Pea Gravel Delivery in Ontario, CA by the Ton
Bulk pea gravel delivered in Ontario, CA. Stone size 1/4 - 3/8. Tan / mixed color.
Pea Gravel Delivery in Ontario, CA
Ontario sits in the Inland Empire, a fast growing city of about 185,000 people known these days as much for warehouses and distribution centers as for the citrus groves that once covered the same ground. Pea gravel delivery in Ontario, CA fits the newer subdivisions spreading across the city as well as the older neighborhoods closer to downtown, where a small, rounded 1/4 to 3/8 inch stone in a tan, mixed color does light landscaping work that heavier base rock is not built for. Ontario sits within the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area, part of the wider Southern California region east of Los Angeles.
Summers here run hot and dry with very little rain, and the ground tends toward hard packed clay and decomposed granite rather than the sandy soil found closer to the coast. Pea gravel handles that heat well, since the stone will not fade, rot or need replacing the way mulch does under strong Inland Empire sun.
Delivery and Lead Times in Ontario
A 3 ton order generally reaches an Ontario address within 1 to 2 business days, and that window shortens to same or next day once the order climbs to 8 tons. New subdivisions with fresh construction traffic and older blocks with narrower streets both come up around Ontario, so flag the exact drop point and any gate code ahead of the scheduled window. Full scheduling information for the city is covered on the page for delivery in Ontario.
Best Uses for Pea Gravel Around Ontario
Heat, dry air and hard packed soil shape how homeowners and small contractors put this stone to work locally. Common jobs around Ontario include:
- Low water ground cover in place of a thirsty front lawn
- Dry creek beds that route runoff from summer downpours
- Walkways and side yard paths between the house and a fence line
- Fill around raised beds and citrus or fruit tree plantings
- A loose, permeable base under a small paver patio
New construction lots often start as bare, compacted dirt, so pea gravel gives a finished look fast without waiting on grass to establish through a hot first summer. In established neighborhoods it more often replaces a lawn strip that struggled through several dry years.
How Much Pea Gravel You Need
Pea gravel sells and delivers by the ton, so figure the job in volume first and convert to weight second. Multiply the length in feet by the width in feet, multiply that by the depth in inches, then divide by 324 to get cubic yards. A 12 by 18 foot side yard bed at 3 inches deep comes out to 2 cubic yards. At about 2,800 pounds per cubic yard for this stone, that bed converts to 2.8 tons once rounded for settling. Check your own dimensions against the pea gravel calculator before ordering, since an irregular lot rarely matches a clean rectangle.
Pricing Notes for Bulk Orders
The per ton rate steps down three times as order size grows, and the delivery charge steps down right along with it.
| Order size | Price per ton | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| 3 tons or more | $366 | 1 to 2 business days |
| 8 tons or more | $270 | Same or next day |
| 15 tons or more | $236 | Free delivery |
Reach 15 tons on a single order and the delivery fee comes off the total instead of just shrinking. An Ontario address gets its exact delivered rate calculated the moment a ZIP is entered at checkout.
Ordering Pea Gravel in Ontario
Ordering pea gravel in Ontario works the same whether the project is a small side yard bed or a full new construction lot: enter your address, pick a tonnage tier and choose a delivery window that fits the site. A bed or a short path usually falls in the 3 to 8 ton range, while a larger new build lot or drainage project often clears 15 tons for the lower per ton rate. Measure the space before ordering, since a short delivery followed by a second one costs more than getting the tonnage right the first time. See Pea Gravel in California for how pricing compares elsewhere in the state before locking in a quantity.
About Pea Gravel
Pea gravel takes its name from its size, screened down to a consistent 1/4 to 3/8 inch range so the pieces are roughly the size of dried peas. It comes in a tan, mixed color instead of a single flat shade, and because it forms naturally through water tumbling the stone rather than through crushing, each piece is smooth and rounded instead of sharp edged. That rounded shape is the main quality that sets it apart from angular base rock, and it is why the stone shifts and settles into place instead of locking together the way crushed gravel does under a compactor.
Its biggest advantage in a hot, dry climate is that it never needs watering, fading or replacing the way turf grass or bark mulch eventually does under strong sun. Homeowners spread it by hand or wheelbarrow across a bed, path or dry creek channel, and it holds its color and shape for years with almost no upkeep beyond an occasional rake to redistribute pieces that foot traffic has pushed around. It is not a structural material, so it is not meant for a driveway or anything that needs to bear a vehicle's weight. A bagged version from a hardware store covers one small planter, but a bulk ton order is the more practical route once a bed, path or new construction lot gets past a small footprint.
