Pea Gravel Calculator — Tons, Cubic Yards, Bag Count and Bulk-vs-Retail Break-Even Cost
Estimate pea gravel by tons, cubic yards, and 0.5-ft³ landscape-bag count — with side-by-side bulk-delivery vs bagged-retail cost so you can see exactly when bulk delivery beats home-center bags (usually around 1.0 ton or 20 ft³).
Pea Gravel Calculator
Enter project dimensions below — results update instantly. Switch units freely.
Estimates assume typical industry density and waste factors. Always verify with your supplier and local building code before purchasing material.
‘How Much Pea Gravel?’ Has Two Answers — Bags or Bulk — and the Wrong One Costs 4× More
Pea gravel is the one aggregate where the same project has two completely different shopping carts: a stack of 0.5-ft³ bags from the home-center garden aisle, or a 2-ton bulk delivery from a quarry or landscape supply. The price gap between the two is the largest of any common landscape material.
Bagged retail in 2026 averages $5.50 per 0.5-ft³ bag (50 lb), which works out to $220 per ton. Bulk delivered runs $35–$65 per ton. That’s a 4× markup for the convenience of carrying it home in your trunk.
The break-even is straightforward but most homeowners eyeball it wrong:
- Under 20 ft³ (~1 ton, 40 bags) — bagged is cheaper once you add a $75–$150 minimum delivery fee. Buy bags.
- 20–40 ft³ (1–2 tons, 40–80 bags) — about even. Decide on logistics: do you have a way to receive a bulk dump?
- Over 40 ft³ (2+ tons) — bulk wins every time. Even with delivery, you save $150–$400 per ton vs bagged.
The other place pea gravel estimates go wrong is depth-by-application. CPSC playground depth (9–12 in) is 4× deeper than a decorative path (2 in); use the wrong one and you either don’t have enough fall protection for the swing-set, or you over-spend by 4× on a garden walkway. The calculator above has both as one-click presets so the depth gets matched to the use case before you order.
How to Calculate Pea Gravel Calculator
Tons = (ft³ × 100) ÷ 2000 = ft³ × 0.05
Bags (0.5 ft³) = ⌈ft³ ÷ 0.5⌉ = ⌈ft³ × 2⌉
Pea gravel loose density is 95–105 lb/ft³ (3/8-in rounded stones). The calculator above defaults to 100 lb/ft³. Rounded pea gravel does not compact, so the loose volume is the placed volume — no compaction factor needed (unlike crusher run).
Depth-by-Application Cheat Sheet
| Application | Depth | Coverage / ton at depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decorative garden path | 2 in | 120 ft² | Edging recommended; pea migrates without restraint |
| Patio fill (under flagstone) | 2–3 in | 80–120 ft² | Spread, level, then place stone; not compacted |
| French-drain top course | 3–4 in | 60–80 ft² | Caps #57 stone bedding; do not use pea for the drainage layer itself (too small, clogs) |
| Decorative bed / xeriscape | 3 in | 80 ft² | Lay landscape fabric below to suppress weeds |
| CPSC playground fall zone | 9 in (5-ft fall height) / 12 in (10-ft) | 27 ft² / 20 ft² | Per CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook |
| Dog run / pet area | 3–4 in | 60–80 ft² | Smooth pea (3/8 in) is paw-friendly; angular #8 is not |
Bulk vs Bagged Break-Even
The calculator above shows both costs side by side. As a one-line rule: if you need more than 1 ton (about 40 bags or 20 ft³), bulk delivery is cheaper even after delivery fees. Below that threshold, bags are usually the better choice unless you have a long driveway that a delivery truck can’t reach.
For other landscape aggregates, see the Gravel Calculator (general purpose), the River Rock Calculator (larger 1–6 in decorative stones), or the Sand Calculator for paver bedding sand under flagstone.
Pea Gravel Coverage Table and Material Reference
| Area | 2 in depth | 3 in depth | 9 in (playground) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft² | 9 ft³ / 18 bags / 0.5 t | 13 ft³ / 26 bags / 0.7 t | 39 ft³ / 79 bags / 2.0 t |
| 100 ft² | 18 ft³ / 36 bags / 0.9 t | 26 ft³ / 53 bags / 1.4 t | 79 ft³ / 158 bags / 4.0 t |
| 200 ft² | 35 ft³ / 70 bags / 1.8 t | 53 ft³ / 105 bags / 2.6 t | 158 ft³ / 315 bags / 7.9 t |
| 500 ft² | 88 ft³ / 175 bags / 4.4 t | 131 ft³ / 263 bags / 6.6 t | 394 ft³ / 788 bags / 19.7 t |
Bag count rounded up. Bulk break-even is roughly 40 bags / 1 ton — anything above that, order bulk. Anything below, bag it.
| Order size | Bagged total | Bulk total | Bulk savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft³ (0.5 ton) | $110 (20 bags × $5.50) | $110 ($25 mat + $85 delivery) | $0 (bag wins on small orders) |
| 20 ft³ (1 ton) | $220 (40 bags × $5.50) | $135 ($50 mat + $85 delivery) | $85 (bulk wins) |
| 40 ft³ (2 tons) | $440 (80 bags × $5.50) | $185 ($100 mat + $85 delivery) | $255 (bulk decisively wins) |
| 100 ft³ (5 tons) | $1,100 (200 bags × $5.50) | $335 ($250 mat + $85 delivery) | $765 (bulk obvious) |
| 200 ft³ (10 tons) | $2,200 (400 bags × $5.50) | $585 ($500 mat + $85 delivery) | $1,615 (4× markup avoided) |
Bagged price at $5.50 per 0.5-ft³ bag (typical 2026 home-center retail). Bulk at $50/ton plus $85 minimum delivery fee within 20 miles of quarry. Your local prices may vary ±30%.
