Written by

Sarah Noel

May 10, 2023

Edited by

Kristen Cramer

Fact-checked by

Tom Grupa

Pea gravel prices per ton and yard

Pea gravel prices are $30 to $55 per ton, $45 to $80 per cubic yard, and $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot for materials alone. A truckload of 2 to 7 tons of pea gravel costs $120 to $700 delivered. Pea gravel costs $0.85 to $2.80 per square foot installed.

Pea gravel costs by project

The cost of installing pea gravel depends on the project type, size, and gravel depth. A basic pathway needs 2" to 4" thick layer of pea gravel. High-traffic areas like a patio need a layer of gravel 6" or deeper.

• A pea gravel driveway costs $700 to $2,700 installed.

• A pea gravel patio costs $500 to $1,250 installed.

Pea gravel installation cost calculator

Pea gravel installation costs $0.85 to $2.80 per square foot total for the material and spreading labor. These labor fees apply for spreading gravel by hand, excluding variable delivery and loading fees.

Factors that impact the installation cost include:

• Pea gravel type – The pea gravel price depends on the size, shape, color, and whether the supplier filtered it through a screen to remove fine particles.

• Supplier – Prices change according to the area, quantity, and whether the pea gravel is bought from a home improvement store or wholesale.

• Delivery – Costs vary by the quantity and travel distance. Some companies charge a flat delivery fee on all orders while others charge per ton or per mile.

• Project type / depth – Pea gravel for a driveway is deeper than a walkway due to the weight of the cars. Complex layouts take longer to install than straight or rectangular shapes.

• Prep work:

  • Weed control costs $50 to $125 per treatment.

  • Grass removal costs $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot.

  • A drainage system costs $1,000 to $4,000.

  • The cost to level or regrade is $0.40 to $2.00 per square foot.

• Installation:

  • A landscaper costs $50 to $100 per hour for spreading labor and general ground preparation work.

  • A landscape designer costs $50 to $150 per hour.

  • Concrete edging costs $5 to $18 per linear foot installed.

• Permit – A permit costs $50 to $200 for a new patio or driveway.

• Fabric – Landscape fabric costs $1.50 to $2.00 per square foot for materials to prevent weeds from growing up through the gravel layer.

• Truck rental – Renting a truck from a home improvement store costs $120 to $140 per day.

Pea gravel delivery & labor costs

Pea gravel delivery costs vary by load size. The following table shows fees for an average traveling distance of up to 15 miles.

Related project costs

Common projects related to pea gravel include:

• Landscapers charge $25 to $85 to plant a shrub.

• The cost to build a pond is $2,900 to $15,600.

• Waterfall installation cost $2,000 to $13,600.

• Landscaping maintenance costs $100 to $200 per month.

• A 2-car gravel driveway costs $600 to $1,800 installed.

• Exposed aggregate concrete costs $7 to $18 per square foot installed.

• River rock prices are $45 to $130 per ton.

• Gravel prices are $10 to $50 per ton for rocks in larger sizes.

• Fill dirt costs $5 to $25 per cubic yard.

• Xeriscaping costs $5 to $20 per square foot.

Pea gravel FAQs

Where to buy pea gravel near me?

You can buy bags and pallets of pea gravel from home improvement stores. Buy pea gravel in bulk from landscape suppliers, building material supply companies, and quarries.

How much pea gravel do I need?

The amount of pea gravel you need depends on the project type and size:

• A cubic yard of pea gravel weighs 2,600 to 3,000 pounds.

• There are 1.3 to 1.5 tons of pea gravel in a cubic yard.

• A ton of pea gravel covers 120 to 130 square feet at a 2" depth.

• Most projects require a 2" to 6" depth of pea gravel.

Is pea gravel good for driveways?

Pea gravel is good for a driveway when it's:

• Cemented into a concrete base

• Inside a permeable paving grid

• Compacted onto a base with layers of larger stones

Using only pea gravel for a driveway results in an uneven and unstable surface.

How do I maintain pea gravel?

Pea gravel is low maintenance. Keep pea gravel clean by raking, using a leaf blower, and hosing it down. Apply herbicides to kill weeds that grow through it if a barrier fabric wasn't installed below the gravel.

How do you keep pea gravel in place?

The best ways to keep pea gravel in place include adding borders, paver stones, or placing the gravel inside of permeable pavers. Compacting pea gravel after spreading it over larger and coarser stones also helps to stabilize it.

Installing permeable pavers cost $8 to $30 per square foot.

Getting estimates from pea gravel installers

Before getting quotes from a pea gravel delivery service, don't forget to:

• Collect at least 3 bids from several suppliers.

• Select licensed, insured, and bonded installers with 5+ years of experience.

• Read their reviews on HomeGuide and Google.

• Request copies of the estimate, contract, and warranty before work starts.

• Beware of the lowest bids that typically indicate low-quality results.

• Never give the last payment before the job is complete.

Questions to ask

Ask these questions to ensure you find the best pea gravel installer near you:

• How long have you been installing pea gravel?

• If you do landscaping work as well, can I see photos of your past jobs?

• Where do your pea stones and other rocks come from?

• What type of gravel fabric should I put down before installation?

• Which types of edging material would you recommend to keep it in place?

• What are my color options?

• How much extra do you charge for delivering to my house and spreading it?

• Can I come to collect my own pea gravel for smaller quantities?

• How many tons of pea gravel will I need for this project?

• Which larger stone type makes a good base under the pea gravel?

• Can you level and compact the ground before spreading gravel?

• How deep should this layer of pea stones be?