Crushed concrete or gravel for my driveway?

[SALIV8]

I'm about to pull the trigger on some driveway work. Most excavating contractors are recommending crushed concrete over gravel.

There will be a significant sand base to raise the driveway up, fill in the new garage approaches, then the crushed concrete or gravel topping to about 18" above what I have now. About 150' LF, if that matters. Local suppliers have gravel which should help the price on that.

What's the best between the two?

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

Have you been able to see the actual product they'll be laying down? My dad got some crushed concrete but it also had bricks and other "rock-type" **** in it. He regrets it. Had he seen it before hand, he would have gotten straight gravel. Not that it's all like that, but it might be good to check it out before ordering.

Same with my neighbor that had his driveway asphalted. It was basically gravel with asphalt oil mixed in. It's a black driveway and the gravel mostly clumps together, but it was NOT hot rolled asphalt. He was a tiny bit pissed.

 

[SALIV8]

Have you been able to see the actual product they'll be laying down? My dad got some crushed concrete but it also had bricks and other "rock-type" **** in it. He regrets it. Had he seen it before hand, he would have gotten straight gravel. Not that it's all like that, but it might be good to check it out before ordering.

Same with my neighbor that had his driveway asphalted. It was basically gravel with asphalt oil mixed in. It's a black driveway and the gravel mostly clumps together, but it was NOT hot rolled asphalt. He was a tiny bit pissed.

I haven't seen the product but have asked multiple questions regarding metal in the concrete, sharp ends, and car tire safety on it, etc. all but one contractor said they recommend the crushed concrete. The local guy recommending gravel is the cheapest with a lot more yards of sand and gravel in his estimate.

I'm leaning towards gravel heavy based on my limited internet research on problems with the crushed concrete.

Maybe I need to look at some past jobs of these guys..

Thanks.

 

[Lippyp]

Can you not do crushed concrete as a base and then gravel over it? I'm assuming crushed concrete is cheaper.

 

[[email protected]]

I would go with the road gravel, crushed concrete is real dusty in the summer

 

[raiderhillbilly]

Gravel

 

[roscoe2000]

Also crush concrete will also have sand, dirt, clay and ect mixed in. It will not be clean crushed concrete. It will contain what ever rock like mixed that needed to be removed from the demo site. It will not be consistent in look or composition as batches are depended on dump load.
I went that way to raise a parking pad a few years ago. It work, but I was not pleased with the overall look.

 

[ezover]

i went with crushed concrete and am happy with it. local landscape suppliers want 16 a yard, i found the place that dose the crushing and paid 10.00 a yard and they gave me the number to truck drivers that will haul it.

was a big savings, had 80 yards delivered and getting another 80 next month.

 

[PatStroud]

I used crushed concrete for for base on my shop building and as surface for my boat shed. The material was all concrete and once they spread and packed it I was very satisfied. After the first rain, dust has not been an issue. Will be using to fill my drive way area where gravel once was.
Just keep in mind, there are different quality of crush concrete - best to go look at what is being put out. ....... Oh and one important factor for me ... 1/2 the price of gravel.

 

[JimVonBaden]

I think crushed concrete is a great base, but I wouldn't use it on top unless you can seal out the dust, because there will be a lot of it!

This is crushed concrete as a base to my pavers, prior to the sand. You can see it is inconsistent and with a lot of "dirt" like material. Great for a base because it compacts tightly, but I wouldn't want it on top.

There may be differing levels of quality in your area.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I think crushed concrete is a great base, ...

You can see it is inconsistent and with a lot of "dirt" like material. Great for a base because it compacts tightly, ...

2 excellent points ! Size can very a lot depending on the processing plant.

