Sourced density preset · bags, yards and tons
Pea gravel calculator.
Enter your area and depth to get pea gravel in 0.5 ft³ bags, cubic yards and US tons.
The material reference is a published supplier figure, not a guess.
Your gravel estimate
Measure once.
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Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, weight and bags, with every assumption explained.
The short answer
How much pea gravel do I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches, then divide by 324 to get cubic yards. A 10 × 10 ft area at 2 inches needs 16.67 ft³, or 0.62 cubic yards. That is 34 bags of 0.5 ft³, or about 0.83 US tons at the Lasalle Sand & Gravel reference of 100 lb/ft³ (2,700 lb per cubic yard). The calculator above uses these assumptions and shows every one of them next to the result.
The calculation
How to calculate pea gravel in four steps
- Measure the area.Length × width in feet gives square feet. Split an L-shape into rectangles and add them as separate areas above.
- Convert the depth.Divide depth in inches by 12. Two inches is 0.1667 ft; three inches is 0.25 ft.
- Find the volume.Square feet × depth in feet gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards.
- Convert to bags or tons.Divide cubic feet by the bag volume and round up. For weight, multiply cubic feet by the product’s bulk density and divide by 2,000 for US tons.
Rectangle · US measurements
Length × Width × Depth ÷ 324
Feet × feet × inches → cubic yards
Cubic feet × 100 ÷ 2,000
Cubic feet × lb/ft³ → US tons at the reference density
Read the full calculation method ↗Worked examples
Pea gravel for a 10 × 10 patio and a 20 × 3 path
Each example uses the 100 lb/ft³ reference, no extra allowance and no compaction adjustment. Open one to load its measurements into the calculator, then change the depth or density to match your product.
| Project | Volume | 0.5 ft³ bags | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft at 2 in | 16.67 ft³ · 0.62 yd³ | 34 | 0.83 US tons |
| 10 × 10 ft at 3 in | 25 ft³ · 0.93 yd³ | 50 | 1.25 US tons |
| 20 × 3 ft path at 2 in | 10 ft³ · 0.37 yd³ | 20 | 0.5 US tons |
Going from 2 to 3 inches on the same 10 × 10 ft area adds 16 bags, a 50% increase. Depth changes the order more than any rounding decision.
Bags
How many bags of pea gravel do I need?
Bags are labelled either by volume, commonly 0.5 ft³, or by weight, commonly 50 lb. A volume label converts directly: cubic feet ÷ 0.5, rounded up. A weight label needs the product’s bulk density. At the 100 lb/ft³ reference the two labels happen to match (50 lb ÷ 100 lb/ft³ = 0.5 ft³), but a denser or wetter product gives fewer cubic feet per 50 lb bag.
Bags for 100 square feet
| Depth | Cubic feet | Bags |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 8.33 ft³ | 17 |
| 2 in | 16.67 ft³ | 34 |
| 3 in | 25 ft³ | 50 |
| 4 in | 33.33 ft³ | 67 |
Coverage of one bag
| Depth | Coverage |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 6 ft² |
| 2 in | 3 ft² |
| 3 in | 2 ft² |
| 4 in | 1.5 ft² |
The 10 × 10 ft example at 2 inches needs 34 bags whether the label reads 0.5 ft³ or 50 lb, because 50 lb of material at 100 lb/ft³ is exactly 0.5 ft³. Check the label of the product you will buy; the calculator accepts either basis under Bag sizes & cost.
Bulk quantities
How much does a ton or a cubic yard of pea gravel cover?
Bulk pea gravel is sold by the cubic yard or the US ton. At the 100 lb/ft³ reference, one cubic yard weighs 2,700 lb (1.35 US tons) and one US ton is 20 ft³ (0.74 yd³).
| Depth | One cubic yard covers | One US ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 ft² | 240 ft² |
| 2 in | 162 ft² | 120 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² | 80 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² | 60 ft² |
The yard column is pure geometry and applies to any material. The ton column depends on density: South Bay Materials publishes 2,440 lb per cubic yard for its pea gravel, which stretches one ton to 132.79 ft² at 2 inches. Compare the published figures in our gravel density reference and use the number your supplier bills by. The ton-of-gravel coverage guide explains the arithmetic in full.