What Pea Gravel costs in Ontario
In the Ontario market, pea gravel is sold by the ton and priced at the gate before delivery is added on. Send your ZIP and load size and we will send back a same-hour quote with the truck rate and the per-ton figure spelled out. One ton covers about 77 sq ft at a 3 inch finished depth, so a 400 sq ft driveway pad runs roughly 6 tons.
How crews use Pea Gravel in Ontario
Crews working out of Ontario tend to call for pea gravel on a few repeat jobs each week. The first is patio gravel, typically laid on rural drives and acreage projects with a base lift compacted before the finish course goes on. The second is walkway gravel, which lands here across longer driveways and outbuilding work and usually ships as a 4 to 8 ton order. Order size in Ontario averages 4 to 8 tons for homeowner jobs and climbs into full-truck loads for contractor work.
Delivery day in Ontario
On the day of the drop, the dispatcher pulls the closest yard, batches your ticket with other Ontario stops, and sends a window the night before. Tandem-axle dumps need at least 12 ft of clear width and 14 ft overhead to set the bed; tri-axles need 14 ft of clearance on both counts and a level pad to tip safely. Standard lead time on this lane is 24-48h, with same-day windows held open for orders that hit the desk before 11 AM and clear payment.
Related materials we deliver in Ontario
Price by ZIP- Size3/8″
- Density2800 lb/yd³
- ColorMixed earth
Price by ZIP- Size1 - 3″
- Density2700 lb/yd³
- ColorMixed natural
Price by ZIP- Size0 - 1/4″
- Density3000 lb/yd³
- ColorTan, gold
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GUIDEHow to Lay a Gravel Driveway: Step-by-Step GuidePractical, field-tested guide: how to lay gravel driveway. Pulled from real US installer notes and 2026 supplier price data.Read guide →Frequently Asked Questions
What is pea gravel typically used for in a hot, dry climate?
It works well as low water ground cover, fill for dry creek beds that handle summer downpours, walkways between garden beds, and a loose base under a small paver patio. Since it never fades or dries out the way turf does, it holds up through long, hot Inland Empire summers with very little maintenance.
How deep should a pea gravel bed be?
Most ground cover beds and paths use 2 to 3 inches of pea gravel over a compacted sub base and a weed barrier. A dry creek bed meant to carry runoff during a rare heavy downpour usually goes closer to 4 inches so the stone does not scatter. A thinner layer wears thin faster under regular foot traffic.
Do I need a weed barrier under pea gravel?
A fabric barrier underneath stops weeds from pushing through the stone and keeps the gravel from slowly sinking into the hard packed soil below it. It is optional for a very small decorative patch, but over time gravel placed directly on bare dirt tends to mix with the soil and lose its clean look without one.
Will pea gravel hold up through hot Ontario summers?
Yes, since it is stone rather than an organic material, heat and dry air will not fade, rot or break it down the way they do mulch or bark. It also will not need replacing every season. The main upkeep is occasionally raking loose pieces back into place after wind or foot traffic pushes them out of the bed.
Is pea gravel a good choice for a new construction yard?
It is a common choice on new lots because it gives a finished look right away without waiting for grass to establish through a hot first summer. It also handles the compacted, often rocky soil left behind by grading better than a lawn would, and it costs less over time than repeatedly reseeding turf that struggles to take hold.
How much pea gravel do I need for a 200 square foot bed?
At a 3 inch depth, 200 square feet comes to a little under 2 cubic yards, which converts to roughly 2.6 tons using this stone's 2,800 pound per cubic yard weight. Irregular new construction lots rarely match a clean rectangle, so run the exact shape through the pea gravel calculator before placing an order.
How fast can pea gravel be delivered to an Ontario address?
A 3 ton order is the entry point and usually shows up within 1 to 2 business days. Push the order up to 8 tons or beyond and the delivery window tightens to same or next day in most cases. New subdivisions with active construction traffic can affect scheduling, so checkout shows the real window once an address and ZIP are entered.
Is there a minimum order size for pea gravel delivery?
Bulk delivery starts at 3 tons, which covers most side yard beds, short paths and small drainage projects. A single planter is usually cheaper filled with bagged gravel from a hardware store, while anything closer to a full yard or a new construction lot fits comfortably within the 3 to 15 ton tiers covered on this page.