CRUSHER RUN
1 1/2" crushed stone with the fines left in. It locks up into a firm surface. $425 a load, delivered.
CRUSHER RUN VS ASTM #57 STONE: PACK IT OR DRAIN IT.
If you want a surface that packs hard, like a driveway or a pad, order crusher run. If you want water to pass through, like a French drain or the bed under a slab, order ASTM #57 stone. The difference is the fines: crusher run keeps them, #57 is washed clean.
01
THE SHORT ANSWER
ASTM #57 STONE
Washed stone, roughly 3/4 to 1 inch, no fines. It stays loose and lets water straight through. $550 a load, delivered.
THE RULE
Driving or building on it? Crusher run. Moving water away? ASTM #57 stone. Both? Use them in layers.
02
WHY THEY ACT SO DIFFERENT
Picture a bucket of marbles. There is plenty of open space between them. Now pour sand into that bucket: the sand fills every gap and the whole thing turns solid. That is the difference between these two rocks.
Crusher run is the marbles plus the sand. The fines fill the spaces, so once it is packed, the rock cannot shift. That is what makes it a good driveway, but it also means water moves through it slowly.
ASTM #57 stone is the marbles alone. With the fines washed out, the open spaces stay open, so water drains fast. The tradeoff is that the stones never lock together. Drive on it and the rock rolls and ruts.
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WHERE EACH ONE BELONGS
| Job | Order this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway or parking area | Crusher run | Packs into a firm driving surface |
| Shop or building pad | Crusher run | Holds a level, solid footing |
| French drain | ASTM #57 stone | Open spaces carry water to the pipe |
| Under a concrete slab | ASTM #57 stone | Drains and makes a level bed |
| Around drain pipe and septic laterals | ASTM #57 stone | Lets water in, does not clog the pipe |
| Behind a retaining wall | ASTM #57 stone | Takes water pressure off the wall |
Plans or an inspector calling for something else? Follow the plans.
04
USING BOTH IN LAYERS
Plenty of jobs use both. A common one is a wet spot on a driveway: ASTM #57 stone low in the ground to move the water, then crusher run on top so you have something to drive on. Many people put a layer of filter fabric between the two, so the fines from the crusher run do not wash down and clog the clean rock.
The same idea works along a pad or a drive with a French drain at the edge. The drain trench gets #57 stone; the surface gets crusher run.
05
DELIVERED LOAD NOTES
Both come in full loads of 14 to 16 tons, roughly 10 to 12 cubic yards, dumped in a pile where you point us. We do not spread it. If you need both rocks, tell us which one you need first so the piles land in the right order. Online requests start with the next day, and same day is phone only. To size the job, use what a yard weighs or the calculator on the gravel page.
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CRUSHER RUN VS #57 QUESTIONS
What is the difference between crusher run and #57 stone?
Fines. Crusher run keeps the rock dust and small pieces, so it packs into a solid surface. ASTM #57 stone is washed, so it stays loose and drains. One builds surfaces, the other moves water.
Can I use #57 stone for a driveway?
You can, but it stays loose. Without fines the stones roll under tires, rut and scatter. For a driving surface, 1 1/2 inch crusher run is the better pick. #57 stone does its best work under the surface in wet spots.
What gravel goes under a concrete slab?
ASTM #57 stone is a common choice because it drains and makes a level bed. If your plans or your concrete contractor name a different material, use that.
What rock is best for a French drain?
Clean stone with no fines, which is why ASTM #57 stone is the usual pick. Crusher run would pack around the pipe and slow the water down.
Which costs more, crusher run or #57 stone?
Washed stone costs more. In Tulsa County a load of 1 1/2 inch crusher run runs $425 delivered and a load of ASTM #57 stone runs $550, sales tax extra.
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