Pea gravel calculator for Vermont
Calculate tons of 3/8 inch rounded stone for patios, paths, fire pit areas, and play spaces.
Enter your project dimensions
Rounded 3/8 inch stone is pea gravel, named for its small size. It feels soft underfoot but weighs about 2,800 lb per cubic yard, or 1.4 tons, the same as crushed gravel. Keep the depth right: less than 2 inches can leave ground showing, while more than 3 inches makes walking feel loose. Enter your dimensions in this calculator for a ton estimate. Play areas are the only use here that falls outside the 2-3 inch depth range.
Turn measurements into tons
- Get length and width for a rectangular space. For a round fire-pit surround, use its diameter.
- For walking surfaces, use 2-3 inches. Playground fall zones need 9-12 inches kept in place.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply yards by 1.4 for tons.
Material coverage
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | ≈ 116 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | ≈ 77 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | ≈ 58 sq ft |
| 12 inches, play area | 27 sq ft | ≈ 19 sq ft |
| Project | Typical size | Depth | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patio / seating area | 12 x 12 ft | 3" | 1.3 yd³ | 1.9 tons |
| Garden walkway | 25 x 3 ft | 2.5" | 0.6 yd³ | 0.8 tons |
| Fire-pit surround | 12 ft round | 3" | 1 yd³ | 1.5 tons |
| Playground fall zone | 20 x 20 ft | 12" | 14.8 yd³ | 20.7 tons |
| Dog run | 15 x 8 ft | 3" | 1.1 yd³ | 1.6 tons |
Keep it contained with edging
Because pea gravel is round, it rolls. A border keeps it from spreading. Set steel, aluminum, timber or paver edging an inch above the finished surface to hold the stone in place. Flush edging allows stone to work its way out over time. On slopes over about 5%, runoff and foot traffic can carry it downhill despite edging. For slopes, place a honeycomb stabilizing grid below the gravel or use angular crushed stone, which interlocks.
Pea gravel compared with crushed gravel and river rock
Pea gravel feels good under bare feet but tends to move around. Crushed walkway gravel has sharper edges, yet its angular pieces bind together for slopes. River rock is larger and decorative, usually better suited to beds than foot traffic. Cost generally rises in that order. One yard can use all three: crushed stone on a sloping side path, pea gravel by the fire pit, and river rock at the foundation. The calculators here let you check tonnage for the same footprint in about a minute.
Jobsite notes
- Patios: Put down 2 inches of compacted screenings first so chair legs stay supported. Cover it with 2-3 inches of pea gravel.
- Play areas: Standard fall zones call for a maintained 9-12 inches. Refer to the equipment manual. At 12 inches, a ton covers about 19 square feet, making the calculator more reliable than an estimate.
- Fire pits: Set the depth at 3 inches. The stone does not burn and lets rain drain from the seating area overnight.
- Dog runs: Use 2-3 inches. The rounded material is easier on paws and can be rinsed clean.
- Walkways: Level the surface with a rake twice each year. Keep a bucket or two back and refresh the traffic line every couple of seasons.
Example: a 12-foot fire-pit circle
A circle measuring 12-foot across has 113 square feet. For 3 inches: 113 x 0.25 = 28 cubic feet = 1.05 cubic yards, a little below 1.5 tons. Order 1.5 and save the small extra layer for the busy side next spring.
Pea gravel measurements and weight
What quantity of pea gravel is needed?
What area will one ton of pea gravel cover?
What does a cubic yard of pea gravel weigh?
What is the cost of pea gravel?
What is pea gravel made of?
What depth is needed for a pea gravel patio?
What depth of pea gravel goes beneath a swing set?
For a walkway, pea gravel or crushed gravel?
More calculators
Most patios require less than two tons.
3/8 inch natural pea gravel, sold by the ton with free delivery.
