drains well. Use 2–3 inches over compacted soil with edging to keep it contained. Some dogs eat small stones — switch to decomposed granite or larger river rock if your dog is a chewer. Add a urine-flushing layer of base sand below if odor is a concern.

Does pea gravel need edging?

Yes — pea gravel is round and migrates with foot traffic, rain runoff, and snow shoveling. Steel edging, paver borders, bender board, or even buried 4×4 lumber will keep it in place. Without edging, expect to rake stones back into your path or bed every few weeks.

Pea Gravel Calculator — Tons, Yards & Bags

How this calculator works for pea gravel

Pea gravel weighs about 2,450 lbs per cubic yard — lighter than crushed stone because the smooth, rounded shape leaves more void space. The calculator uses that density by default, so the tons figure on the right is the number your landscape supplier will quote.

Two practical things to know about pea gravel: it does not compact (the round shape rolls past itself), and it migrates if you don't edge it. Both facts are why 2 inches is the sweet spot — deeper than 3 inches just gives you more gravel to wade through, and saucers the path edges. If you're considering pea gravel for a driveway, don't — use the driveway calculator with crusher run instead.

Always edge a pea gravel area

A 2-inch deep pea gravel path with no edging will lose a third of its volume to the surrounding lawn within a year. Steel edging, bender board, or a paver border pays for itself. For round areas like fire pits, the circular calculator has the geometry already locked in.

Recommended depth & material

Use	Depth	Material	Notes
Garden paths and walkways	2"	3/8" pea gravel	Over compacted base + weed barrier.
Decorative beds, ground cover	2" – 3"	Pea gravel	Anything deeper is wasted.
Play areas (under playground)	6" – 9"	Washed, rounded pea gravel	ASTM-rated impact attenuation needs depth.
Around fire pit / patio accent	2" – 3"	Pea gravel	Smooth on bare feet; great around seating.
Aquarium / fish tank substrate	1" – 2"	Washed pea gravel (untinted)	Rinse thoroughly before use.

How to measure for pea gravel

Pea gravel projects are usually paths or decorative beds — neither tends to be a clean rectangle. Use multi-area mode to add each section.

Sketch the area. Walk the project with a tape and rough out the shape. Most paths can be approximated as 2–3 rectangles end-to-end.
Measure each segment. Length × width of each rectangle, in feet. For curves, measure the average width perpendicular to the curve.
Pick your depth. 2 inches for paths and beds; 3 inches if you want a thicker decorative look. Don't go deeper than 3 inches except for play areas.
Use the pea gravel default. The material picker is already set to pea gravel. If you're using a different rounded stone (river rock 1"–3"), switch to that for a heavier-per-yard number.
Add edging to your shopping list. Steel edging or paver border is not optional for pea gravel. Plan on the perimeter length × edging price.
Add a buffer. 10% is plenty for pea gravel — it doesn't compact, so you're really only buffering for spillage and the inevitable migration into the lawn.

Worked example: 4-ft × 30-ft pea gravel path

A typical garden path: 4 ft × 30 ft = 120 sq ft at 2 inches deep.

Volume: 120 × 2 ÷ 324 = 0.74 yd³
Weight: 0.74 × 2,450 ÷ 2,000 = 0.91 tons
With 10% buffer: ~1 ton
Bag count (0.5 cuft retail bags): 120 × 2 ÷ 12 ÷ 0.5 = 40 bags
Cost (bulk): at $55/ton, about $55 in pea gravel + delivery
Cost (bagged at $5/bag): $200 — 4× the bulk price

The bag math is why bulk delivery wins for any pea gravel project over ~30 sq ft.

Pea Gravel Calculator