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Bags of Limestone Screenings for a 5x30 Walkway

How many bags of limestone screenings for a 5x30 walkway: at 2 inches deep you need about 25.0 cubic feet, which is 50 bags of the common 0.5 cubic foot size. If your store sells limestone screenings in 50-pound bags instead, figure about 52 bags, since limestone screenings 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 in12.52526
2 in25.05052
3 in37.57578
4 in50.0100104

How to figure it

  1. Area: 5 × 30 = 150 sq ft.
  2. Volume: 150 × (2 ÷ 12) = 25.0 cu ft.
  3. Bags: 25.0 ÷ 0.5 = 50 bags (round up).

Bags or bulk?

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 25.0 cubic feet is 0.93 yards, about 1.3 tons. Under a yard, bags save a delivery fee and are easy to haul in a car or pickup. Compare the bag price × 50 against a bulk quote for 1.4 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.

Laying it down 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

Less suited to:

  • 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 14x28 area at 4 inches takes about 6.8 tons.
  • Weight used here: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.

Common estimating mistakes

  • Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
  • 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.
  • Measuring only the main rectangle. Aprons, turnouts and curved edges add real square footage.

Questions people ask

How many bags of limestone screenings for a 5x30 walkway?

About 50 bags of 0.5 cubic feet at 2 inches deep.

How many 50 lb bags of limestone screenings for 5x30?

About 52 bags at 2 inches.

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

54 bags.

How many cubic feet is a 5x30 walkway at 2 inches?

About 25.0 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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