Real-World Example Calculations
Decorative Path 30 ft × 3 ft, 2 in Pea Gravel
Garden walkway between raised beds. Edging on both sides; landscape fabric below.
- L × W
- 30 × 3 ft = 90 ft²
- Depth
- 2 in
- Density
- 100 lb/ft³
Takeaway: Below the bulk break-even; bags are cleaner for a small front-yard project where a quarry truck can’t turn around.
CPSC Playground Fall Zone 20 ft × 20 ft, 9-in Pea Gravel
Backyard swing-set rated 5-ft fall height. CPSC handbook depth requirement.
- L × W
- 20 × 20 ft = 400 ft²
- Depth
- 9 in
- Density
- 100 lb/ft³
Takeaway: Bulk delivery only. At 631 bags from a big-box, you’d pay $3,470 — bulk saves $2,595. Two tri-axle dump-truck deliveries; spread with skid steer or rake by hand over a weekend.
Front-Yard Xeriscape Bed 15 ft × 8 ft, 3 in Pea Gravel
Drought-tolerant landscape bed with weed fabric below and 4-in edging.
- L × W
- 15 × 8 ft = 120 ft²
- Depth
- 3 in
- Density
- 100 lb/ft³
Takeaway: Right at the break-even. If a 6-yd delivery truck can reach the curb, bulk saves $180. If not, 63 bags fit in 4–5 pickup-truck trips.
Sources & Standards
These references are used for terminology, safety boundaries, and engineering assumptions. Local code, supplier specifications, and licensed design documents still control your project.
-
CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook (Publication 325)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Referenced for loose-fill surfacing depths under playground equipment: 9 in pea gravel for 5-ft fall heights, 12 in for 10-ft fall heights (Section 2.4 and Table 2).
-
ASTM F1292 — Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment
ASTM International
Referenced for impact attenuation testing of loose-fill playground surfaces (Head Impact Criterion / HIC threshold of 1,000).
-
ASTM D448 — Standard Classification for Sizes of Aggregate for Road and Bridge Construction
ASTM International
Referenced for #8 / #89 stone gradation that covers commercial pea-gravel sizing (3/8-in nominal).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bags of pea gravel do I need?
A standard 0.5-ft³ landscape bag covers ~3 ft² at 2 in deep. A 100 ft² path at 2 in deep needs 36 bags; a 9-in CPSC playground over 100 ft² needs 158 bags. The calculator above outputs the exact bag count for the bag size you specify (0.5-ft³ standard, 1.0-ft³ large).
How many tons of pea gravel in a cubic yard?
1.35 tons/yd³ at typical 100 lb/ft³ loose density. Slightly less for the lighter washed pea (95 lb/ft³ → 1.28 tons/yd³); slightly more for crushed angular pea (105 lb/ft³ → 1.42 tons/yd³).
How thick should pea gravel be on a path?
2 inches for a foot path with edging; 3 inches if there’s no edging (the pea will migrate slightly and you need a thicker initial layer); 4 inches for a low-traffic vehicle area. Under flagstone patios, 2–3 in is plenty — the stone weight holds the gravel in place.
How deep does pea gravel need to be under a swing-set?
Per the CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook: 9 inches for fall heights up to 5 ft, 12 inches for fall heights up to 10 ft. Measure the deck/platform of the swing-set as the fall height. Less depth than this is not fall-protective per CPSC and is a personal-injury liability if a child is hurt.
Does pea gravel need to be compacted?
No — pea gravel is rounded smooth stone and will not compact. Spread it level with a rake and walk it in. Do not run a vibratory plate over pea gravel; it will sink it into the soil below and create a depression. If you need a compacted base under pavers, use crusher run for the base course and cap with pea gravel as the top decorative course.
How much does pea gravel cost per ton in 2026?
$35–$65 per ton delivered bulk; $220 per ton equivalent when bought as 0.5-ft³ bags from a home center ($5.50/bag × 40 bags/ton). The 4× markup is the single biggest cost saver on any pea gravel project over 1 ton.
Will pea gravel work in a French drain?
Only as a top cap, not as the drainage layer. The drainage layer needs #57 clean stone (3/4 in) so water can flow freely; 3/8-in pea gravel is too fine and clogs the perforated pipe. Use pea only in the top 2–4 inches if you want a decorative finish over the buried drain.