Wrong stone size on a job costs money. A driveway base poured with #4 stone shifts under load. A French drain packed with stone dust clogs in the first rain. A retaining wall backfilled with #57 instead of #1 lacks the mass to hold.
This guide covers every standard crushed stone grade from #1 wall stone down to stone dust. Size specs, common trade names, applications, and cost ranges. Print it. Keep it in your truck.
How Crushed Stone Is Graded
Crushed stone grades follow ASTM and AASHTO standards. Each grade number defines a specific size range based on sieve analysis. The number itself is arbitrary, but smaller numbers generally mean larger stone.
Two things define a grade:
1. Nominal size range. The smallest and largest particles in the mix. For example, #57 stone ranges from 1 inch down to #4 sieve (about 3/16 inch). 2. Gradation curve. The percentage of material that passes through each sieve size. This curve determines how the stone packs, drains, and locks together.
Clean stone (single-size grades like #57 or #67) has minimal fines. It drains fast and does not compact into a solid mass. Graded stone (like crusher run) contains a full range from coarse aggregate down to dust. It compacts tight and locks together under a vibratory roller.
That difference matters. Pick the wrong type and your base either shifts or your drainage fails.
Master Crushed Stone Grade Chart
This table covers the standard grades you will encounter on commercial and residential jobs across the Southeast. Size ranges follow ASTM C33 and AASHTO M43 specifications.
| Grade Number | Size Range | Common Names | Primary Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rip Rap (R-3 to R-8) | 6″ to 48″+ | Rip rap, armor stone, shot rock, bank stone | Erosion control, channel lining, embankment protection, shoreline stabilization |
| #1 | 2.5″ to 4″ | Wall stone, gabion stone, large ballast | Gabion baskets, retaining wall backfill, railroad ballast, heavy erosion control |
| #2 | 1.5″ to 3″ | Ballast, large drainage stone | Railroad sub-ballast, heavy drainage, large retaining walls |
| #3 | 0.5″ to 2″ | Coarse drainage stone, drain rock | Storm drains, culvert backfill, large French drains, septic drain fields |
| #4 | 0.75″ to 1.5″ | Medium drainage stone | Drainage blankets, pipe bedding, athletic field sub-base |
| #5 | 0.5″ to 1″ | Pea gravel (angular), fill stone | Backfill around foundations, pipe zone bedding, under-slab drainage |
| #57 | 0.19″ to 1″ | #57 stone, clean stone, driveway stone | Concrete mix aggregate, driveway surface, parking pads, walkways, pipe bedding |
| #67 | 0.19″ to 0.75″ | #67 stone, pea-size clean stone | Concrete mix, walkways, landscape beds, behind retaining walls |
| #8 | 0.09″ to 0.375″ | Pea gravel, screenings, trench stone | Pipe zone fill, utility trench backfill, asphalt mix, between pavers |
| #9 | 0.07″ to 0.19″ | Chips, fine screenings, chat | Chip seal, asphalt topping, fine fill, athletic surfaces |
| #10 | 0.04″ to 0.09″ | Stone screenings, manufactured sand | Leveling, paver base, mortar sand substitute, chicken grit |
| Crusher Run | Dust to 1.5″ | ABC, road base, dense grade, GAB | Road base, parking lot sub-base, building pad, driveway base |
| Stone Dust | Dust to 0.25″ | Quarry dust, quarry fines, screening fines | Paver base, leveling course, fill between flagstone, top dressing |
Note on crusher run: Crusher run is not a single-size grade. It is a blend of crushed aggregate and fines from dust up to 1.5 inches. It compacts into a solid, load-bearing base. See our complete crusher run guide for gradation specs and compaction rates.
Cost Per Ton by Grade
Crushed stone pricing varies by region, quarry distance, material type (limestone, granite, trap rock), and order volume. These ranges reflect 2024/2025 Southeast US pricing for pickup or short-haul delivery.
| Grade | Cost Per Ton (Pickup) | Cost Per Ton (Delivered, 20-mile radius) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rip Rap | $35 to $65 | $55 to $90 | Price varies heavily by size class and availability |
| #1 | $30 to $50 | $45 to $70 | Often special-order at smaller quarries |
| #2 | $25 to $45 | $40 to $65 | Widely available at rail yards |
| #3 | $22 to $40 | $38 to $60 | Standard drainage stone, high availability |
| #4 | $20 to $38 | $35 to $55 | Common at most quarries |
| #5 | $20 to $35 | $35 to $55 | Less common than #57 at some yards |
| #57 | $18 to $32 | $30 to $50 | Highest volume grade, best pricing |
| #67 | $18 to $32 | $30 to $50 | Similar pricing to #57 |
| #8 | $20 to $35 | $35 to $55 | Pea gravel premium at some locations |
| #9/#10 | $15 to $28 | $28 to $45 | Byproduct of crushing, often cheapest |
| Crusher Run | $12 to $25 | $25 to $42 | Lowest cost per ton, highest demand |
| Stone Dust | $10 to $20 | $22 to $38 | Cheapest grade, quarry byproduct |
Delivery adds $5 to $20 per ton depending on distance. Most quarries quote a flat delivery fee per load (typically $150 to $350 for a tri-axle within 20 miles), which you divide by the tonnage on the truck.
