Bags of Limestone Screenings for a 3x20 Walkway
How many bags of limestone screenings for a 3x20 walkway: at 2 inches deep you need about 10.0 cubic feet, which is 20 bags of the common 0.5 cubic foot size. If your store sells limestone screenings in 50-pound bags instead, figure about 21 bags, since limestone screenings weighs roughly 104 pounds per cubic foot.
Volume and tonnage calculator →Bag count by depth
| Depth | Cubic feet | 0.5 cu ft bags | 50 lb bags (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 5.0 | 10 | 11 |
| 2 in | 10.0 | 20 | 21 |
| 3 in | 15.0 | 30 | 32 |
| 4 in | 20.0 | 40 | 42 |
How to figure it
- Area: 3 × 20 = 60 sq ft.
- Volume: 60 × (2 ÷ 12) = 10.0 cu ft.
- Bags: 10.0 ÷ 0.5 = 20 bags (round up).
Bags or bulk?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 10.0 cubic feet is 0.37 yards, about 0.5 tons. Under a yard, bags save a delivery fee and are easy to haul in a car or pickup. Compare the bag price × 20 against a bulk quote for 0.6 tons delivered.
About limestone screenings
Screenings hold moisture and can crust over. Use them in thin layers over a compacted stone base instead of as a thick layer on their own.
Install tips 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.
When to choose limestone screenings
Good uses:
- Paver and flagstone setting beds
- Firm walking paths
- Top-dressing a compacted stone base
Poor fit for:
- Deep layers on their own
- Low spots that collect water
- Under heavy vehicle traffic without a base
Quick reference numbers
- Per inch over 100 sq ft: about 0.43 tons of limestone screenings (0.31 cubic yards).
- Per inch over 1,000 sq ft: about 4.3 tons.
- Another size for comparison: a 8x16 area at 4 inches takes about 2.2 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
Where estimates go wrong
- Mixing up cubic yards and tons. Yards are volume, tons are weight; convert with the product’s weight per yard.
- Forgetting that compaction shrinks loose material. A loose 4-inch spread of a dense-graded stone may finish closer to 3 inches after rolling.
- Skipping drainage. Water sitting under any surface softens the base and leads to ruts and potholes.
- Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
Questions people ask
How many bags of limestone screenings for a 3x20 walkway?
About 20 bags of 0.5 cubic feet at 2 inches deep.
How many 50 lb bags of limestone screenings for 3x20?
About 21 bags at 2 inches.
How many 0.5 cubic foot bags are in a cubic yard?
54 bags.
How many cubic feet is a 3x20 walkway at 2 inches?
About 10.0 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
- #10 Stone (Stone Dust): Size, Uses and How Many Tons
- Tons to Cubic Yards for Gravel: Conversion Chart
- How Much Does a Ton of Gravel Cover? Depth Chart
- Bags of Limestone Screenings for a 3x10 Walkway
- Bags of Limestone Screenings for a 3x15 Walkway
As an Amazon Associate, AsphaltTons.com earns from qualifying purchases. Product links below are sponsored.