Pea gravel calculator for Wyoming
For patios, play areas, paths and fire pits, calculate tons of 3/8 inch rounded stone.
Enter your project dimensions
At 3/8 inch, pea gravel is rounded stone about pea-sized. It weighs 2,800 lb per cubic yard, or 1.4 tons, matching crushed gravel despite its softer feel underfoot. Getting the depth right matters. With less than 2 inches, the ground can show through. More than 3 inches makes footing feel loose, like dry beach sand. Use this pea gravel calculator to convert your measurements into tons. It includes set depths for the jobs outside the 2-3 inch range: play areas only.
Turn measurements into tons
- Find the area by multiplying length and width. For a circular fire-pit surround, use its diameter.
- Use 2-3 inches where people walk. Keep playground fall zones at 9-12 inches.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply yards by 1.4 for tons.
Coverage guide
| 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 |
A border keeps it contained
Pea gravel shifts because its stones are round. When gravel travels outside its area, the border is often absent or has settled below the surface. Keep it contained with steel, aluminum, timber or paver edging installed an inch above the gravel. A border installed flush can allow stone to escape over a season. At grades over about 5%, rainfall and foot traffic can carry it downhill despite edging. On sloped ground, place a honeycomb stabilizing grid beneath the gravel, or use angular crushed stone that stays interlocked.
Pea gravel, crushed gravel and river rock
For bare feet, pea gravel is the softer option. Crushed walkway gravel has angular pieces that hold together on slopes but feel sharper underfoot. River rock is larger and decorative, better suited to beds than walking surfaces. Their prices generally rise in that same sequence. A yard may use crushed gravel on a sloping side path, pea gravel at a fire pit and river rock by the foundation. Use the calculators for each material to compare tonnage on an identical footprint in about a minute.
Practical project notes
- Patios: Start with 2 inches of compacted screenings to help keep chair legs from dropping in. Finish with 2-3 inches of pea gravel.
- Play areas: The usual fall-zone specification is 9-12 inches of maintained material, and the equipment manual should be checked. At 12 inches, a ton covers only about 19 square feet, so use the calculator instead of estimating by eye.
- Fire pits: Allow 3 inches. This non-flammable stone lets rain drain from the seating area overnight.
- Dog runs: Use 2-3 inches. Rounded gravel is easier on paws and can be rinsed clean.
- Walkways: Use a rake to smooth the surface twice each year. Add a bucket or two from stored material along the travel path every couple of seasons.
Example calculation: a 12-foot fire-pit circle
For a 12-foot circle, the area is 113 square feet. At 3 inches deep, 113 x 0.25 = 28 cubic feet = 1.05 cubic yards, which is a little below 1.5 tons. Order 1.5 and use the small amount left over on the high-traffic side next spring.
Pea gravel dimensions and weight
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Other calculators
Most patios need less than two tons.
3/8 inch natural pea gravel sold by the ton with free delivery.
