Peal gravel is a versatile material and it’s preferred by many people for hardscaping projects. Getting a patio installed by an expert patio builder can get expensive, and more so if you select any other patio material like concrete or bricks. As pea gravel is easy to handle and the installation of a pea gravel patio constitutes a few easy steps, it’s loved by DIYers.

If you’re considering a pea gravel patio, make sure you know these things before you zero in on the idea.

Is Pea Gravel The Right Material For Your Patio?

This should be the first question on your mind if you’re not sure whether you should go with pea gravel or not.

Pea Gravel Is Cheap

Pea gravel holds the trophy of the most cost-effective patio material. You can buy pea gravel in bulk or in bags that are available at local stores. Bagged pea gravel is costlier than bulk pea gravel, even though it still costs less than other patio materials.

So, if you’re filtering out patio materials concerning cost, then pea gravel is the material for you. To keep the costs even lower, try to go for bulk pea gravel.

Low Maintenance

As pea gravel is made up of less than an inch of small stones, you don’t need to carry out the typical maintenance tasks with it as you have to with other solid materials like concrete and wood.

It shows that you don’t have to reseal or repaint the surface because they are small pebbles that don’t need this at all.

You only need to keep it clean and occasionally add more gravel in parts where gravel appears less. Due to the small size of pea gravel pebbles, they shift easily and don’t stay tidily in one place. Over time, some parts will lose some pea gravel. And that’s why you will need to refill those areas with gravel.

When you buy bulk pea gravel, make sure to buy some cubic feet more than you need so you can use the extra stuff for refilling when required. After refilling the pea gravel, rake the gravel so it stays in its shape.

Cleaning Does Require Some Care

Dust and small particles of anything will settle inside the pea gravel patio. So, you should clean the patio and remove things that you can like leaves. Using a leaf blower for a pea gravel patio is your best bet. However, make sure that you are careful when using the leaf blower because it can also scatter the pea gravel. It will take a few uses of the leaf blower on the patio to get the hang of it.

Choose Any Design You Like

Pea gravel is adaptable to any design so you have the freedom of selecting any shape and size of your pea gravel patio. Just make sure to add rigid borders throughout the patio so the pea gravel doesn’t scatter outside the shape and design you create.

Pea Gravel Patios Are DIY-Friendly

Installing a pea gravel patio takes the least amount of work compared to other patio materials so people who like to do their home improvement projects themselves like pea gravel.

Also, if you want a cheap patio and also want to save money on the installation, pea gravel will allow you that because you can install it by watching a couple of YouTube videos and gathering the right tools.

Ensure Weed Control

If you install your pea gravel patio correctly, it will prevent weed growth as well. However, you still need to be careful on the patio and avoid placing too heavy furniture or items that press it down and tear the fabric used under the pea gravel because this will allow weeds to grow on your pea gravel patio.

No Standing Water On A Pea Gravel Patio

Probably no other patio material offers better water drainage than pea gravel. After rain, water can stand on some spots of patio materials like concrete and bricks. However, the small size of pea gravel stones allows water to easily flow through the stones and drains off the patio. To ensure better drainage, make the center of the patio a bit higher so water flows to the sides and drains off.

Snow Removal Problems

In winter, snow can be a problem for your pea gravel patio even though it provides excellent water drainage. Upon heavy snowfall, you will need to remove snow from the patio and many people can mistakenly remove gravel with snow.

So, when removing snow from the patio, make sure you don’t go too deep that the shovel or the tool you’re using reaches pea gravel. To avoid any risk, only remove the top layer of the snow and put salt on the remaining ice so it melts on its own.

Walking Barefoot On Pea Gravel Is Not Desirable

Pea gravel is quite smooth and doesn’t scratch the feet too easily, but it’s still not a desirable and cushy surface to walk on barefoot. Moreover, any pointy debris or stone mixed with pea gravel can cause issues. So, avoid walking barefoot on your pea gravel patio and instruct your children about it as well.

How Much Pea Gravel Do You Need?

Bulk pea gravel is sold in cubic feet and cubic yards. If you have a 10-square-foot area that will have 2 inches of gravel depth, then you should first convert 2 inches into feet. 2 inches equals around 0.168 feet.

So, 10 x 10 x 0.168 = 16.8 cubic feet of pea gravel.

For cubic yards, convert 10 x 10 feet into yards and then 2 inches into yards. Afterward, multiply the numbers together.

10 x 10 feet = 3.34 x 3.34 yards

2 inches = 0.056 yards

So, 3.34 x 3.34 x 0.056 = 0.63 cubic yards of gravel.

If you’re buying pea gravel by weight then keep in mind that one cubic yard of pea gravel that is 3/8 inches will be around 2,730 pounds.

What To Put Under Gravel?

This is something many people ignore or don’t perform correctly which leads to a sinking pea gravel patio, weed growth on the patio, and drainage problems.

Firstly, you should never put pea gravel directly on the top soil because it will only encourage weed growth which you don’t want. So, you should dig up to 3 inches and remove the dirt. Then, walk on the surface or use a hand tamp to tamp down the area and make it flat.

Once the area is flat and hard enough, you need to lay a landscape fabric on the dirt. It’s one of the most important steps for pea gravel patio installation. Make sure that the landscape fabric is of high quality and doesn’t tear too easily. This will ensure that weed doesn’t grow on your patio and water drains off the surface without you having to do anything.

You can also put a plastic in place of a landscape fabric but that won’t be durable enough. So, stick with a landscape fabric.

After this, lay a base of sand on the landscape fabric and then add gravel to the area. Make sure to tamp it down so it stays in its place for a longer time.

Conclusion

Pea gravel is an affordable material and a patio made with it doesn’t cost much if you install it yourself. However, if you need help, don’t avoid consulting a patio contractor Long Island who can give you important tips or handle the entire project perfectly.