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The Daily Insight

What is the average cost of pea gravel

Author

David Edwards

Updated on May 16, 2026

The general range for a cubic yard of plain pea gravel is about $15 to $75, and a ton will cost about $10 to $50.

How many square feet does a ton of pea gravel cover?

Consult with the local supplier to find the density of the pea gravel product. In general, a ton, or 2,000 lbs., will cover 100 square feet at a 2-inch depth.

How much does a dump truck load of gravel cost?

The cost of gravel ranges from $10 to $50 per ton, $15 to $75 per yard, $1 to $3 per square foot, or $1,350 per truck load depending on the rock type, volume, and travel distance.

How much does it cost to lay pea gravel?

How much does pea gravel cost? It costs around $310 to install pea gravel for a typical 200-square-foot project. While the cost of installing pea gravel can range from about $240 to $380 for 200 square feet, the average 20-by-20-foot driveway can cost upward of $1,500.

How much is a yard of pea gravel?

A cubic yard of pea gravel will cover 324 square feet to a depth of one inch, equal to an 18-foot square. Divide this area by the desired depth of the gravel in inches to determine the area you can cover with a cubic yard of gravel.

How much will a ton of gravel cover?

A ton of gravel will cover approximately 100 square feet, 2 inches deep.

How do I know how much pea gravel I need?

Measure the length, width and depth in feet of the area to be covered. Multiply the three numbers together. Divide by 27 to get the number of cubic yards of pea gravel needed. For example, if the area is 9 feet square and the gravel is to be a foot deep, multiply 9 by 9 by 1 to get 81.

What's the best gravel to use for a driveway?

  • Crushed Stone #411. It is crushed up #57 stone combined with rock dust. …
  • Quarry Process. …
  • Pea Gravel. …
  • Jersey Shore Gravel. …
  • Marble Chips. …
  • Blackstar or Blacktrap Rock.

What is the cheapest gravel for a driveway?

Crush and run is one of the cheapest materials that can be used in a gravel driveway at about $0.40 per square foot. Cost per cubic yard is about $20 and per ton about $28.

How many square feet will 5 tons of gravel cover?

Using 2 inches for the depth, the following measurements are a guide to the amount of gravel coverage per ton: 1/4 to 1/2 inch gravel, 100 square feet per ton; 1/2 to 1 inch gravel, 90 square feet per ton; and 1 1/2 to 2 inches gravel, 80 square feet per ton.

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How much area does a yard of pea gravel cover?

We know that 1 cubic yard of pea gravel covers about 324 square feet at a depth of 1 inch. Divide that 324 by your desired depth of gravel in inches to figure out how many square feet you can cover with 1 cubic yard of pea gravel for your project.

Do you need landscape fabric under pea gravel?

Placing pea gravel directly on-top of soil is not a good idea. Whether the gravel is an alternative to mulch or you’re building a patio, a layer of landscaping fabric should first be placed on-top of the soil to discourage the growth of weeds.

How much area does a bag of pea gravel cover?

A single bag of pea gravel pebbles covers up to 2.75 sq. ft.

How much pea gravel do I need for 1000 square feet?

50 Pounds of Pea Gravel If you determined that you need to cover 10 cubic feet, simply multiply the project size by 100 pounds, the weight of 1 cubic foot, or two bags, of pea gravel, which gives you 1,000.

How many yards are in a ton of pea gravel?

Multiply your cubic yards by 1.3 to find the total number of tons you’ll need. (A single cubic yard of pea gravel weighs about 1.3 short tons.)

How deep should you lay gravel?

Decorative aggregates should be laid at a depth of 50mm. This ensures proper coverage without revealing the surface below. Laying the gravel too deep will mean you sink into the surface and it becomes difficult to walk across.

How much should a gravel driveway cost?

According to the Home Depot, 4 to 6 inches of rock or gravel is needed for a driveway. Convert your estimated rock depth in inches to feet by dividing the number of inches by 12.

How many cubic feet are in a ton of gravel?

How much is a ton of gravel? A ton of gravel with average-sized pebbles is about 0.705 cubic yards, or 19 cubic feet, assuming it has been screened for debris and contains no leftover dirt, sand, etc.

How many yards is 9 tons of gravel?

6 tons of gravel = 0.714 ×6 = 4.284 cubic yards, 7 tons of gravel = 0.714 ×7 = 4.998 cubic yards, 8 tons of gravel = 0.714 ×8 = 5.712 cubic yards, 9 tons of gravel = 0.714 ×9 = 6.426 cubic yards and 10 tons of gravel = 0.714 ×10 = 7.140 cubic yards.

How long does a gravel driveway last?

With proper care and maintenance, a gravel driveway can last up to 100 years. The beauty of gravel is that it can be repaired and replenished on an ongoing basis. By contrast, wear and damage to asphalt and concrete driveways are difficult to remedy and replacement is often more cost-effective than extensive repairs.

How do I calculate gravel for driveway?

Measure the length and width of your driveway in feet. Multiply the length by the width to get surface area and divide the result by three because 4 inches is 1/3 of a foot. You now have the volume of gravel needed in cubic feet. Divide the volume in cubic feet by 27 because there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard.

How do you get pea gravel to stay in place?

The two most effective methods for stabilizing pea gravel are cement and permeable pavers. If you’re stabilizing pea gravel with cement, it will hold for a while until it’s eventually damaged by traffic and water exposure.

How thick should a gravel driveway be?

Driveway Layers A gravel drive should have a first layer of baseball-sized stones at least 4 inches deep. According to Tim Carter of AskTheBuilder.com, each layer thereafter should be 4 inches thick and in gradually smaller stone.

What is number 3 gravel?

A commonly used gravel size for driveway base layers is #3 gravel. This rock is generally 1-2 inches in diameter and does double duty by establishing a solid, reliable foundation and providing adequate drainage; both critical factors in driveway construction.

Is pea gravel better than mulch?

Pea gravel is generally more expensive than organic mulches and, because of its weight, it is more difficult to install. … Your soil may retain moisture better with pea gravel than with no mulch at all, but the rock is not effective in maintaining even soil temperatures.

Does pea gravel drain well?

Luckily, pea gravel doesn’t decompose, but it does sink into the soil (which improves drainage if you have clay soil). So you may need to replenish the gravel every four years or so.

How do I prepare my yard for pea gravel?

  1. Plan and Lay out the Border. Plan and map the outline of your chosen area where you want to lay the pea gravel for ground cover, with a garden hose or length of rope. …
  2. Remove the Turf. …
  3. Place the Border. …
  4. Cover with Landscape Fabric. …
  5. Add the Gravel.

What is the difference between pea gravel and pea pebbles?

What is Pea Gravel? Pea gravel is small, rounded pebbles. Also referred to as pea stone or pea pebbles, each little rock of pea gravel is just a bit bigger than a pea (think green frozen peas).

What do you put under pea gravel?

Start with a heavy tamper to compress any soil underneath, add a sturdy base layer of either crushed rock or sand, layer on about 3 inches of pea gravel, and then tamp down again to make sure everything is compact. A sturdy base is especially important for gravel driveways.

How much is 3 cubic feet in square feet?

1 cubic feet =1 ft21 cubic feet3 cubic feet =2.0801 ft25.1962 cubic feet4 cubic feet =2.5198 ft28 cubic feet5 cubic feet =2.924 ft211.1803 cubic feet6 cubic feet =3.3019 ft214.6969 cubic feet