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Bags of Crushed Stone for a 3x100 Walkway

How many bags of crushed stone for a 3x100 walkway: at 3 inches deep you need about 75.0 cubic feet, which is 150 bags of the common 0.5 cubic foot size. If your store sells crushed stone in 50-pound bags instead, figure about 156 bags, since crushed stone weighs roughly 104 pounds per cubic foot.

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Bag count by depth

DepthCubic feet0.5 cu ft bags50 lb bags (approx.)
1 in25.05052
2 in50.0100104
3 in75.0150156
4 in100.0200208

How to figure it

  1. Area: 3 × 100 = 300 sq ft.
  2. Volume: 300 × (3 ÷ 12) = 75.0 cu ft.
  3. Bags: 75.0 ÷ 0.5 = 150 bags (round up).

Bags or bulk?

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 75.0 cubic feet is 2.78 yards, about 3.9 tons. Past about a yard, bulk is usually less work and often less money. Compare the bag price × 150 against a bulk quote for 4.3 tons delivered.

About crushed stone

Crushed stone has fractured faces, so the pieces interlock when compacted. That is why it holds a driveway or pad shape better than round stone of the same size.

Before you spread for a walkway

  • Dig and level. Remove sod and set the base slightly below the surrounding grade.
  • Edge it. Steel, plastic or stone edging keeps material in place.
  • Spread in layers. Rake to depth, then tamp or wet and compact.
  • Buy a few extra. Grab 5 to 10 percent more bags for settling and touch-ups.

The volume and tonnage calculator handles other sizes and depths.

Good and poor uses for crushed stone

Good uses:

  • Driveway top courses and parking pads
  • Shed and hot tub bases
  • Backfill behind walls when a clean size is used

Less suited to:

  • Barefoot areas, since angular stone is rough
  • Play areas
  • Places that need a smooth rolling surface for wheels

Quick reference numbers

  • Per inch over 100 sq ft: about 0.43 tons of crushed stone (0.31 cubic yards).
  • Per inch over 1,000 sq ft: about 4.3 tons.
  • Another size for comparison: a 20x25 area at 3 inches takes about 6.5 tons.
  • Weight used here: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.

Mistakes that throw off the order

  • Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
  • Ignoring the base. A thin surface layer over soft soil fails early no matter how much material is on top.
  • Skipping drainage. Water sitting under any surface softens the base and leads to ruts and potholes.
  • Measuring only the main rectangle. Aprons, turnouts and curved edges add real square footage.

Questions people ask

How many bags of crushed stone for a 3x100 walkway?

About 150 bags of 0.5 cubic feet at 3 inches deep.

How many 50 lb bags of crushed stone for 3x100?

About 156 bags at 3 inches.

How many 0.5 cubic foot bags are in a cubic yard?

54 bags.

How many cubic feet is a 3x100 walkway at 3 inches?

About 75.0 cubic feet.

When does bulk make more sense?

Usually once the job passes about a cubic yard, or when you would need more than a few car trips.

Related guides

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