If you're laying a patio base, building a walkway, or filling a French drain, knowing what a cubic yard of pea gravel actually weighs helps you plan delivery, equipment, and load handling. This guide breaks down pea gravel weight and how to calculate it.
What Is Pea Gravel?
Pea gravel is small, smooth, naturally rounded stone, typically ⅛" to ⅜" in size — about the size of a pea, hence the name. Most pea gravel comes from river or stream beds where natural water-tumbling has rounded the edges. The smooth shape and small size make it comfortable underfoot and forgiving for paver work.
For our Boston customers, the closest size match in the Ottr catalog is Gray Crushed Rock ⅜" (slightly more angular than true river pea gravel) and Riverbed Rock ¼" (true small-format river-tumbled).
What Affects the Weight of Pea Gravel?
1. Stone Source
River-tumbled pea gravel weighs slightly less than crushed-stone pea gravel of the same size. The rounded shape leaves more air gap between stones, lowering the per-yard weight.
2. Moisture Content
Wet pea gravel weighs 5-10% more than dry. Saturation fills the air gaps with water.
3. Compaction
Pea gravel doesn't compact much (the round shape resists locking together), but tamped pea gravel still weighs ~5% more per cubic yard than freshly delivered loose pea gravel.
Average Pea Gravel Weight Per Cubic Yard
On average, pea gravel weighs about 2,800 to 3,000 pounds per cubic yard. River-tumbled pea gravel sits at the lower end (~2,800 lbs/cy); crushed-stone alternatives at the higher end (~3,000 lbs/cy).
For reference, a full Ottr dump truck load (6 cubic yards) of pea gravel weighs about 17,400 lbs (8.7 tons).
How to Calculate Pea Gravel Weight
To estimate the total weight for your project:
- Volume needed (in cubic yards)
- Estimated weight per yard (~2,900 lbs as a working average)
Then multiply:Cubic Yards x Weight per Cubic Yard = Total Weight (lbs)
Example:
For a 12' x 12' pea gravel patio with 3" depth, you need about 1.3 cubic yards. At ~2,900 lbs/yard:1.3 x 2,900 = 3,770 lbs (about 1.9 tons)
Coverage: 1 cubic yard of pea gravel covers about 100 sq ft at 3" depth.
Where to Buy Pea Gravel in Greater Boston
For fast bulk pea gravel delivery across the Greater Boston area, Ottr Landscape Supply stocks small-format crushed stone (Gray Crushed Rock ⅜") and true river-tumbled pea gravel size (Riverbed Rock ¼") — both delivered loose by the cubic yard.
No minimum order, same-day and next-day delivery across Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Plymouth County.
Get a Quote or Order Pea Gravel Online Today
Browse our walkway and path stone collection or decorative stone collection for the full small-format gravel lineup.
