Pea Gravel Weight
Pea gravel is rounded stone about 1/8 to 3/8 inch across. It does not pack the way crushed stone does, so suppliers quote a loose bulk density. A common planning figure is 1.4 US tons per cubic yard (2,800 lb), which is about 1.66 tonnes per cubic meter, or 1,660 kg/m³. Dry river pebble can sit closer to 1.25 tons per yard. A wet load can pass 1.5 tons. These calculators start at 1,600 kg/m³, which is 1.35 tons per cubic yard and 1.60 tonnes per cubic meter. Type 1660 into the density box when you want the 1.4-ton figure.
| Pea gravel condition | Tonnes per m³ | US tons per yd³ | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry, loose river pebble | 1.45–1.55 | 1.22–1.31 | The light end of a dry load |
| Planning figure | 1.66 | 1.40 | Coverage and 50 lb bag counts on this page |
| Calculator default | 1.60 | 1.35 | 1,600 kg/m³ already filled in above |
| Wet load | up to about 1.80 | up to about 1.52 | Rain adds weight without changing the volume |
One US ton is 2,000 lb. One tonne is 1,000 kg. The “t” menu on each calculator is metric tonnes. The tons line under the result is US short tons from the same weight.
Coverage, Bags, and a Small Truck
At 2 inches deep, one cubic yard of pea gravel covers 162 square feet. One ton at the 1.4-ton figure covers about 116 square feet at 2 inches, 77 square feet at 3 inches, and 231 square feet at 1 inch. Per square foot at 2 inches that is 0.0062 cubic yards, about 0.17 cubic feet, and about 17 pounds.
| Depth | Sq ft per yd³ | Sq ft per ton at 1.4 t/yd³ | 0.5 ft³ bags per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 | 231 | 1 bag covers 6 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 | 116 | 1 bag covers 3 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 | 77 | 1 bag covers 2 sq ft |
A cubic yard is 54 bags of 0.5 cubic feet, or about 56 bags of 50 lb when the stone is 1.4 tons per yard (2,800 ÷ 50). A landscape truck of 5 to 7 tons holds about 3.5 to 5 cubic yards at that weight. Paths and dog runs are usually a bag or a small truck job. A long driveway in pea gravel is a bulk order.
Worked Example: a 10×30 ft Path
A garden path 10 feet wide and 30 feet long, 2 inches deep:
- Cubic yards = 10 × 30 × 2 ÷ 324 = 1.85 yd³
- Cubic meters = 1.42 m³
- At the calculator default of 1,600 kg/m³: 2.50 US tons and 2.27 tonnes
- At the 1.4 tons-per-yard planning figure: 2.59 US tons
- 0.5 ft³ bags = 50 ft³ ÷ 0.5 = 100 bags
- 50 lb bags at 1.4 tons per yard = about 104 bags
Enter 10 ft × 30 ft × 2 in on the straight-path calculator. At the default density you should see 1.85 cubic yards, 1.42 cubic meters, 2.50 tons, and 2.27 tonnes. The calculators do not add extra for edging spill. Add about 5 percent if the path has soft edges.
How to Lay Pea Gravel
Size. True pea gravel is the smooth 1/8 to 3/8 inch stone. Anything larger is river rock or a crushed chip, and it will not feel the same underfoot. Color comes from the parent rock: tan river stone, gray granite, white marble chips. The shape, not the color, is what makes it comfortable and also what makes it roll.
Depth. Two inches is enough for a contained walkway or a decorative bed. Three inches is the usual dog-run and playground depth. One inch only hides landscape fabric on a flat, edged bed. Pea gravel will not lock, so a slope or an open edge needs a border or the stone walks away.
Base. On soil, strip the sod, lay a nonwoven fabric so the pebbles do not sink, and edge the bed with steel, stone, or a board. For a sitting area or a light parking pad, put 3 to 4 inches of compacted crushed stone underneath and keep the pea gravel as the top 2 inches. Pea gravel alone ruts under tires. Use the crusher run calculator for that base and this page for the walking surface.
Skip it on a steep path, under a wheelchair, or anywhere you need a surface that packs. Crushed stone and 3/4 gravel grip. Pea gravel is the barefoot and garden-bed stone.
Pea Gravel Questions
How much pea gravel do I need?
Multiply length by width by depth. In feet and inches, cubic yards = length × width × depth in inches ÷ 324. A 10 by 30 foot path at 2 inches is 1.85 cubic yards. The shape tools above do the same math for curves, circles, rings, and triangles.
How much pea gravel per square foot?
At 2 inches, each square foot takes 0.0062 cubic yards, about 0.17 cubic feet, and about 17 pounds when the stone is 1.4 tons per cubic yard. One 0.5 cubic foot bag covers 3 square feet at that depth.
How many bags of pea gravel do I need?
A cubic yard is 54 bags of 0.5 cubic feet. At 1.4 tons per yard it is about 56 bags of 50 pounds. The 10 by 30 foot example is 100 half-cubic-foot bags, or about 104 of the 50 lb bags. The bag line on each calculator counts 0.5 cubic foot bags from the volume it just computed.
How much does a yard of pea gravel weigh?
About 1.4 tons, or 2,800 pounds, is the planning figure used for coverage on this page. The calculators start at 1.35 tons per yard (1,600 kg/m³). A wet load can be closer to 1.5 tons. Ask the yard for the tons-per-yard on your ticket if the load looks heavy.
How deep should pea gravel be?
Two inches for a walkway or a plant bed, three inches for a dog run or a play area, and only one inch when you are refreshing a bed that already has stone. Deeper than three inches is wasted on a surface that does not compact.
Does pea gravel need a base?
A walking path needs fabric and an edge so the pebbles stay put. A place with chairs or a car needs a compacted crushed-stone base underneath. Pea gravel is the top, not the structural layer.
How many square feet does a ton of pea gravel cover?
At 1.4 tons per cubic yard, one ton covers about 231 square feet at 1 inch, 116 square feet at 2 inches, and 77 square feet at 3 inches.
Is pea gravel good for a driveway?
Only as a thin top over a compacted base, and even then it scatters and ruts. A driveway that has to carry cars should be crusher run, class 5, or crushed stone. Keep pea gravel for paths, beds, and the ring around a feature. Rounded stone is also a weak winter grit: the winter gravel guide.