Pea Gravel Sizes: A Guide to Standard Dimensions
The satisfying crunch of pea gravel is just a few measurements away
3/8 inches is the standard pea gravel size.
Most pea gravel is uniform and does not vary much in size.
Pea gravel ranges from 1/8 to 3/8 inches on average.
Factor in pea gravel sizes to find the right quantity for your project.
If you dream of the perfect patio or landscape, pea gravel may stand out as a budget-friendly, attractive material for your project. Pea gravel is a specific size of gravel, but individual pieces can vary in ways worth considering. We’ve zoomed in on all things pea gravel and created a pea gravel size chart to help you compare your options and plan accordingly.
What Is the Standard Pea Gravel Size?
As the name suggests, pea gravel is a gravel size that ranges from 1/8, 1/4, and 3/8 inches—about the size of a pea. Most pea gravel falls around 3/8 inches, but the slight variation in size comes from naturally occurring differences from piece to piece. Many homeowners enjoy the consistency and shape of pea gravel for this reason, making it a perfect addition to one’s garden or landscape.
Pea Gravel Size by Project
Pea gravel comes in three main sizes, and each size may work better for certain types of projects. This chart breaks down pea gravel by size to help you choose the best pea gravel size for your project.
| Pea Gravel Sizes | Diameter (in) |
|---|---|
| Largest | 3/8 |
| Medium | 1/4 |
| Smallest | 1/8 |
Large Pea Gravel Dimensions
The largest pea gravel size is 3/8 inches. This size is most commonly used for patios, dog runs, firepits, playgrounds, driveways, and pathways. 3/8 inch pea gravel’s larger size makes it the best option for anyone who wants pea gravel but also wants their hardscape material to offer some drainage properties.
Large pea gravel offers the same vibrant colors and gentle surface texture without the higher chances of shifting or drifting away during heavy rainfall, making it suitable for all kinds of projects compared to smaller pea gravel sizes.
Medium Pea Gravel Dimensions
1/4 pea gravel is a medium size that works best as a decorative element in your yard. When using medium-sized pea gravel in your garden, we also recommend using edging to keep the gravel from leaving its designated area. Medium-sized pea gravel offers a flatter appearance to your landscape because of its smaller size, which can make it excellent for upping the aesthetics of your flower beds, trees, or xeriscaping garden.
Small Pea Gravel Dimensions
As the smallest pea gravel size, 1/8-inch pea gravel may be too small to serve as a solid foundation for walkways or driveways, but it still has a place as a useful hardscape material.
You might find 1/8-inch pea gravel mixed with other gravel sizes to help fill in spaces as a top layer for different applications, including walkways, playgrounds, or pet areas. The smaller dimensions make this pea gravel size easier to walk barefoot, making it an ideal surface layer for areas designed for children and dogs.
How to Calculate Pea Gravel Size
Knowing the dimensions of your project and calculating the right quantity of pea gravel by size is key to pulling off your project in exactly the way you want. Here’s how to calculate the right pea gravel size.
Measure the dimensions of your project space.
Calculate the total square footage, cubic yards, or tons your space requires to fill with gravel.
Choose the right pea gravel size for the project. If you’re unsure, it might be wise to contact a local gravel delivery pro to help you visualize the project. Larger pieces may take up more space because they’re not as compact as smaller ones.
Calculate the total coverage of the pea gravel per bag.
Divide the coverage by the square footage, cubic yard, or ton, depending on the size of your project and method of shipment or purchase.
If you’re covering a large space, you’ll need more pea gravel and may need to measure your dimensions and order the materials by the ton. Smaller projects, or projects with minimal depth, may only require square footage, while medium-sized projects typically go by cubic yards.
Factors that Influence Pea Gravel Size
Several factors can impact the pea gravel size you need, including the type of project, size, cost, drainage level, weed prevention, aesthetics, and whether you choose natural or crushed pea gravel.
Type of Project
If you're making a gravel driveway, then you'll want to use a larger pea gravel size, or maybe even a larger gravel type entirely, to provide the most stability when under the pressure of heavy traffic.
Gardens, on the other hand, can get away with medium-sized pea gravel that offers good drainage and a nice aesthetic. If you're installing pavers, then the smallest pea gravel size works best to fill the spaces between the pavers to prevent shifting. Hiring a landscaper can help you figure out the best materials needed for your particular project.
Project Size
The size of your project determines coverage and gravel size can impact that coverage. If you're covering a large surface area, then choosing pea gravel at the 3/8-inch size can help you cover more ground. Smaller pea gravel can require more materials to fill the same amount of space because the smaller pieces settle more compactly and also shift and fall out of place more easily, requiring you to replace the gravel more frequently.
Cost
Pea gravel costs between $175 and $550 on average, depending on the color. Your average pea gravel price range falls between $25 and $55 per cubic yard, making it a budget-friendly gravel cost, but colored pea gravel costs more—between $45 and $80 per cubic yard. Since smaller pea gravel is more likely to lay flush without gaps, you'll pay more for the materials because you'll need more in volume than larger pea gravel.
Drainage Level
If you need pea gravel as part of a xeriscape, drainage system, or permeable layer, then you’ll want to keep the desired drainage level in mind. Larger gravel drains more efficiently than smaller gravel, helps press loose soil firmly into the ground, and won’t wash away as easily, so go for the largest size when drainage matters. Since pea gravel is naturally small, you may even want to consider other types of gravel for projects where erosion or drainage pose problems.
Weed Prevention
1/8-inch pea gravel is the most effective pea gravel size at preventing weeds from popping up between the cracks of your gravel. Larger sizes can contain gaps that let in enough light and space for weeds to thrive. If you choose a larger pea gravel size, you may want to top it off with 1/8-inch pea gravel to help keep pesky weeds out. However, if you like the look of larger pea gravel, you can also lay landscaping fabric before installing the gravel to help prevent weeds.
Aesthetics
Sometimes, the only real deciding factor between the smallest and the largest pea gravel sizes is the way they look and your personal preference. Larger gravel sizes can create a more angular appearance because they won’t settle, whereas smaller gravel sizes tend to appear flatter with less dimension because of the settling. If you combine larger gravel and smaller pea gravel for a decorative element, you can create a more natural-looking style.
Crushed vs. Natural Pea Gravel
There's a difference between naturally occurring pea gravel and man-made crushed gravel. Crushed gravel can come in the same sizes as pea gravel, but because it's made from crushing neutral-colored rocks like granite, limestone, basalt, and sandstone, it has jagged edges that are less suited for foot traffic. However, because of its irregular shape, crushed gravel won’t shift like pea gravel, making it better for locking together as a stable foundation.
What to Do if You Have the Wrong Size Pea Gravel
If you choose the wrong size of pea gravel, you may have to wait for another shipment if you need a large quantity. This can delay your project’s completion, costing you extra for labor and materials if you need to rush the delivery.
However, since pea gravel sizing has minimal variation, it’s hard to go wrong when choosing the correct size. Most pea gravel works well as a hardscape material for landscaping, playgrounds, pathways, patios, and firepits.