 

[Bookworm]

I haul gravel/sand/dirt etc for a living. Around here, the crushed concrete is called "aggregate base", or "aggbase". It is D.O.T. approved for use as a.... well, aggregate base.
A road-base, if you will.
It is perfectly suited for use as a driveway.
I use aggbase all the time, and recommend it to my customers. It is MUCH cheaper than crushed limestone. It is a direct replacement for 1-1/2" "crusher-run" (which is a 1.5" minus.... from 1.5" down to dust). It is a re-cycled (or, more properly, a re-used) product. Whatever aggbase you use is **** not in a dump or ravine near you.
It does have some dirt in it, depending on the crusher and the screening process they use. However, the dirt is mostly "stabilized" soil. Around here the norm is to stabilize the soil prior to pouring a roadway or large commercial project. The soil is stabilized by mixing in fly-ash (the end product of coal-burning power plants. Much less of it since the current regime is down on coal) or lime. The dirt and small particles (whatever was in the concrete mix....sand, small aggregates, etc) are needed to help "lock up" the aggbase. It hardens (packs down) very well.
As for the dust, that's not so much a problem with aggbase. More so with "washout", which is what is washed out of a concrete truck after deliveries. It is very powdery, and really never sets up well.
I have aggbase in my own driveway. I am well satisfies with it. Without looking close, it is easily mistaken for crushed limestone.

 

[ACDNate]

The crushed concrete will definitely compact together a lot better than gravel, and is a whole lot cheaper than the gravel. If you want the gravel look i'd definitely use crushed concrete first and then top with gravel.

 

[rlitman]

I haul gravel/sand/dirt etc for a living. Around here, the crushed concrete is called "aggregate base", or "aggbase". It is D.O.T. approved for use as a.... well, aggregate base.

Here, they call it RCA (recycled concrete aggregate).

Crushed limestone is just as dusty. I wouldn't be happy with that on top, but some people might.

Yes, it makes a fantastic compacted underlayer.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

I haul gravel/sand/dirt etc for a living. Around here, the crushed concrete is called "aggregate base", or "aggbase". It is D.O.T. approved for use as a.... well, aggregate base.
A road-base, if you will.
It is perfectly suited for use as a driveway.
I use aggbase all the time, and recommend it to my customers. It is MUCH cheaper than crushed limestone. It is a direct replacement for 1-1/2" "crusher-run" (which is a 1.5" minus.... from 1.5" down to dust). It is a re-cycled (or, more properly, a re-used) product. Whatever aggbase you use is **** not in a dump or ravine near you.
It does have some dirt in it, depending on the crusher and the screening process they use. However, the dirt is mostly "stabilized" soil. Around here the norm is to stabilize the soil prior to pouring a roadway or large commercial project. The soil is stabilized by mixing in fly-ash (the end product of coal-burning power plants. Much less of it since the current regime is down on coal) or lime. The dirt and small particles (whatever was in the concrete mix....sand, small aggregates, etc) are needed to help "lock up" the aggbase. It hardens (packs down) very well.
As for the dust, that's not so much a problem with aggbase. More so with "washout", which is what is washed out of a concrete truck after deliveries. It is very powdery, and really never sets up well.
I have aggbase in my own driveway. I am well satisfies with it. Without looking close, it is easily mistaken for crushed limestone.

Perfect explanation. The choice partly depends on the what the actual product looks like. As bookworm points out, there are ingredients. That means that there is possibility of human error.
If you can look at the product first, that would be ideal.
We used 70 tons of crushed concrete for a 245 by 15 drive four years ago, and have no regrets. I have no dust issues, and it has been through two years (2011, 2012) of SERIOUS drought here in Oklahoma.
One key is to quit working it before all the fine stuff goes to the bottom. As soon as you get it level (I used a box blade on a tractor), compact it with a wet vibrating compactor. The other key is a good road fabric underneath to stabilize the soil.

If you want your drive to look really really good, the crusher run is probably a better choice, but at a much higher cost.

 

[78scotts]

We are starting to use crushed tar and i am very happy with it. It has only been this summer that we started using it but it packs very nice and stays in place better. Would be worth checking to see if you can get it in your area and the cost.

