Pea gravel is also called CM-16 stone, pea stone, pea pebbles, or pea rock.
When you build a patio withpea gravel, order the gravel in bulk from a nursery or masonry supplier.
Pea gravel’s rounded shape means that it can be picked up and moved with a shovel.
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Once it’s on the project site, pea gravel can be spread out with a rake with ease.
By contrast, sharp-edged stones tend to lock together and aren’t as simple to smooth out.
Pea gravel is soft underfoot for pets or children.
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Yet maintenance is an ongoing issue.
Weeds are difficult to control and the light material is prone to scattering.
Footprints in pea gravel will remain until they are raked out.
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If these are your concerns, consider hardscaping materials likepoured concrete,concrete pavers, or natural flagstone.
Avoid steep ground because pea gravel may shift.
Pea gravel’s angle of repose can be as low as 20 degrees.
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Heavy foot traffic can disturb gravel, so ensure that the patio doesn’t double as a pathway.
Order the Gravel
Order your pea gravel from a local supplier.
Square the Perimeter
With twine, mark off the perimeter.
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Square up the frame by measuring between the diagonally opposed corners and adjusting the timbers as needed.
The frame is square when the two diagonal measurements are equal.
If necessary, cut away roots with a mattock or pickaxe.
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Lay Out the Frame Timbers
Arrange the landscape timbers to form a 16-foot square.
Drive the rebar so it is flush with or slightly below the surface of the wood.
Home centers often sell pre-cut short pieces of rebar for just this purpose.
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You don’t need to buy long rods and cut them.
On the sides, the fabric should extend up the containment frame by an inch or two.
Thoroughly secure the fabric with landscape fabric pins around the perimeter and at all seams.
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Be careful not to tear the fabric with your feet or the shovel.
Add more gravel to fill in the bare spots.
Add gravel and gently spread it with the rake until you reach a 2-inch depth.
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Smooth the gravel with the rake so the surface is flat and level.
Finish by spraying the gravel with a garden hose to clean it.
How Much Gravel Do You Need?
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The best base for a pea gravel patio islandscape fabric.
A pea gravel patio does not need a sand base.
The landscape fabric will help to suppress weeds.
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Landscape fabric allows water to drain through.
The grid prevents the gravel from shifting.
The minimum depth required for a pea gravel patio is 2 inches.
Plus, pea gravel pieces can withstand the elements, arent prone to cracking, and allow for drainage.
