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Gravel question

If a company says you need "x" number of tons of a certain type of gravel, how do they measure that? Will 22 tons of 2" cover the same area at the same depth of 22 tons of 3/4 inch stone?

Hank

Reply to
Hustlin' Hank
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In my experience- roughly. I've never been shorted, but I know of 2 local vendors who measure by bucket, rather than actual weight. Probably a better way to do it as it is the volume, not the weight that is important for a job. and a week of rain could have you buying water. [the biggest expense is the carting of it anyway]

no. Ask the place where you're buying for a chart of their volume/tonnage. It will vary depending on the type of rock, so there are no hard & fast charts. But a cubic yard=a ton will get you in a very rough ballpark.

Buy extra and post the leftovers on craigslist if you don't have a place to store it. I've still got 5 tons of river cobble left from a 2008 project- but my neighbor and I keep finding uses for it.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

-snip-

Also, BTW- 2" stone won't compact the same, won't shed leaves the same, and won't provide the same drainage as 3/4" stone. [and round stone vs crushed throws a couple more variables in.]

What you're using the stone for should help determine what type and size you want.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

General coversions.

1 ton of most gravel = 20 cu ft 1 ton of most gravel covers 120 sq ft@ 2", 80 sq ft @ 3"

1 ton of sand, cr6, cr8, dust, etc covers 100 sq ft @ 2"

Reply to
Newsreader

I dont know the answer to that, BUT, let me tell you something from past experience : If they tell you they are bringing out half a truck load of something..*.BEFORE the guys starts pouring it out , jump up on the truck and look inside the bin to make sure its about half full. I got royally cheated recently when i paid for a half truck and got no more than a quarter truck load of crushed limestone .

Reply to
ilbebauck

Gravel, sand, etc are purchased and hauled based on tonnage, not yardage. A ten yard dump truck (large tandem) will deliver about

15 ton. Most waybills will indicate tons - some are just based on how full the truck is, others are digital readouts. Digital lets you pay for the water, volume makes the water less of a factor.

Choice 1. Calculate the cubic volume you need. Normal calculations would be in cubic yards. Multiply the cubic yard calculation by 1.25 (this multiplier changes slightly with different materials, but this one will get you quite close). This will give you the required tonnage.

Choice 2. Give the supplier your cubic yardage requirement and have them calculate.

Reply to
DanG

Also, keep in mind that you cannot shovel 2" stone, especially crushed stone. Each time you try you will pick up one, two or three rocks and it will take forever. You need power equipment.

Also are you talking washed stone with nothing inbetween the stones, or crusher run/pit run which has fine material between the stones and can be packed solidly.

Reply to
EXT

Ok, to clarify what I am doing. I need to put what is called 57's ( I think it is 3/4" limestone) over a 1724 square foot area at least 2" thick. How much would I need? Approx 15 ton? 20 ton?

I am thinking of ordering a full truck load that holds approx. 20-26 tons of weight. If I have extra, I guess I could use it somewhere on the gravel drive. right? Or do I need more?

TIA

Hank

Reply to
Hustlin' Hank

Trying to keep 3/4 stone to a 2" thickness ill be tricky. Is that compacted, or loose? What will 2" accomplish?

I'd get the full load. It is probably only #12-15 a ton- and you'll be paying $100+ for delivery. If you can spread it thicker, do so- but you don't want to be a ton short. That would be an expensive ton.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

17.5 tons for 2", but maintaining a consistant 2" depth in that large area is near impossible. 26 tons would cover it with a better depth of 3". I'd go at least 24 tons. 26 would be even better. 57's are a great size, as it settles together very nicely just dumped & raked, virtually no manual compaction required for most applications.

I think the full load would be just the ticket.

Reply to
David Modine

The spousal unit and I would beg to differ... It did take two weeks, a couple of small trailer loads a day, but we just moved 13 tons of 2" crushed up a 250' mountain driveway. Said trailer loaded/unloaded with flat shovels.

A Bobcat would have been nice, but we didn't want to tear up a 1 month old blacktop driveway.

Reply to
Robert Neville

I put about 2 cubic yards of gravel (about the size of Brazil nuts) under my deck inside a frame made from 6x6s. It used to be a mound, but after 10 years it is almost level. It gets walked on from time to time but it did the job eliminating a messy, muddy issue.

Reply to
Phisherman
1724 SF x 2/12 287 cubic feet. Divide by 27 (cubic feet/yard) Rounds up to 11 cubic yards. Times 1.25 Rounds up to 14 tons.

A large tandem axle dump hauls 10-12 cubic yards. It is usually loaded with 15 ton, at least here. Check your information on a truck hauling 20-26 ton unless you're talking about a semi end or belly dump. Be careful where you go with trucks this heavy.

#57 stone is close to 1 1/2" diameter down to 1/2", a blend of ASTM #5 and #7. It is an excellent material for drainage work, septic, etc. At 2" thick it will only be one stone thick in many places and there will not be much interlock, a necessity if you are paving a drive or similar. You will probably need a thicker bed of coarse stone under the 57 and/or geotextile. It will probably require a cap of crusher run or screenings for a good driving surface. You've not ever said what you were planning to do with 2" of gravel.

Reply to
DanG

On Aug 30, 5:25=EF=BF=BDam, "DanG" wrote: =EF=BF=BDYou've not ever said what you were planning to

You're right, I never said what I was trying to accomplish. Sorry. I am building a 36 X 48 pole barn and need a level pad and also a 230' driveway cut in. The ground slopes down from grade point to almost 3'. I have had 3 excavators come and give me estimates and got different opinons on what is best. 2 contractors advised building up with 304's, then a couple inches of 57's, then 6" of concrete. The other wanted to fill with # 2's then 304, then 57's, then concrete. All 3 agreed to use # 2's on the drive as the base. If it makes a difference, I live in central Ohio. Frost line at about 18-24" I will be parking a motorhome in it and maybe rent the other side out. Anyway, I wanted to get others opinions since I know very little, if anything, about the best way to do this.

All 3 did agree that I needed drain tile around the perimeter to keep water from getting under slab.

Thanks for any and all input.

Hank

Reply to
Hustlin' Hank

So..They didn't like your stupid bible thumping ass either

Reply to
Ken

Impressive team, you and that spousal unit! Good work!

Reply to
KLS

She did impressively well. About 10 years ago I did 30 tons of 3/4 gravel from the street to a back yard and that was work. This was almost as much work. And I'm 10 years older. :(

Reply to
Robert Neville

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