While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about landscaping, gravel is an essential element in many different projects! From providing drainage away from your home or deck to creating a solid base for your shed or hot tub, gravel is essential. This particular type of stone comes in many sizes and varieties and can go by several different names. Read on to discover what types of gravel we offer and what you need to make your project a success.
The grey, angular stone commonly called gravel is usually limestone that has been crushed to achieve a desired size.
Crushed Stone is gravel that includes pieces of all sizes usually from ⅞” all the way down to stone dust. The pieces are all mixed together, allowing them to compact together, creating a strong and stable surface. Crushed stone is also known as Granular A and is used as a base for sheds and hot tubs, to create and maintain gravel driveways and paths, and as a base for interlock patios.
When crushed stone is being used as a base for a structure, we recommend digging to a depth of at least 6” in the area needing to be covered. Fill the area with crushed stone, stopping every few inches to tamp, compact, and level the surface until you reach your desired height. This will create a level, stable surface for your project. When working in a larger area, you may want to consider renting equipment to help spread, compact, and level the gravel.
Clear Stone is the same product as crushed stone, but it has been put through a sieve to separate the rocks by size. We offer both a ⅜” and a ¾” size for clear stone. Since the pieces are uniform in size, clear stone allows water to drain through it. This makes it the perfect product for putting under a deck or filling low spaces to ensure that water drains away from structures such as homes, sheds, or barns. Clear stone is also the product most commonly used for creating a french drain and for filling window wells.
When installing clear stone, dig and excavate approximately 3” into the ground and fill the area with your desired size of clear stone. To calculate how much you need, use our cubic yard calculator found on any of the product pages of our website. Both crushed stone and clear stone can be delivered by Greely’s Gardening Bag or dump truck load. As this is a very heavy product, the convenience of having it delivered in a Greely’s Gardening Bag might be preferable, particularly for smaller projects. Our Gardening Bags come in three convenient sizes and are delivered and placed using a forklift, meaning that we can place the bag exactly where you need it in most cases!
To learn more about our crushed stone and clear stone or to place an order, visit our online store or call 613-821-3003 to speak to one of our knowledgeable team members.