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Bags of Limestone Screenings for a 6x20 Walkway

How many bags of limestone screenings for a 6x20 walkway: at 2 inches deep you need about 20.0 cubic feet, which is 40 bags of the common 0.5 cubic foot size. If your store sells limestone screenings in 50-pound bags instead, figure about 42 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 in10.02021
2 in20.04042
3 in30.06063
4 in40.08083

How to figure it

  1. Area: 6 × 20 = 120 sq ft.
  2. Volume: 120 × (2 ÷ 12) = 20.0 cu ft.
  3. Bags: 20.0 ÷ 0.5 = 40 bags (round up).

Bags or bulk?

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 20.0 cubic feet is 0.74 yards, about 1.0 tons. This is a small enough job that bags are reasonable, especially if a bulk delivery fee applies. Compare the bag price × 40 against a bulk quote for 1.1 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.

Good and poor uses for limestone screenings

Works well for:

  • 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 8x16 area at 2 inches takes about 1.1 tons.
  • Weight used here: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.

Where estimates go wrong

  • Ordering exactly the math. Uneven ground and spillage nearly always need a little more than the flat calculation.
  • Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
  • Using inches as if they were feet. Depth has to be divided by 12 before you multiply; skipping that step inflates the order twelvefold.
  • Skipping drainage. Water sitting under any surface softens the base and leads to ruts and potholes.

Questions people ask

How many bags of limestone screenings for a 6x20 walkway?

About 40 bags of 0.5 cubic feet at 2 inches deep.

How many 50 lb bags of limestone screenings for 6x20?

About 42 bags at 2 inches.

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

54 bags.

How many cubic feet is a 6x20 walkway at 2 inches?

About 20.0 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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