Bags or bulk delivery?
For a few dozen bags the decision is usually about carrying, not price. Above that, a bulk quote often costs less per cubic yard but adds delivery, a minimum order and rounding to the supplier’s increment. Compare the complete cost for the same required volume before deciding.
Pea Gravel Bags vs. Bulk: Compare the Full Order Cost →
Gravel Delivery Minimum Orders: What to Ask Before Buying →
Planning the whole order? The gravel planning guide walks from measurements to a supplier-ready inquiry.
Before you order
Pea gravel questions,
answered.
Every answer states the density it assumes.
Check our formulas & sources ↗How much pea gravel do I need for a 10 × 10 area?
A 10 × 10 ft area is 100 ft². At 2 inches deep it needs 16.67 ft³, or 0.62 cubic yards: 34 bags of 0.5 ft³, or about 0.83 US tons at the 100 lb/ft³ supplier reference. At 3 inches it needs 0.93 cubic yards, 50 bags or 1.25 US tons. Neither figure includes extra allowance.
How much area does a 50 lb bag of pea gravel cover?
It depends on the product’s bulk density, which the bag rarely states. At the 100 lb/ft³ reference, 50 lb is 0.5 ft³ and covers 3 ft² at 2 inches deep or 2 ft² at 3 inches. A bag labelled by volume (0.5 ft³) gives the same coverage only when its material weighs 100 lb per cubic foot. Use the coverage printed for your actual product when it is available.
How many bags of pea gravel do I need for 100 square feet?
Multiply 100 ft² by the depth in feet, then divide by the bag volume and round up. At 2 inches: 100 × (2 ÷ 12) = 16.67 ft³, or 34 bags of 0.5 ft³. At 3 inches: 25 ft³, or 50 bags. At 4 inches: 33.33 ft³, or 67 bags. Bags sold by weight need the product density to convert.
How many tons of pea gravel are in a cubic yard?
At the 100 lb/ft³ supplier reference used on this page, one cubic yard weighs 2,700 lb, or 1.35 US short tons. Another published pea gravel figure in our density ledger, South Bay Materials at 2,440 lb per cubic yard, gives 1.22 US tons. Ask your supplier for the figure they bill by; the difference changes a bulk order by about 10%.
How much does one ton of pea gravel cover?
At 100 lb/ft³, one US short ton (2,000 lb) is 20 ft³. Spread 2 inches deep it covers about 120 ft²; at 3 inches about 80 ft²; at 4 inches about 60 ft². These are geometric estimates before settling, compaction or extra allowance.
What depth should I enter for pea gravel?
Enter the depth your project specifies. This calculator does not choose an installation depth: the 2- and 3-inch figures on this page demonstrate the arithmetic, not a recommendation for paths, patios, play areas or drainage layers. Confirm the layer specification and any base layer with your supplier or installer before ordering.
Should I buy pea gravel in bags or in bulk?
Compare the complete cost for the same volume: bag price × bag count plus collection, against bulk price × the supplier’s billed quantity plus delivery, minimum-order and short-load charges. Our pea gravel bags versus bulk guide works through two order sizes, and the delivery minimum order guide lists supplier-specific minimums to check before choosing bulk.
Is this the same as the general gravel calculator?
It is the same calculation engine with the sourced pea gravel reference preselected and bag quantities in 0.5 ft³ packages. The gravel calculator opens with the general 105 lb/ft³ estimate and has broader examples for crushed stone, driveway layers and metric units.
About these calculations
By Site Measure · Published . The 100 lb/ft³ reference is Based on Lasalle’s listed 2,700 lb per cubic yard. Other pea gravel products can differ. The examples are illustrative arithmetic, not measured deliveries, product specifications or installation depths. Content was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the calculator’s arithmetic tests; no independent engineering review is claimed.
See our calculation checks or report a calculation discrepancy with your dimensions, density and units.