 

[Bookworm]

One key is to quit working it before all the fine stuff goes to the bottom. As soon as you get it level (I used a box blade on a tractor), compact it with a wet vibrating compactor. The other key is a good road fabric underneath to stabilize the soil.

Absolutely correct. Most folks try to overwork the material, to get it 'perfect'. Big mistake.

By the way, I believe I hauled in the material in the pic. It sure looks familiar.
Your house is to the left of the pic (south), and the pic is facing west ?

 

[SALIV8]

Thanks guys

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Absolutely correct. Most folks try to overwork the material, to get it 'perfect'. Big mistake.

By the way, I believe I hauled in the material in the pic. It sure looks familiar.
Your house is to the left of the pic (south), and the pic is facing west ?

Yes you did. You also hauled in a couple of loads of fill dirt to build up the north side of the drive. And as you can see, I didn't overwork it and it still looks good 4 years later.

 

[wasfuzz]

Have you been able to see the actual product they'll be laying down? My dad got some crushed concrete but it also had bricks and other "rock-type" **** in it. He regrets it. Had he seen it before hand, he would have gotten straight gravel. Not that it's all like that, but it might be good to check it out before ordering.

I got a load for free for in my machine shed - s**t is so dusty, I hate it. Can not keep anything clean, it is always covered in fine dust. I am going to put gravel over the top this fall.

 

[rtbt]

my experience with gravel is thats its a pita to snowplow and forget trying to use a snowblower on it.

 

[lattimer17]

A lot depends on what the definition of gravel is in your area.

Where I am, it is typically crushed limestone (aka crusher run, run of crusher). Its a great product (provided you have properly prepared your subgrade), but it can generate dust and can be difficult to plow. An hour south of me, gravel will get you bank run gravel. Bank run is naturally found rounded gravel that is quarried from natural deposits. Because it does not have the angular surface that crusher run has, it does not lock in as well to form a nice tight base. Additionally, it tends to not have as many fines in it.

Crushed concrete will behave similarly to crusher run, assuming it is free of rebar, brick, and other debris. It is also important to make sure that it is screened and well graded (has an appropriate mix of aggregate size).

In my opinion, the best material for a driveway other than asphalt or concrete is what is called millings. Millings, like stone, goes by several names depending on location. I've heard it called regrind, recycled asphalt, bituminous base, and I believe another poster called it crushed tar or something similar.

Essentially millings are the byproduct of milling out an existing asphalt road. Screened millings will generally leave you with aggregate from 1 1/2" on down, all coated it asphalt. You can place as you would stone (although a paver can also be used), and then roll them. Its best to roll them on a nice hot day. They do have some compaction and movement issues, but as long as you are not placing a rigid pavement like concrete over them, it won't be an issue. They can easily be regraded and rerolled should rutting occur in the future, they're cheap, they plow better than stone, and they will not generate much dust.

 

[SALIV8]

Well I got my final estimates and one was such a good deAl I can't pass it up. Sand base with top soil on edges made into a mowable angle where the drive is raised 2-2 1/2' and blended into existing on the other side. BUT -

Gravel for top.

I have gravel now and am happy with it although it thins out over the years with plowing and such. The crushed concrete is more expensive than gravel for some reason. My contractor said if I want crushed concrete later he can put that down no problem. So I'm cheaping out a little bit to save some money for my next phase which will be the electric.

Hopefully I won't be disappointed but I don't think I will.
Thanks again everyone for the help and education.

 

[chadman]

I think you have made the better choice with the stone. I used crushed concrete for fill under the concrete slab when I built my building because it was cheaper. For that purpose it was great but I would never want it as a top layer to be driven on. Too much dust and pieces of wire mesh mixed in.

 

[stage20]

dont forget the dust turns into a nice slime when it rains. i am not a fan of it. aggbase or concrete wash. if you decide on a base and cover it with gravel, DO NOT get concrete wash. youll have white all over your tires on your vehicle. drives me crazy.

 

[SALIV8]

Good points again guys. Appreciate it.