Estimate pea gravel for paths, patios and drainage. Enter your area and depth to get cubic yards, tons and square-foot coverage instantly.
Pea gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Coverage shows the square feet one yard covers at your depth.
Pea gravel is sold by the cubic yard or by the ton, so measure your area and depth, then convert. The formula is length times width times depth in feet, divided by 27. A 20 by 3 foot path at 2 inches deep is 20 × 3 × 0.167 ÷ 27 = 0.37 cubic yards, or about half a ton.
Depth matters more than you think. A path needs 2 inches. A patio or sitting area wants 2 to 3 inches. A drainage bed needs 4 to 6 inches. Going an inch too thin means the gravel scatters and the weed fabric underneath shows through.
How many square feet one cubic yard of pea gravel covers at different depths:
| Depth | Coverage per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft |
A cubic yard of pea gravel weighs about 1.4 tons, or 2,800 pounds. That means 1 ton equals roughly 0.7 cubic yards.
Two inches is standard for a walking path. Go 3 to 4 inches if the path gets foot traffic on soft or muddy ground, so the gravel stays in place.
At 2 inches deep, a 10 by 10 foot area needs about 0.62 cubic yards, or 0.87 tons of pea gravel.
Yes. Lay landscape fabric first so the gravel does not sink into the soil and weeds do not grow through. Overlap the fabric seams by at least 6 inches.
Yes. The round, loose stones let water flow through quickly, which is why pea gravel is popular for French drains, dry wells and around downspouts.