If it has to pack, order crusher run. If it has to drain, order clean stone.
Pick by the job
| The job | Order |
|---|---|
| New driveway or parking pad | Crusher run, 4 to 6 inches |
| Top-dress an old driveway | 1-inch crusher run or #1 stone, 2 inches |
| Under a shed or a slab | Crusher run, 4 inches |
| Drain trench, behind a wall | #2 clean stone |
| New lawn | Screened topsoil, 4 to 6 inches |
| Fill a low spot | Fill or bank run gravel |
| Long driveway, lot or lane | Millings |
Crusher run
Crushed stone with the fines left in. The fines fill the gaps between the bigger pieces, so it locks up hard when it's packed. That makes it the base under almost everything: driveways, pads, sheds, walks.
It's sold by its top size. A 2-inch run makes a strong base over soft ground. A 1-inch run packs smoother and is the usual pick for a driveway you drive on every day.
Clean stone: #1 and #2
Crushed stone with the fines washed or screened out. Water runs straight through it, and it doesn't pack. #1 stone is about half an inch. #2 stone is about an inch.
Use it where water has to get away: drain trenches, behind retaining walls, around footings and pipe. #1 also makes a clean top layer on a driveway that already has a good base.
Bank run gravel
Sand and gravel the way it comes out of the bank, not crushed. It drains, and it's used to build up grade: under slabs, in low spots, on farm lanes.
Topsoil and fill
Screened topsoil has the rocks, roots and clods taken out so it rakes smooth. It's for lawns, beds and final grading. Fill is for building up grade where nothing has to grow. If it's going near a house, ask for clean fill.
Millings
Ground-up asphalt off a road job. It packs into a hard, low-dust surface, which makes it a common pick for long driveways, lots and lanes.
What about "Item 4"?
You may hear a contractor or a neighbor call base stone "Item 4." That's a New York State road-base spec, and not every quarry sells stone under that name. For a driveway or a pad, crusher run does the same job.
If your plans call for Item 4 by name, say so on the ticket. CAD will check what the local pits have before quoting it.
Still not sure? Pick "Not sure" on the load ticket and say what it's going under. CAD will point you to the right material on the call.
Request a delivery