Pea Gravel Calculator
To calculate pea gravel, multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by about 1.35–1.5 for tons. For example, a 10 × 10 ft area 2 inches deep needs 0.62 cubic yards (about 0.83–0.93 tons), or 34 bags of 0.5 cu ft.
How to calculate pea gravel
- Measure the area. Measure the length and width in feet, or use the area in square feet if you know it.
- Convert the depth to feet. Divide the depth in inches by 12. For example, 2 inches is 0.17 feet.
- Find the cubic yards. Multiply length × width × depth to get cubic feet, then divide by 27.
- Convert to tons. Multiply the cubic yards by 1.35–1.50 for tons of pea gravel.
- Count bags and round up. For bags, divide the cubic feet by the bag size printed on the bag. Round up to what your supplier sells.
Worked example: a 12 × 12 ft patio 2 inches deep: 12 × 12 × (2 ÷ 12) = 24 cubic feet, and 24 ÷ 27 = 0.89 cubic yards. That's 1.20–1.33 tons of pea gravel, or 48 bags of 0.5 cu ft.
How much does pea gravel weigh?
Loose pea gravel weighs about 1.35–1.50 tons per cubic yard (2,700–3,000 lb), or 100–111 lb per cubic foot. That runs from the Federal Highway Administration's figure for dry, one-size gravel to Penn State's figure for ⅜-inch AASHTO #8 stone. Wet gravel weighs more. One ton is about 0.67–0.74 cubic yards.
How much does pea gravel cover?
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft divided by the depth in inches, whatever it weighs. A ton covers less than a cubic yard, because a ton is only about 0.67–0.74 cubic yards.
| Depth | 1 cubic yard | 1 ton | 0.5 cu ft bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | 216–240 sq ft | 6 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 108–120 sq ft | 3 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 72–80 sq ft | 2 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 54–60 sq ft | 1.5 sq ft |
Pea gravel quick reference: 1 to 10 tons
| Tons | Cubic yards | Covers at 2 in | Covers at 3 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.67–0.74 | 108–120 sq ft | 72–80 sq ft |
| 2 | 1.33–1.48 | 216–240 sq ft | 144–160 sq ft |
| 3 | 2.00–2.22 | 324–360 sq ft | 216–240 sq ft |
| 5 | 3.33–3.70 | 540–600 sq ft | 360–400 sq ft |
| 10 | 6.67–7.41 | 1,080–1,200 sq ft | 720–800 sq ft |
Pea gravel for playgrounds
When impact-tested surfacing isn't available, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's playground handbook lists pea gravel at a minimum of 12 inches deep when installed and 9 inches once compressed, which protects against falls up to 5 feet. Loose fill compresses with use, so keep topping it up. For example, a 20 × 20 ft play area filled 12 inches deep takes 14.81 cubic yards, about 20.00–22.22 tons.
Other gravel and rock
For crushed gravel or a compacted gravel base, use the gravel calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate pea gravel?
Measure length and width in feet, divide the depth in inches by 12, multiply for cubic feet and divide by 27 for cubic yards. Then multiply by 1.35–1.50 for tons, or divide the cubic feet by the bag size for bags. A 10 × 10 ft area 2 inches deep is 16.67 cubic feet: 0.62 cubic yards, about 0.83–0.93 tons, or 34 bags of 0.5 cu ft.
How much pea gravel do I need for a 10x10 area?
At 2 inches deep, a 10 × 10 ft area needs 0.62 cubic yards of pea gravel: about 0.83–0.93 tons, or 34 bags of 0.5 cu ft. At 3 inches it needs 0.93 cubic yards (1.25–1.39 tons, or 50 bags).
How much area does 1 ton of pea gravel cover?
About 108–120 sq ft at 2 inches deep, 72–80 sq ft at 3 inches and 54–60 sq ft at 4 inches, for pea gravel at 1.35–1.50 tons per cubic yard.
How many tons is 1 cubic yard of pea gravel?
About 1.35–1.50 tons (2,700–3,000 lb). So a ton of pea gravel is only about 0.67–0.74 cubic yards: a cubic yard and a ton are not the same amount.
How many bags of pea gravel are in a yard?
54 bags of 0.5 cu ft make one cubic yard (36 of 0.75 cu ft, or 27 of 1 cu ft). One 0.5 cu ft bag covers about 3 sq ft at 2 inches deep.
Related calculators
Sources and methodology
Volumes use (length × width × depth) ÷ 27 with all measurements in feet. Pea gravel weights are loose, as delivered: from the Federal Highway Administration's figure for dry, uniformly graded gravel to Penn State's figure for AASHTO #8 stone, which is why results show a range. Bags are cubic feet ÷ bag size, rounded up. Playground depths are from the CPSC handbook's table for loose-fill surfacing that hasn't been impact-tested. Order amounts are rounded up to the next half cubic yard or half ton. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb).
- FHWA Federal Lands Highway, Earthwork Design (PDDM supplement), Exhibit 5.1 A (January 2026)
- Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies: DGLVR Materials Calculator
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Public Playground Safety Handbook, Publication 325 (July 2025), Table 2
- NIST Special Publication 811 (Guide for the Use of the SI), Appendix B.8: conversion factors