If I were ordering driveway gravel or landscaping gravel for the first time, I would probably like to know something about it before I called a sand and gravel company.
Sand and gravel is not a subject that most people sit around and discuss.
This short article will introduce you to the basic products you are likely to encounter if you needed to order gravel for the first time.
Gravel has many uses.
Commercial buyers use gravel for roads and for making concrete.
Others use gravel for driveways, decorative gardens, and drainage situations as well as for lining ditches were pipes lay.
We will introduce you to some of the basic types of gravel and tell you were you would use these various types of gravel.
Pea Gravel: Pea Gravel usually comes in sizes from 3/8" to 5/8".
It is a small stone with rounded edges.
The color is other beige and it comes in various colors.
This is the gravel that is found in playgrounds, driveways and walkways.
This material is clean because it has been washed.
River Rock: River rock is also washed and is a native stone with a smooth, rounded surface.
It has shades of tan, gray, and beige in it.
This product is often used for French Drains, walkways, landscaping and garden areas.
It can also be used in mixing cement.
Chat Limestone: This is a natural stone that is angular and ½" or less.
This type of gravel is suitable for drainage projects, walkways, and for pipe embedding.
1" Limestone: This gravel is the most common size of limestone.
It is a crushed natural product that is suited well for drainage.
It is also used as a top layer for parking lots.
This type of limestone can also be used for pipe embedding or in mixing concrete.
Its color is gray to a gray off-white.
Recycled Concrete Rock: This product comes in different sizes and is used for a variety of application.
Some of these range from drainage applications to road base.
This is often used in pipe embedment or backfill as well.
Riprap: This is a large irregular shaped rock that comes in sizes up to 12".
It is gray in color.
You will see riprap used to slow fast flowing water in a ditch or on an embankment.
Its primary purpose is erosion control.
Gabion Stone: Gabion stone is again an irregular shaped stone but the size is 4" to 8".
It is used to fill gabion baskets.
These are used in retaining walls.
This type of gravel is suited well for lining ditches that have a moderate flow of water.
Recycled Asphalt: This is a low-cost product that is just as the name would suggest.
It is made from recycled or reclaimed asphalt.
It is small and black and is great for driveways, parking lots and for filling holes.
The above products are available from most sand and gravel companies.
For small quantities, some of these items can be purchased in bags at a home improvement center.
For most projects, it is far more economical and much easier to have the product delivered by the sand and gravel company directly to the job site.
You will also need to calculate how much gravel you require.
Complete information can be found on the Lowery Sand and Gravel calculator page.
Gravel is calculated by the cubic yard.
The basic formula is Length x Width x Depth (in feet) = answer in feet³ / 27 feet³ = answer in yards³.
You can also just follow a link to the gravel calculator http://www.
soildirect.
com/calculator/cubic-yard-calculator/.
Basic product knowledge will help you when you need to find gravel.
Pictures of the gravel discussed can be found on the gravel in Dallas TX video.
The products discussed in this article should help you when discussing these products with a local supplier.