Which Types of Gravel Should I Include in My New Driveway?

“What can I use gravel for?,” you might ask. The answer is: a lot! Gravel can often be found in landscaping projects, on property pathways, and — perhaps most prevalent — in U.S. driveways. As one of the most popular options, gravel for driveways can last anywhere from three to 10 years with regular upkeep and maintenance. But before you can start thinking about proper maintenance, you’ll need to decide what type to use during installation. While the type of gravel for driveways you’ll use might depend on your contractor’s recommendations and your personal preferences, today’s post will highlight some of the most frequently used types for your convenience.

Base Gravel #3 (Clean Stone)

When working with travel for driveways, you’ll actually need at least a few different layers and different types of material to create a solid foundation and to maintain proper drainage. At the base, you’ll typically want to have some larger, angular gravel to start. One such option is referred to as #3 stone (or clean stone), which is irregular in shape and is made from stones measuring an inch or two in diameter that have been crushed by machines. You could also use #1 angular gravel for this purpose, which is a bit larger in size (around four inches in diameter). Because these bigger pieces do not have rounded edges, they’ll create a more stable base for your driveway.

Item #4

Another popular option for driveway bases is known as item #4. This type of gravel is actually a mixture of dirt, sand, and different stones that have been crushed to measure the size of a golf. You can find item #4 in recycled varieties (which can contain concrete, bricks, rocks, asphalt, and other stones), quarry varieties (which contain crushed limestone), or even gray- or blue-colored varieties, which give the driveway a distinctive tint. This type of gravel can also be used as the middle layer of a driveway, as its smaller size interacts well with larger gravel pieces underneath.

Crushed #57 Stone

There’s another option for crushed gravel for driveways, as well. Crushed #57 stone is also about the size of a golf ball (or sometimes smaller) and can be used as either the middle or the top layer of driveways. This type of gravel may also contain gravel dust (a mixture sometimes referred to as crushed stone #411), which is a particulate that helps the pieces of gravel stick together more easily. The shape of this stone can also promote improved drainage.

Not every contractor will agree on the best type of gravel to use for a given driveway project, but one thing’s for sure: there are a number of options available to you. Above all else, you’ll want to steer clear of round rock and work in multiple layers. For more information on why we provide the gravel delivery Seattle homeowners and business owners can count on, please contact us today.