Mexican beach pebbles are sorted by hand into sizes from 1/4 inch Criva up to 12 inches, and the stone does not simply get bigger as you go up the range. The small grades run dark and heavily varied, the middle grades carry the widest color mix, and the large cobbles come through noticeably paler and greyer. Picking a size is therefore a color decision as much as a scale decision, which is why it is worth looking at the actual grade before you order a bed of it.
Mexican beach pebble size chart
| Size | Also called | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4" | Criva | Indoor planters, fountains, fine top dressing, tight detail areas |
| 3/8" - 5/8" | Buttons | Pathways, narrow borders, top dressing around plants |
| 1/2" - 1" | Buttons | Ground cover in beds, walkable areas, container gardens |
| 1" - 2" | Pebble | The general purpose grade. Beds, borders, exposed aggregate |
| 2" - 3" | Pebble | Dry creek beds, drainage swales, larger open beds |
| 3" - 5" | Pebble | Dry creek beds, water features, erosion areas |
| 5" - 8" | Cobble | Creek bed structure, pond edges, accent groupings |
| 8" - 12" | Cobble | Feature stone, pond and basin edges, large scale structure |
Note the naming. ESR has always called the small grades Buttons and the large ones Cobbles, because at either end of the range you are genuinely buying a different material even though it comes off the same beach.
What each size actually looks like
Every photograph below is Mixed Colors, shot in the yard or in a finished bed, so the comparison is like for like.
3/8" - 5/8" Buttons
Dark and tightly varied, carrying blue greys, browns and deep maroons together. At this size the individual colors read as texture rather than as separate stones, so the bed looks almost uniform from standing height. Use it where you want the effect of a dark gravel but with a rounded, soft surface underfoot.
1/2" - 1" Buttons
Still dark overall but the stones are now individually visible. This is the largest grade that is comfortable to walk on and the smallest that reads as deliberate beach pebble rather than gravel, which makes it the usual pick for paths and for ground cover in planted beds.
1" - 2" Pebble
The most requested grade, and the one where the color mix is widest. Blues, creams, pinks, purples and tans all show clearly at this scale. If you have seen a photograph of Mexican beach pebble that made you want it, it was almost certainly this size.
2" - 3" Pebble
Large enough to stay put in moving water, which is where most of it goes. Dry creek beds and drainage swales use this grade because it does not wash out in a storm the way the smaller sizes can, while still reading as a natural creek bottom.
3" - 5" Pebble
The point where the material starts working as structure rather than as cover. Use it to build the bed of a dry creek, to edge a pond, or to hold a slope where smaller stone would migrate downhill.
5" - 8" Cobble
Now properly a cobble. Colors are paler and greyer than the mid grades, and the stones are placed individually rather than spread. Good for the shoulders of a creek bed and for groupings that break up a flat field of smaller pebble.
8" - 12" Cobble
Feature stone, sold in wire baskets. Pale grey and white dominate at this size, so if you are matching it to a bed of 1" - 2" mixed pebble expect a lighter tone, not the same palette scaled up. Set these individually at pond edges, basin rims and as focal points.
Which size for which job
Dry creek beds
Use two or three sizes together, not one. A creek reads as real when the bed is 2" - 3" or 3" - 5", the banks carry 5" - 8" cobble, and a few 8" - 12" stones sit where the water would have dropped them. A single uniform size looks poured rather than found.
Ground cover and planting beds
1" - 2" is the default. Go to 1/2" - 1" if the bed is walked on, and stay at 1" - 2" or above if it is purely decorative, because the smaller grades show footprints and displace more easily.
Water features and fountains
Mexican beach pebble is at its best wet, and the darker small grades gain the most from it. 1/4" Criva and 3/8" - 5/8" are the usual choices for fountain basins and indoor features where the stone is seen close up.
Exposed aggregate and concrete
1" - 2" is the standard for seeded exposed aggregate work, large enough to show its shape once the surface is washed back and small enough to sit in a normal slab thickness.
Colors come in four groups plus Criva
All five are hand harvested from the same Baja California beaches and sorted by hand, so any color is available in most sizes. What changes between them is the tone, not the shape or the origin.
Shop Mexican beach pebbles by color
Black Mexican Beach Pebbles
Mixed Colors Mexican Beach Pebbles
Buff Mexican Beach Pebbles
Red Mexican Beach Pebbles
White Criva Beach Pebbles
Browse the full range in Mexican beach pebbles, and pick the size on each product page to see a photograph of that exact grade before you order.
How much do you need?
Mexican beach pebble runs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard. At a 2 inch depth a ton covers roughly 100 square feet, and at 3 inches roughly 65 square feet. For decorative ground cover 2 inches is enough; for a dry creek bed plan on 3 to 4 inches so the base does not show through. Work out your own figure with the coverage calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What sizes do Mexican beach pebbles come in?
From 1/4 inch Criva through 12 inches. The common grades are 3/8" - 5/8", 1/2" - 1", 1" - 2", 2" - 3", 3" - 5", 5" - 8" and 8" - 12". The small grades are called Buttons and the largest are called Cobbles.
What size Mexican beach pebble is best for a dry creek bed?
Use more than one. Lay the bed in 2" - 3" or 3" - 5", place 5" - 8" cobble along the banks, and set a few 8" - 12" stones as though the water had dropped them. A single uniform size reads as poured rather than natural.
Do the colors change with the size?
Yes, noticeably. The small grades run dark with blues, browns and deep reds; the 1" - 2" grade carries the widest color mix; and the 8" - 12" cobbles come through much paler, mostly grey and white. Match a sample of the actual size you intend to buy rather than a photograph of a different grade.
Which size is best for walking on?
1/2" - 1". It is large enough to stay in place and small enough to be comfortable underfoot. Anything below that displaces easily, and anything above 1" - 2" is uncomfortable to walk on.
Are Mexican beach pebbles tumbled?
No. They are hand harvested from the beaches of Baja California and rounded by surf, not by a machine. That is the difference between a true Mexican beach pebble and a polished pebble, which is tumbled to a gloss finish.
How much Mexican beach pebble do I need?
Plan about 1.4 tons per cubic yard. A ton covers roughly 100 square feet at 2 inches deep, or about 65 square feet at 3 inches. Decorative beds want 2 inches; dry creek beds want 3 to 4.
Get the right size for your project
Browse Mexican beach pebbles in black, mixed colors, buff, red and white Criva. Every product page shows a photograph of each size, so you can see the grade before you buy. Order a sample first, then take delivery from our California yards or collect at Rosamond or Goshen.