Volume discounts apply. Orders over 100 tons often get $2 to $5 per ton knocked off. Over 500 tons, negotiate hard. The quarry wants your business.
Recycled crushed concrete runs 20 to 40% cheaper than virgin aggregate in most markets. A contractor producing crusher run from demolition concrete on-site pays $5 to $12 per ton all-in, versus $25 to $42 per ton delivered from a quarry. That math changes jobs.
What Stone Size for Your Application
This is the table to print. Match your application to the right grade.
| Application | Recommended Grade | Why This Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway surface | #57 or #67 | Locks together underfoot and tire, small enough to walk on, drains well |
| Driveway base | Crusher run (ABC) | Compacts solid, locks under load, supports weight without shifting |
| Parking lot base | Crusher run or #21A | DOT-spec base course, 95%+ compaction achievable |
| Road base | Crusher run, GAB | Standard spec across most state DOTs |
| French drain | #3 or #57 | Clean stone allows water flow, no fines to clog geotextile |
| Septic drain field | #3 or #4 | Open voids for effluent distribution, meets health department specs |
| Retaining wall backfill | #57 or #3 | Drains behind wall, reduces hydrostatic pressure |
| Pipe bedding (under pipe) | #8 or #57 | Cushions pipe, provides uniform support, meets utility specs |
| Pipe zone fill (around pipe) | #57 or #8 | Clean fill that does not damage pipe coating |
| Under concrete slab | #57 or #2 | Provides drainage plane, capillary break, stable base |
| Paver base (leveling course) | Stone dust or #10 | Screeds smooth, fills small voids, supports even surface |
| Erosion control (ditches) | Rip rap (#3 to R-8) | Weight resists flowing water, armor stone protects banks |
| Gabion baskets | #1 or #2 | Fills basket without passing through wire mesh (typically 3″ openings) |
| Landscape beds | #57 or #67 | Clean appearance, good drainage, stays in place |
| Athletic field base | #4 or #57 | Drainage layer under turf or clay surface |
| Concrete mix aggregate | #57 or #67 | Meets ASTM C33 coarse aggregate spec for ready-mix |
| Fill behind foundation walls | #57 or crusher run | Drains water away from foundation, compacts against wall |
How a Jaw Crusher Produces Specific Grades
A portable jaw crusher does not make one product. It makes whatever grade you set it to produce.
CSS controls output size. CSS stands for closed side setting. It is the gap between the jaw plates at their closest point. Set the CSS to its tightest setting (0.8 inch on the CT-535, 1 inch on the CT-850) and most material exits at that size minus. Open it to 2 inches, and you get a coarser product.
A jaw crusher set to a tight CSS produces material in the #57 to crusher run range. Open the CSS to 1.5 inches and you produce #3 to #4 drainage stone.
The catch: a jaw crusher produces a range, not a single grade. The output includes everything from dust to the CSS setting. If you need a clean, single-size product (pure #57 with no fines), you need to screen the crusher output.
That is where a vibratory screener comes in. Feed the jaw crusher output into a screener like the Screen USA CD410 and separate it into spec products in one pass. Two vibrating decks (4’x10′ each, punch plate top deck) split the material three ways: overs, mids, and fines discharge from separate conveyors. Clean #57 off one belt, stone dust off another, oversized material off the third. Three products from one feed. All sellable. All usable.
This combination (jaw crusher plus vibratory screener) is how portable operations produce DOT-spec aggregate on-site. Demo concrete goes in. Graded, screened aggregate comes out. No quarry trip. No tipping fees. The full process is covered in our on-site crushing walkthrough.
Important note: Jaw crushers process concrete, rock, brick, and block. They do NOT process asphalt. Asphalt recycling requires an impact crusher, which uses hammers or blow bars instead of jaw plates. Different machine, different process.
Understanding Rip Rap Sizes
Rip rap gets its own section because the sizing system is different from standard aggregate grades.
