Bags of Limestone Screenings for a 3x30 Walkway
How many bags of limestone screenings for a 3x30 walkway: at 2 inches deep you need about 15.0 cubic feet, which is 30 bags of the common 0.5 cubic foot size. If your store sells limestone screenings in 50-pound bags instead, figure about 32 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 | 7.5 | 15 | 16 |
| 2 in | 15.0 | 30 | 32 |
| 3 in | 22.5 | 45 | 47 |
| 4 in | 30.0 | 60 | 63 |
How to figure it
- Area: 3 × 30 = 90 sq ft.
- Volume: 90 × (2 ÷ 12) = 15.0 cu ft.
- Bags: 15.0 ÷ 0.5 = 30 bags (round up).
Bags or bulk?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 15.0 cubic feet is 0.56 yards, about 0.8 tons. Under a yard, bags save a delivery fee and are easy to haul in a car or pickup. Compare the bag price × 30 against a bulk quote for 0.9 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.
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 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 10x20 area at 2 inches takes about 1.7 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
Where estimates go wrong
- Measuring only the main rectangle. Aprons, turnouts and curved edges add real square footage.
- Skipping drainage. Water sitting under any surface softens the base and leads to ruts and potholes.
- Mixing up cubic yards and tons. Yards are volume, tons are weight; convert with the product’s weight per yard.
- Ignoring the base. A thin surface layer over soft soil fails early no matter how much material is on top.
Questions people ask
How many bags of limestone screenings for a 3x30 walkway?
About 30 bags of 0.5 cubic feet at 2 inches deep.
How many 50 lb bags of limestone screenings for 3x30?
About 32 bags at 2 inches.
How many 0.5 cubic foot bags are in a cubic yard?
54 bags.
How many cubic feet is a 3x30 walkway at 2 inches?
About 15.0 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 3x20 Walkway
- Bags of Limestone Screenings for a 3x25 Walkway
As an Amazon Associate, AsphaltTons.com earns from qualifying purchases. Product links below are sponsored.