Crusher run shed foundation

[Engineer2283]

I'm going to be building a shed in the near future and have a quick question about the stone base. It'll be an 8'x10' shed with a 10'x12' base. I'm going to use #1 crusher run as a base and build the shed, on skids, on top of the stone. The base will be "framed" into the ground with either PT 4x6's or 4x4's. Is there a correction factor or sorts to better determine the number of yards of run I'll need? I don't feel like being a yard or so short/extra. Any help is appreciated.

[boiler7904]

All of the stone suppliers I've ever dealt with measure stone by the ton. The supplier I use says that 1 ton of crusher run will cover 100 square feet when 2" deep or 200 square feet when 1 "deep. I just used 10 tons as a base for my new patio. Their coverage rate was right on for my project.

[Wardster]

Aggregate is usually ~2 ton per cubic yard. Get some measurements, calculate the yardage, and add 10% for waste. That will get you close.

-Wardster

[Engineer2283]

Thanks!

I was going by yards b/c I'll probably be getting the stone from 1 of 2 landscaping suppliers. The aggregate/concrete suppliers either don't deliver or want triple what the landscaping suppliers charge for delivery.

[Old Moparz]

Once you have the area where the shed is going cleared & leveled, you should be fine with 3 or 4 inches of stone. A simple math formula to determine the quantity is length, times width, times the thickness of stone.

10' x 12' x 0.33' (0.33' for 4") = 39.6 cubic feet.

Divide 39.6 cf by 27 to convert it to cubic yards.

39.6 cf /27 = 1.46 cy of stone.

Some places sell stone by the ton, so if you want to convert 1.46 cy to tons, you can multiply it by 1.5 to 1.8 to get that number. That factor varies slightly, but 1.8 is what I always use since moisture content & the fines in the stone will vary.

1.46 cy x 1.8 = 2.64 tons.

I'd round up & order about 2 cy or 3 tons & you should be safe.

[Engineer2283]

I had the math part down already. Thanks again... time to order some stone.

[Old Moparz]

Originally Posted by Engineer2283

I had the math part down already. Thanks again... time to order some stone.

Cool, I should have figured that with your user name, but you never know.

[Engineer2283]

No worries... I dropped out of pre-calc in high school b/c it was too hard. Picked up calculus 2 years later and went on a math run without a problem. Only 1 class shy of a minor.

[W-Cummins]

The tons vs yards thing may to be a regional deal. When I lived in OR and MT I got it all by the yard, Here in Iowa it's tons. BTW the tons deal is a total rip off you pay more $$ for the wet fines . Of course here gravel is a rip off in general, there is nothing but limestone here and it's $$$$$. I have over 5k in crushed limestone and will have probably over 10k before I'm done. The yard measurement is the fair way to sell it as it's consent, but it's harder for the plant/pit to measure than the weight, so I think lots of places that were selling it by the yard are now using tons too...

William...

[russlaferrera]

The stone yards I have delt with purchase their stone by weight (ton). I makes more sense to sell it by weight, and more accurate.

[boiler7904]

Originally Posted by russlaferrera

The stone yards I have delt with purchase their stone by weight (ton). I makes more sense to sell it by weight, and more accurate.

Except when the stone is wet. Some yards will apply a moisture correction factor to the weight on the scales if they know it's wet. Others will just add some material to make up for it.