How many cubic yards are in a ton of pea gravel?

About 0.71 cubic yards. Pea gravel weighs roughly 2,800 lb per cubic yard, so a cubic yard is about 1.4 tons.

How deep should pea gravel be?

Two to three inches is enough for paths and decorative beds, and 3 to 4 inches for areas that get more use, such as dog runs. Deeper layers of 6 in or more are used for drainage trenches and pipe bedding, where it's not a walking surface.

Is pea gravel good for a driveway?

Not on its own. The stones are round, so they don't lock together and tend to shift and spread under tires. Crushed angular stone is the better driveway material, and pea gravel works if it's confined by edging in a small, low-traffic area.

Do I need landscape fabric under pea gravel?

It helps. Fabric keeps weeds from coming up and stops the stones from sinking into soft soil, which extends the life of the layer. Edging is just as important, because loose round stone drifts out of the bed.

How Much Does a Ton of Pea Gravel Cover? Coverage Chart

Last updated October 4, 2026

Pea gravel is small, rounded stone that's popular for paths, patios, dog runs, and drainage. It's sold by the ton or the cubic yard, so the question is how far a ton goes. This chart answers that at every depth, shows how many tons common areas need, and covers where pea gravel works well and where it doesn't.

Quick answer: a ton of pea gravel covers about 116 sq ft at 2 in deep, 77 sq ft at 3 in, and 58 sq ft at 4 in. A cubic yard weighs about 1.4 tons.

Pea gravel coverage by depth

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it covers 324 sq ft at 1 in deep, and proportionally less as the layer gets thicker. The calculator uses about 2,800 lb per cubic yard for pea gravel, so a ton is about 0.71 cubic yards.

Depth	1 cubic yard covers	1 ton covers	One 0.5 ft³ bag covers
1 in	324 sq ft	231 sq ft	6.0 sq ft
2 in	162 sq ft	116 sq ft	3.0 sq ft
3 in	108 sq ft	77 sq ft	2.0 sq ft
4 in	81 sq ft	58 sq ft	1.5 sq ft
6 in	54 sq ft	39 sq ft	1.0 sq ft

Figures are for loose gravel at the stated depth, before any allowance for settling or waste.

Tons of pea gravel for common areas

Find your area and depth to read off the tons you need before waste. Add 10% for settling and an uneven base, and round up to the quantity your supplier sells.

Area	2 in deep	3 in deep	4 in deep
50 sq ft	0.43	0.65	0.86
100 sq ft	0.86	1.30	1.73
200 sq ft	1.73	2.59	3.46
500 sq ft	4.32	6.48	8.64
1,000 sq ft	8.64	12.96	17.28

Tons, before waste. For areas in between, add rows together.

Worked example: a 20 × 10 ft path

Area: 20 × 10 = 200 sq ft.
Volume at 3 in: 200 × 0.25 ft ÷ 27 = 1.85 yd³.
With 10% waste: 2.04 yd³.
Weight: 2.04 × 1.4 tons per yd³ ≈ 2.9 tons.
Bags instead: that is about 111 bags of 0.5 ft³, which is why bulk delivery makes sense for anything this size.

Enter the same dimensions in the Gravel Calculator and choose Pea Gravel to get the tons and, with your price per ton, the total cost.

Pea gravel versus crushed stone

Pea gravel weighs about 2,800 lb per cubic yard, a little more than crushed stone at about 2,600 lb, so a ton of pea gravel covers about 7% less ground. The bigger difference is how it behaves underfoot.

	Pea gravel	Crushed stone
Shape	Smooth, rounded	Angular, with sharp edges
Stability	Shifts and rolls; stays loose	Locks together when compacted
Comfort	Smooth and comfortable to walk on	Can be rough on bare feet
Drainage	Excellent	Excellent if clean, slower with fines
Best uses	Paths, dog runs, decorative areas, drainage	Bases, driveways, heavy-use surfaces
Typical size	About 1/8 to 3/8 in	Commonly 3/4 in or larger

How deep to spread pea gravel

Project	Typical depth	Notes
Decorative beds	2 in	Over landscape fabric
Walkways and garden paths	2–3 in	Use edging to hold the stones in
Patios and seating areas	3–4 in	Over a compacted base for a firm surface
Dog runs	3–4 in	Fabric below; hose it down to keep it clean
Drainage trenches and pipe bedding	6 in or more	Wrapped in fabric, with the pipe surrounded by stone

For a patio or path that needs a firm surface, a compacted crushed-stone base under a thin pea gravel topping holds up better than pea gravel alone. See the types and sizes guide for base options.

Installing pea gravel

Excavate and level. Remove sod and roots, then slope the ground slightly so water drains away from buildings.
Add edging. Steel, plastic, stone, or timber keeps loose round stone in place. This is the step people skip and regret.
Lay landscape fabric. Overlap the seams by about 6 in so weeds can't push through.
Spread the gravel. Shovel and rake it level at the depth you planned, working from one end so you don't walk on the finished surface.
Top up after a few weeks. The stones settle into the base, so expect to add a little more.

Pros and cons

Pros

Comfortable and attractive
Drains freely
Easy to spread by hand
Low cost compared with pavers
Available in several colors

Cons

Shifts underfoot and spreads
Hard to push wheelchairs and wheelbarrows through
Needs edging and occasional topping up
Debris and leaves mix in, so it needs raking
Not suited to slopes or heavy traffic

Ordering tips

Ask for the size. Pea gravel is graded by stone size, usually up to about 3/8 in. Confirm what the supplier means by the term.
Convert prices. Quarries quote by the ton or the yard. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard, a price per ton is 1.4 times that per yard. The gravel cost guide covers delivery and bulk pricing.
Buy bulk for large areas. It takes 54 half-cubic-foot bags to make one cubic yard, so bags are practical only for small areas.
Plan the dump spot. Pick a hard surface or put down a tarp, and have a wheelbarrow ready for the move.

Related guides and calculators

Frequently asked questions

At 2 in deep, a ton of pea gravel covers about 116 sq ft. At 3 in it covers about 77 sq ft, and at 4 in about 58 sq ft.