How to Buy Crushed Rock

Crushed rock can used for many purposes.

Crushed stone or rock is used for many purposes, such as road paving and enhancing landscapes around residential or commercial property. It is also used for ground cover in flowerbeds and around shrubs.

Types

Crushed rock comes from granite, quartz, quartzite, marble and even pebbles. Though some crushed rock or stone occurs naturally as larger rocks fragment, most of it is typically recycled rock from demolished buildings, structures or old landscaping.

Considerations

When considering how to buy crushed rock, keep in mind the firmness of gravel when packed together, how well it allows water to permeate, wear and tear (the amount of use the project will get over a period of time), and whether you are using it for a driveway, a nature path or a walking trail. The purpose of your project will determine what kind of crushed rock you want to use.

Identification

According to North Carolina Geologicals, "a complex series of crushing, screening and washing steps in a sizing plant is used to produce different rock sizes." The five main products produced from crushed rock are aggregate base course (a base layer used in road construction that is less than 1 1/2 inches in size); the 78M, generally used for asphalt; the 67 or 57, used for concrete and asphalt; the #5 stone, used for septic fields; and riprap, which is used for erosion control.

References

• Luckstone: Homeowner -- A Guide to Buying Crushed Stone
• North Carolina Geologicals: Crushed Stone (Aggregate)
• Kafka Granite: Decomposed Granite and Crushed Stone

Resources

• James Madison University Department of Geology: Quartzite #1