How much pea gravel do I need for a patio?

For a patio you typically lay pea gravel 40–50 mm deep. For example, a 10 m² area at 50 mm needs about 0.5 m³, which is one bulk bag or roughly 0.75 tonnes of loose pea gravel.

How big is a bulk bag of pea gravel?

A standard UK bulk bag of pea gravel holds about 0.5 m³ of material and weighs roughly 800 kg, though individual suppliers vary from 750–850 kg depending on moisture content and source.

How deep should pea gravel be for a path or driveway?

Pathways and patios usually use 40–50 mm of pea gravel on a compacted sub-base. Driveways need at least 50 mm — and ideally 75–100 mm — to stop tyres pushing the stones aside.

Is pea gravel sold loose or only in bulk bags?

Most UK suppliers sell pea gravel in 20–25 kg poly bags for small jobs and in 800 kg bulk (jumbo) bags for larger areas. Some merchants will also deliver loose by the tonne for very large projects.

Pea gravel calculator — bulk bags and tonnes for UK gardens

Coverage calculator

Length (m)

Width (m)

Depth (mm)

Bulk bags needed: 0bags
Area: 0m²
Volume: 0.000m³
Loose tonnes: 0t

Assumes a bulk bag holds 0.5 m³ and loose pea gravel weighs 1.5 tper cubic metre. Bag count is rounded up so you don’t come up short.

Where to buy pea gravel

4 UK suppliers

Bulk-bag pea gravel from four UK merchants. Prices change weekly — open each supplier’s page to confirm the current price and delivery window for your postcode.

W
Wickes
10mm
10mm Gravel Pea Shingle — Jumbo Bag
~800 kg per bag
See price at Wickes
B
B&Q
6-14mm
Pea Gravel 6–14mm Bulk Bag 800kg
~800 kg per bag
See price at B&Q
T
Travis Perkins
10mm
Travis Perkins Gravel and Shingle Bulk Bag 10mm
~800 kg per bag
See price at Travis Perkins
S
Selco
10mm
10mm Gravel Jumbo Bag
~800 kg per bag
See price at Selco

Links open the supplier’s product page in a new tab. Prices and availability are set by each supplier and are not collected by us in real time.

How the calculator works

1Measure the length and width of the area in metres, and decide on a depth in millimetres.
2Area (m²) = length × width. Volume in m³ = area × depth (mm) ÷ 1000.
3One UK bulk bag of pea gravel is about 0.5 m³, so bags needed = volume ÷ 0.5, rounded up.
4Loose tonnes ≈ volume × 1.5 (pea gravel is roughly 1.5 t/m³ uncompacted).

Real bulk bags vary from about 0.4–0.6 m³ and 750–875 kg depending on supplier and moisture content. Order a little extra (10–15%) for edges, settlement and over-filled hollows.

Frequently asked

How much pea gravel do I need for a patio?: For a patio you typically lay pea gravel 40–50 mm deep. For example, a 10 m² area at 50 mm needs about 0.5 m³, which is one bulk bag or roughly 0.75 tonnes of loose pea gravel.
How big is a bulk bag of pea gravel?: A standard UK bulk bag of pea gravel holds about 0.5 m³ of material and weighs roughly 800 kg, though individual suppliers vary from 750–850 kg depending on moisture content and source.
How deep should pea gravel be for a path or driveway?: Pathways and patios usually use 40–50 mm of pea gravel on a compacted sub-base. Driveways need at least 50 mm — and ideally 75–100 mm — to stop tyres pushing the stones aside.
Is pea gravel sold loose or only in bulk bags?: Most UK suppliers sell pea gravel in 20–25 kg poly bags for small jobs and in 800 kg bulk (jumbo) bags for larger areas. Some merchants will also deliver loose by the tonne for very large projects.