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HaulOnce

Gravel Path Calculator

Fabric, base, and pea gravel or decomposed granite for a garden path, with edging.

Quick answer

A 40 ft path 3 ft wide with 3 inches of base and 3 inches of pea gravel needs about 1.4 cubic yards of base (with compaction) and 1.2 cubic yards of pea gravel, plus about 130 sq ft of fabric.

Measure

Units
Area 1
120 sq ft

Project details

Surface

2 to 3 in

0 to skip

Adds local climate notes and goes into your copied order.

1.17 cu yd of Pea gravel. for 120 sq ft of path, 86 ft of edges

Your project

1.17 cu yd of Pea gravel

for 120 sq ft of path, 86 ft of edges

Measured: 120 sq ft, 86 ft of edge

HaulOnce order ticket

Gravel path

Ticket no.

397308

  1. 01Landscape fabric132 sq ft

    Area plus about 10% for 1 ft overlaps and tucking the edges

  2. 02Crushed base (crusher run)1.4 cu yd

    3 in deep over 120 sq ft

    Order: 1.5 cu yd bulk (2.33 tons) or 76 bags of 0.5 cu ft. Weighs 3,920 lb to 4,760 lb.

    Includes compaction (+20%), waste and uneven ground (+5%).

  3. 03Pea gravel surface1.17 cu yd

    3 in deep over 120 sq ft

    Order: 1.5 cu yd bulk (2.1 tons) or 63 bags of 0.5 cu ft. Weighs 3,030 lb to 3,380 lb.

    Includes waste and uneven ground (+5%).

  4. 04Path edging (both sides)86 linear ft

    Keeps gravel out of the lawn and beds

Before you start

  • Pea gravel stays loose underfoot. Keep it to about 2 to 3 in deep so it does not feel like walking on a beach.

Estimate from haulonce.com. Weights vary with moisture and supplier. Prices are examples unless you entered your own.

Haul Check

Typical 1,500 to 2,300 lb. We use the low end until you enter yours.

Check the Tire and Loading Information sticker on your driver's door jamb for your exact payload.

Payload4,340 lb of 1,500 lb (289%)
Bed volume (level full)1.4 of 2.11 cu yd (66%)

Crusher run hits your payload long before your bed is full.

That is 2,840 lb over your payload. You need 3 trips.

Split it into 3 loads of about 0.47 cu yd (1,450 lb) each, or get it delivered instead. At this many trips, delivery usually costs less than your time and fuel.

If the crusher run is wet or on the heavy side, plan on 4 trips.

Using the low end of the typical payload range. Enter your own for an exact answer.

What pros know

  • Crusher run compacts, so order about 20 percent more than the finished depth. This calculator adds it for you. Source
  • Pea gravel rolls underfoot and under tires. It is a poor choice for driveways or anywhere a wheelchair or stroller goes. Source
1.4 cu yd
Drawn to scale: your pile is about 2.6 ft tall and 7.4 ft across, next to a full-size pickup and a 5 ft 9 in person. Shown: crushed base (crusher run).

Ready to text or email your supplier:

“I need 1.5 cubic yards of crusher run (dense grade, with fines) delivered.”

Add your ZIP code above to include it.

1.17 cu yd of Pea gravelSee plan

Pea gravel or decomposed granite?

Pea gravel is loose, cheap, and drains well, but shifts underfoot and needs edging. Decomposed granite compacts into a firmer, smoother path, especially stabilized DG, and is easier for wheelbarrows and strollers. Both work best over a few inches of compacted crushed base and fabric.

How to measure a path

Measure the length and width in feet, multiply for square feet, then decide the depth in inches. For odd shapes, split the area into rectangles, circles, and triangles and add them up; the calculator lets you add as many areas as you need and subtract cut-outs like a tree ring or an air-conditioner pad.

No tape measure? Open the Draw on satellite map tab, find your address, and trace the outline. Or use Pace it off: count steps along each side. Measure depth in a few spots, because ground is rarely flat.

For a winding path, measure the length along the center line and use the average width, or trace it on the satellite map.

Want the area on its own first? The lawn size calculator measures any part of your yard and carries it into the other calculators.

Hauling it yourself

One cubic yard of pea gravel weighs about 2,800 lb. A full-size half-ton pickup typically carries 1,500 to 2,300 lb, and a midsize pickup 1,100 to 1,700 lb. Your exact number is on the Tire and Loading Information sticker on the driver's door jamb.

That means weight runs out first. At the low end of a half-ton's payload, you can carry only about 0.54 cubic yards per trip, even though a 6.5 ft bed holds about 2.1 level full. A bed that looks half empty can already be over the limit.

The Haul Check in the calculator does this math for your truck and your load, and tells you how many trips it takes.

Common mistakes

  • Pea gravel deeper than 3 inches.
  • No edging, so stone migrates into the lawn.
  • Skipping the base, so the path turns to mud in wet weather.

Questions people ask

How much gravel do I need for a path?

Length x width x depth in feet, divided by 27. A 40 x 3 ft path at 3 inches is about 1.1 cubic yards of surface gravel before waste.

How deep should a gravel path be?

About 2 to 3 inches of surface over 2 to 4 inches of compacted base.

Do I need a base under a gravel path?

On firm, well-drained soil you can skip it, but a few inches of crusher run makes the path firmer and keeps mud from working up.

Is pea gravel or DG better for a path?

DG is firmer and smoother; pea gravel is looser and cheaper. For wheelchairs, strollers, or wheelbarrows, choose stabilized DG.

Should I put fabric under a gravel path?

Usually yes. It keeps gravel from sinking into the soil and slows weeds.

Sources

Last reviewed: . How we calculate

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