Pea Gravel Calculator — Bags, Yards & Tons
Work out pea gravel for a patio, path, or fire pit base. Choose a rectangular or circular area, set the depth, and get the volume in bags, cubic yards, and tons so you can compare bagged vs bulk.
How to use this calculator
- Choose whether your area is a rectangle or a circle, then fill in the matching dimensions.
- Set the depth: 2 inches for decorative ground cover, 3–4 inches for a surface you walk on.
- Compare the bag count against the cubic yards — bulk delivery is usually cheaper above about 1 cubic yard (≈54 bags).
The formula
Pea gravel is sold both bagged (0.5 cu ft bags) and in bulk (cubic yards or tons), so we show all three.
Rectangle area = length × width. Circle area = π × (diameter ÷ 2)².
Volume (cubic feet) = area × depth (in) ÷ 12. Cubic yards = ÷ 27. Bags = cubic feet ÷ 0.5. Tons = cubic yards × 1.3.
Worked example
A 10 ft × 10 ft patio area at 2 inches deep.
Area = 10 × 10 = 100 sq ftVolume = 100 × (2 ÷ 12) = 16.67 cubic feetBags = 16.67 ÷ 0.5 = 34 bagsCubic yards = 16.67 ÷ 27 ≈ 0.62; tons ≈ 0.80
A 10×10 area at 2 inches needs about 34 bags — or 0.62 cubic yards (≈0.8 tons) in bulk.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of pea gravel in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. With standard 0.5 cubic foot bags that is 54 bags. Above roughly one cubic yard, bulk delivery is usually cheaper than bagged.
How much pea gravel for a fire pit?
For a round area, measure the diameter. A 6 ft circle at 3 inches deep needs about 7 cubic feet — roughly 14 bags. Choose the circle option above and enter your diameter.
How deep should pea gravel be?
Use about 2 inches over a weed barrier for decorative ground cover, and 3–4 inches (often over a compacted base) for paths and patios you walk on so it does not shift underfoot.