Tools and Materials
Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market.
Pea Gravel Benefits and Considerations
Landscaping with pea gravel offers form and function in one. It’s made up of small, round stones about 3/8 of an inch in diameter, smaller than other types of gravel. This type of gravel has several features that make it great for a DIY patio:
- Gravel is easier and more economical to install than other patio materials.
- A pea gravel patio requires fewer tools and materials to create than other types of patios.
- The small stones will fill in nearly any shape, allowing you to create a customized design with edging or borders.
- The natural beauty of the stones gives your space an attractive, classic look.
- Pea gravel won’t crack from freeze-and-thaw cycles. And, unlike with pavers, you won’t have to worry about frost heave — when frozen soil expands — dislodging your patio.
- It's versatile and can be used for gravel walkways, driveways, playgrounds and more.
- The stones drain naturally.
- You’ll need a boundary to contain the gravel.
- Since the stones are small, it’s possible to kick or track them into your lawn, planting beds or home.
- Pea gravel isn’t as easy to walk on or roll items across as other materials.
- Some patio furniture may not be suitable for use on gravel.
The rounded stones in pea gravel don’t lock together like the sharp-edged stones in gravel do. This means you’re less likely to leave deep footprints in pea gravel. Pea gravel will also be more comfortable for pets to walk on than other types.
Choosing a Patio Location
Determine the location for your patio. Choose an area that’s relatively flat so the gravel will stay in place better. Consider how water runs through the space when it rains. While water will drain through the gravel, too much water can wash away the small pieces. Also consider factors such as shade, sun, sightlines and how the patio will fit into your landscape.
Pea Gravel Patio Ideas
If you don’t have a plan for what you want your pea gravel patio to look like, here are some ideas for gravel patios to help you get inspired.
- Traditional: Place pea gravel throughout the patio space for a simple layout that you can complement with furniture, potted plants, flower beds and other design elements. Use pavers or stepping stones to add more variety to the gravel for an artistic look.
- Slab Platform: Consider a stone or concrete slab as the main patio area with pea gravel in areas surrounding it. Create pea gravel walkways and transitional areas from the home to your sitting area to give your backyard more contrast and variety.
- Planting Area: Pea gravel can also provide a designated space for plants to grow near the home. Have the main patio area in stone or wood and section off a space for plants with a pea gravel garden that provides drainage for plants to receive nutrients.
- Circular: Create a circular pea gravel patio for a small, charming area that you can border with stone or brick.
- Side Patio: If you have the proper amount of space along your house, consider a side patio. It lets you keep a large, beautiful lawn and still enjoy the benefits of a manicured gravel space. If a fence borders your side yard, a pea gravel patio can make for a cozy place to sit around a fire pit.
- Paver or Brick Hybrid: Use stone pavers or brick along with pea gravel to create mesmerizing patterns, stripes or other designs for platforms, walkways and more.
Other gravel landscaping ideas include using pea gravel to create a dry creek bed, create a sunken patio filled with pea gravel and line the patio with pavers, a intimate seating area for a bistro just outside a window Mediterranean-style and more. There are many more wonderful rock patio ideas waiting for your creativity to dream up.
Building the Patio
There are a couple of ways to create a pea gravel patio: using the bare ground as a base or over a base layer of crushed stone. If you have loose or sandy soil, you’ll need a base layer. If your area has hard clay soil, it may support the pea gravel on its own. You may just need to dig out and tamp down the area and add 2 to 3 inches of pea gravel over landscape fabric. However, a base layer is still a good idea for hard soil since it’ll give the patio more structure and support and allow for better drainage. The directions below will guide you through creating a pea gravel patio with a base layer.
Plan ahead. Depending on the size of your patio, digging out the area will generate a good deal of dirt that you’ll need to haul away.
If you don’t have all the tools you need on hand, you can rent them from Lowe’s.
How Much Gravel Do You Need?
To estimate how much gravel you’ll need for a patio, multiply the desired depth of gravel by the length and width of the patio layout.
- For Example: To determine how much gravel you’d need for a 10-foot-by-10-foot patio layout with 2-1/2 inches of gravel, you’d perform the following calculation: 2-1/2 inches x 120 inches x 120 inches = 36,000 cubic inches.
You’ll typically see gravel sold by cubic feet or cubic yards. Use the information below to finish estimating how much gravel you’ll need.
Estimate Cubic Feet of Gravel
Multiply your measurement from the first calculation by 0.000579 to estimate the volume in cubic feet.
- For Example: 36,000 x 0.000579 = 20.8 cubic feet of gravel
Estimate Cubic Yards of Gravel
Multiply your measurement from the first calculation by 0.0000214 to estimate the volume in cubic yards.
- For Example: 36,000 x 0.0000214 = 0.77 cubic yards of gravel
Purchase more material than your estimate so you have a supply for replacing any gravel that gets washed, kicked or tracked away.