How much pea gravel do you need?
Enter the size of your path, play area or patio. You get tons, cubic yards and truck loads of pea gravel.
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How this was worked out
Assumes pea gravel at 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Yard stone runs bigger or smaller from one pile to the next, so ask your supplier for their number.
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About pea gravel
Pea gravel is small, smooth, rounded stone about the size of a pea. It is easy on bare feet, which makes it a favorite for paths, patios and under swings. The round stones roll and never lock together, so give it a firm edge to sit inside. Lay it about 2 to 3 inches deep on a path and deeper under a swing set.
More about pea gravel
Pea gravel is natural stone rounded by water and screened to about 3/8 inch, though some suppliers sell a 1/4 inch or a 1/2 inch size under the same name. It comes in mixed tans, browns, whites and grays, and it is washed before it is sold.
For a walking path, dig out 3 to 4 inches, lay landscape fabric, set a steel, timber or paver edge, and fill to 2 to 3 inches. Under a swing set or slide, playground safety guides ask for a far thicker layer, often 9 inches or more, kept topped up as children kick it out.
It does not pack, so it makes a poor driveway on a slope and a poor bed under pavers. Tamping only shuffles the stones around. On flat ground, a 1 to 2 inch layer over a firm packed base can serve as a driveway top, though it will need raking back where tires push it aside. Rain drains off the smooth stones fast, so the weight on a wet day stays close to the dry figure.