Pea gravel calculator for Rhode Island
Tonnage for patios, paths, play areas, and fire pits using 3/8 inch rounded stone.
Enter your project dimensions
At 3/8 inch, pea gravel is rounded stone roughly the size of a pea. It weighs 2,800 lb per cubic yard, or 1.4 tons, matching crushed gravel despite its softer feel underfoot. Getting the depth right matters: below 2 inches, the ground can show through, while more than 3 inches feels like walking on dry beach sand. Use this calculator to convert your measurements to tons. Play areas are the only job outside the usual 2-3 inch range.
Turn measurements into tons
- For rectangles, use length multiplied by width. For a circular fire-pit area, use its diameter.
- Walking surfaces need 2 to 3 inches. Keep 9 to 12 inches in playground fall zones.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply yards by 1.4 for tons.
Material coverage
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | ≈ 116 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | ≈ 77 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | ≈ 58 sq ft |
| 12 inches, play area | 27 sq ft | ≈ 19 sq ft |
| Project | Typical size | Depth | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patio / seating area | 12 x 12 ft | 3" | 1.3 yd³ | 1.9 tons |
| Garden walkway | 25 x 3 ft | 2.5" | 0.6 yd³ | 0.8 tons |
| Fire-pit surround | 12 ft round | 3" | 1 yd³ | 1.5 tons |
| Playground fall zone | 20 x 20 ft | 12" | 14.8 yd³ | 20.7 tons |
| Dog run | 15 x 8 ft | 3" | 1.1 yd³ | 1.6 tons |
A border keeps gravel contained
Because pea gravel is round, it can move beyond an uncontained edge. Set paver, timber, aluminum, or steel edging an inch higher than the finished surface to hold it in; a flush edge lets gravel work out over a season. Once a grade exceeds about 5%, rain and foot traffic can move stone downhill despite the edging. On slopes, install a honeycomb grid below the gravel, or choose angular crushed stone that stays interlocked.
Comparing pea gravel, crushed gravel, and river rock
Pea gravel suits bare feet and loose ground cover. Crushed walkway gravel grips together for slopes, though its edges are sharper. River rock is larger and typically used in planting or foundation beds instead of walking areas. Their prices generally rise in that sequence. A yard may use crushed stone on a sloped path, pea gravel at a fire pit, and river rock by the foundation. Use the calculators to compare material amounts for one footprint in about a minute.
Notes for common projects
- Patios need a 2 inches compacted screenings layer below the gravel so chair legs stay supported. Spread 2 to 3 inches of pea gravel over it.
- Play areas call for 9 to 12 inches of maintained depth under the standard fall-zone spec. Check the equipment manual. With 12 inches in place, a ton reaches only about 19 square feet, so run the calculator instead of estimating.
- For fire pits, spread it 3 inches deep. It will not burn, and rain can drain away from the seating area overnight.
- Use a 2 to 3 inch layer in dog runs. The rounded pieces are easier on paws and wash clean.
- Walkways: level the surface with a rake twice yearly. Every couple of seasons, use a bucket or two set aside earlier to refill the traffic line.
Example calculation: a 12-foot fire-pit circle
A circle 12-foot in diameter covers 113 square feet. For 3 inches: 113 x 0.25 = 28 cubic feet = 1.05 cubic yards, a little below 1.5 tons. Order 1.5 and save the light extra layer for the busy side next spring.
Pea gravel weights and quantities
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For a walkway, pea gravel or crushed gravel?
Other calculators
Most patios need less than two tons.
3/8 inch natural pea gravel sold by the ton with free delivery.
