Pea Gravel Calculator
Pea gravel is the friendly aggregate: small, rounded, easy on bare feet and paws, which is why it ends up on paths, patios, dog runs, and under swing sets. It's also easy to over-order, because it compacts less than crushed stone and a little goes further. Enter your area and depth below, or tap a preset for paths, patios, or play areas. You'll get tons for the bulk yard, cubic yards for delivery, and the 50-lb bag count for smaller jobs.
The friendly stone, ordered right
Pea gravel earns its place on paths and play areas by being round: no sharp edges, kind to knees and paws, comfortable barefoot in summer. Round is also its weakness. The stones never lock together the way crushed rock does, so depth and edging decide whether you get a firm path or a beach. The tool's presets carry those depths: 2 inches for paths, 3 for patios, 6 for playgrounds.
Coverage at the depths that matter
| Use | Depth | One ton covers | 50-lb bags per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topping an existing path | 1 in | ~200 sq ft | 17 |
| Garden path | 2 in | ~100 sq ft | 34 |
| Patio / seating area | 3 in | ~65 sq ft | 50 |
| Playground fall zone | 6 in | ~33 sq ft | 100 |
| Playground (CPSC spec) | 9 in | ~22 sq ft | 150 |
The federal playground guidance (CPSC) actually calls for 9 inches of loose fill under equipment up to certain fall heights, which is why the play preset is where bag-buying dies and bulk delivery begins.
A path, worked
A 3-foot-wide path running 40 feet at 2 inches: 120 square feet, 20 cubic feet, about 0.8 yards with waste, one ton on the nose. That's 44 bags at the store, roughly $220 at bag prices, or one bulk ton at $40 to $80 plus delivery. The bulk yard wins as soon as the delivery fee is under the difference, which for most people is the first project past a wheelbarrow's worth.
What pea gravel is wrong for
Two jobs tempt people every year, and both end badly. Under pavers: the round stones roll forever, the patio dips, and the fix is a full rebuild on crushed base. In driveways as the only layer: tires push it into ruts and spray it into the lawn. If a driveway must be pea gravel for the look, it needs a compacted crusher-run base underneath and a stabilization grid holding the top inch. Otherwise pick the standard gravel calculator and a stone with fines.
Keeping it where you put it
- Edge everything. Steel or aluminum edging held with 12-inch spikes is the difference between a path and a slow spill into the grass.
- Base layer for structure. On paths that get wheelbarrows or strollers, put 2 inches of compacted crusher run under the 2 inches of pea, and the surface firms right up.
- Fabric between soil and stone, or the pea works downward and mud works up through it by spring.
- Keep a few bags back. Low spots show up in the first month; topping up beats re-raking the whole run.
Common questions
About 100 square feet at 2 inches deep. At the 6-inch depth a playground needs, one ton covers only about 33 square feet, so play areas eat gravel fast.
Two inches for paths and general cover, 3 for patios and seating areas, 6 or more under play equipment. Deeper than about 3 inches on a walkway gets soft underfoot, like walking on a beach.
Yes, more than any other stone. Round stones roll, and without steel, aluminum, or timber edging your path migrates into the lawn. Budget edging into the job or you'll rake gravel forever.
No. It never locks together, so pavers on pea gravel shift and dip. Use crushed stone with fines for base, and keep pea gravel as the pretty surface layer.
Estimates for planning. Verify against your supplier's units and your local building codes before ordering or building. For anything structural, follow your engineer or local code.