Gravel Calculator for a Fire Pit
Gravel makes a safe, draining fire-pit base and surround. Use the circle tool with your pit's diameter.
Area: 100 sq ft
0.7cubic yards
Bulk is usually sold in ½-yard increments with a ~1-yard delivery minimum — round up when you order.
Show the math
- Area100 sq ft
- Volume100 sq ft × 2 in ÷ 1216.7 cu ft
- Cubic yards16.7 cu ft ÷ 270.6 cu yd
- + 10% waste0.6 × 1.100.7 cu ydthe amount to buy in bulk, before rounding to bags
- Bags18.3 cu ft ÷ 0.5 cu ft/bag37 bagsrounded up to whole bags
- Weight0.7 cu yd × 1.4 tons/cu yd1.0 tons
Est. cost $27–$48typical bulk price · adjust for your supplier
Bags or bulk for this job?
≈ Similar cost — bags save the delivery trip, bulk saves the mess. Gravel & soil are heavy — a half-ton pickup carries only ~1 cu yd safely.
≈ 6 wheelbarrow loads to spread · delivery fee varies by distance — confirm at checkout.
- Low-fi estimate. Confirm coverage and bag sizes with your supplier.
- Includes a 10% overage allowance.
- Bag count assumes 0.5 cu ft bags. Bulk delivery is sold by the cubic yard.
- Weight assumes ~1.4 tons per cubic yard; actual density varies by material.
Doing more than one bed or material?
Want it installed?
Let a local pro know you're interested · no obligation
Planning more than one thing? Open the Yard Planner → to trace your whole yard over an aerial photo and total every material at once.
How to measure for gravel
- Measure the length and width of your area in feet.
- Multiply them for square feet (or just enter length and width above).
- Choose a depth — we default to 2 inches for gravel.
- Read your total in cubic yards, or the number of bags.
Gravel for a Fire Pit coverage at a glance (2" deep)
| Area (sq ft) | Cubic yards | Bags |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0.7 | 37 |
| 200 | 1.4 | 74 |
| 300 | 2.0 | 110 |
| 500 | 3.4 | 184 |
| 1,000 | 6.8 | 367 |
Includes a 10% overage allowance. Estimates are low-fi — confirm with your supplier.
Frequently asked questions
What gravel is best under a fire pit?
Use a non-porous crushed stone or pea gravel for the base. Avoid river rock and other rounded, moisture-trapping stones that can pop when heated.
How much gravel for a fire pit surround?
For a surround, subtract the pit circle from the patio circle. Use the Add and Subtract circle tools above to get the net area.
Planning a drainage project?
If you're buying gravel to handle yard or foundation runoff, the French Drain calculators size the full system — gravel, pipe, fabric, and soil — in one place.