How it works
Area is length × width for a rectangle, or π × (diameter ÷ 2)² for a circle. Cubic feet = area in sq ft × depth in feet, and cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27. This is the same calculation as the Cubic Yard Calculator.
Weight in US tons = cubic yards × density, calculated separately for the low and high ends of the range, as in Cubic Yards to Tons. The starting range of 1.4–1.7 US tons per cubic yard is a typical range — ask your supplier.
If you tick “Count bags” and enter the size from the bag label, approximate bags = ceil(cubic feet ÷ bag cubic feet − 1e-9). No bag size is assumed.
Worked example
A 10 × 10 ft area, 3 in deep: 10 × 10 × (3 ÷ 12) = 25 cu ft. 25 ÷ 27 = 0.93 cu yd.
Weight: 0.9259 × 1.4 = 1.30, and 0.9259 × 1.7 = 1.57, so about 1.30–1.57 US tons. The calculation keeps full precision and rounds only for display.
Tips and common mistakes
- Depth hint: paths are often 2–3 in deep. This is a starting hint, not a rule for your project.
- Above 12 in, the calculator asks you to check the depth unit.
- For a curved path, split it into rectangles and add the results, or use the circle shape for round areas.
- Moisture and stone size change the weight per yard. Use your supplier's density when they give one.
- Ask whether a quoted “ton” is a US short ton or a metric tonne.
Questions about this calculator
How do I calculate how much pea gravel I need?
Work out the volume (length × width × depth in feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards). Then multiply by the gravel weight range of 1.4–1.7 tons per cubic yard if your supplier sells by the ton.
How much pea gravel do I need to cover a 10x10 area?
At 3 inches deep, 10 × 10 ft is 25 cu ft. That is 0.93 cu yd, about 1.30–1.57 tons.
How many square feet will 1 ton of pea gravel cover?
At 1.4–1.7 tons per cubic yard, 1 ton is about 16–19 cu ft. That covers roughly 95–116 sq ft at 2 inches deep, or 64–77 sq ft at 3 inches.
Sources
Densities are a typical range — ask your supplier. Weight varies with moisture and gradation.
Values marked with a link come from the linked source, which opens in a new tab. Unit conversions and our own defaults are listed separately. Every value the site uses is in the methodology source register.
Where the numbers come from 5
- Gravel / crushed stone density range
- 1.4 – 1.7 US tons/cu yd
- Typical range; no primary standard exists, and weight varies with moisture and gradation. Confirm with your supplier.
- Meters per international foot
- 0.3048 m/ft
- NIST, international foot conversion (opens in a new tab)nist.gov
- Pounds per US short ton
- 2000 lb/US ton
- NIST Guide to the SI, US short ton (2000 lb) (opens in a new tab)nist.gov
- Kilograms per pound
- 0.45359237 kg/lb
- NIST Guide to the SI, pound conversion; exact definition (opens in a new tab)nist.gov
Unit conversions and our defaults10
- Inches per foot
- 12 in/ft
- Unit definition: one foot contains twelve inches
- Cubic feet per cubic yard
- 27 cu ft/cu yd
- Geometry: 3 × 3 × 3 feet
- Centimeters per meter
- 100 cm/m
- Metric prefix definition: centi is one hundredth
- Circle constant π
- ≈ 3.14159 unitless
- Circle geometry, as specified in the owner brief
- Pea gravel calculator starting dimensions
- 10, 10, 3 ft length, ft width, in depth
- Owner worked example; editable starting measurements
- Pea gravel circle starting diameter
- 10 ft
- Build choice: matches the starting length; editable, not a recommended size
- Pea gravel path depth hint
- 2 – 3 in
- Owner brief: hint text only, not a sourced rule
- Pea gravel depth unit-check threshold
- 12 in
- Owner specified unit-check warning, not a recommended depth
- Count rounding tolerance
- 1e-9 unitless
- Owner specification: ceil(x − 1e-9)
- Volume and weight display precision
- 2 decimal places
- Owner specification: display volume and tons to two decimals