Bags of Pea Gravel for a 5x20 Walkway

How many bags of pea gravel for a 5x20 walkway: at 3 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 pea gravel in 50-pound bags instead, figure about 52 bags, since pea gravel 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	8.3	17	18
2 in	16.7	34	35
3 in	25.0	50	52
4 in	33.3	67	70

How to figure it

Area: 5 × 20 = 100 sq ft.
Volume: 100 × (3 ÷ 12) = 25.0 cu ft.
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. This is a small enough job that bags are reasonable, especially if a bulk delivery fee applies. Compare the bag price × 50 against a bulk quote for 1.4 tons delivered.

About pea gravel

Pea gravel is small, rounded stone, usually around 3/8 inch. It is comfortable to walk on and drains well, but it shifts under car tires and needs a solid edge to stay put.

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 rake smooth; rounded stone will not 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 pea gravel

Works well for:

Patios, walkways and dog runs
Play areas with proper depth and edging
Drainage around foundations when sized properly

Poor fit for:

Driveways and steep paths, where it rolls and ruts
Under pavers as a base
Areas without edging

Quick reference numbers

Per inch over 100 sq ft: about 0.43 tons of pea gravel (0.31 cubic yards).
Per inch over 1,000 sq ft: about 4.3 tons.
Another size for comparison: a 20x25 area at 4 inches takes about 8.6 tons.
Weight used here: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.

Common estimating mistakes

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.
Ordering exactly the math. Uneven ground and spillage nearly always need a little more than the flat calculation.
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 pea gravel for a 5x20 walkway?

About 50 bags of 0.5 cubic feet at 3 inches deep.

How many 50 lb bags of pea gravel for 5x20?

About 52 bags at 3 inches.

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

54 bags.

How many cubic feet is a 5x20 walkway at 3 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.

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