Rip rap is classified by weight or nominal diameter, not by ASTM grade number. State DOTs each have their own classification systems, but most follow a similar pattern:
| Class | Typical Size Range | Approximate Weight Per Stone | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-3 / Class I | 6″ to 12″ | 10 to 50 lbs | Light ditch lining, minor slope protection |
| R-4 / Class II | 9″ to 18″ | 25 to 150 lbs | Moderate channel lining, culvert outlets |
| R-5 / Class III | 12″ to 24″ | 50 to 400 lbs | Stream bank stabilization, detention pond outfalls |
| R-6 / Class IV | 15″ to 30″ | 100 to 800 lbs | Heavy channel protection, bridge abutments |
| R-7 / Class V | 18″ to 36″ | 200 to 1,500 lbs | Coastal protection, large dam spillways |
| R-8 / Armor Stone | 24″ to 48″+ | 500 to 4,000+ lbs | Seawall armor, jetty construction, breakwaters |
Always check your local DOT spec. Georgia DOT uses a different rip rap classification than Tennessee DOT. The class names and size ranges do not translate one-to-one across state lines. Get the project spec sheet and match the gradation exactly.
Rip rap is quarried or blasted, not crushed. You cannot produce rip rap from a jaw crusher. If your project needs rip rap and crushed base material, those are two separate sourcing efforts.
How to Estimate Stone Tonnage
Before you order, figure out how much you need. The formula is straightforward.
Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Depth (ft) / 27 = cubic yards
Cubic yards x tons per cubic yard = tons needed
Tons per cubic yard varies by grade:
| Material | Tons Per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|
| Crusher run | 1.35 to 1.45 |
| #57 stone | 1.20 to 1.30 |
| #3 drainage stone | 1.15 to 1.25 |
| Rip rap | 1.25 to 1.50 |
| Stone dust | 1.40 to 1.50 |
Example: A driveway base 60 ft long, 12 ft wide, 6 inches deep (0.5 ft). Volume: 60 x 12 x 0.5 / 27 = 13.3 cubic yards. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard for crusher run: 13.3 x 1.4 = 18.6 tons. Round up to 20 tons and order a full truck. Coming up short costs more than having a small surplus.
Hauling it yourself? Check how much a yard of each material weighs and what your truck can carry before you load. For a more detailed tonnage walkthrough with formulas for different job types, see our crushed stone calculator and tonnage guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common crushed stone size?
#57 stone is the most widely used crushed stone grade in the United States. It works as concrete mix aggregate, driveway surface, pipe bedding, and general fill. Every quarry in every state stocks #57. If a spec just says “clean stone” or “3/4-inch stone” without a grade number, they almost always mean #57.
What size stone for driveways?
Use two layers. The base layer should be 4 to 6 inches of crusher run (also called ABC or dense grade aggregate), compacted with a plate compactor or vibratory roller. The surface layer should be 2 to 3 inches of #57 stone. The crusher run provides a stable, load-bearing base. The #57 provides a clean surface that sheds water and resists rutting. Total depth: 6 to 9 inches depending on soil conditions and traffic load. Soft clay soils need the deeper section.
What is the difference between #57 and #67 stone?
Size. #57 stone ranges from about 3/16 inch to 1 inch. #67 stone ranges from about 3/16 inch to 3/4 inch. The top size is the difference: 1 inch versus 3/4 inch. Both are clean stone with minimal fines. #67 is slightly finer, which makes it pack a little tighter and feel smoother underfoot. Use #57 for most structural and drainage applications. Use #67 for walkways, patios, and anywhere foot traffic matters.
What is crusher run?
Crusher run is a blend of crushed aggregate from dust up to about 1.5 inches. It contains coarse stone, fine stone, and rock dust in a continuous gradation. This blend compacts into a dense, interlocking mass that resists movement under load. It is the standard base material for roads, parking lots, building pads, and driveways across every state DOT in the country. Read our complete crusher run guide for gradation specs, compaction requirements, and cost comparisons.
Can you screen crusher run into spec stone?
Yes. A vibratory screener separates crusher run into clean, graded products. Feed crusher run into the hopper, and vibrating decks sort the material by size. A two-deck machine like the Screen USA CD410 does a 3-way split: fines (stone dust) off the bottom conveyor, mid-size aggregate (clean #57 or #67) off the middle, and oversized material off the top. Swap deck panels and you change the cut points to produce whatever grade the project requires. Portable vibratory screeners process material at rates that match the crusher output, keeping the production line moving. This is how contractors turn a pile of crusher run into three sellable products on-site.
What size is rip rap?
Rip rap ranges from 6 inches to over 48 inches depending on the class specification. Small rip rap (Class I, 6 to 12 inches) lines drainage ditches. Large armor stone (Class V+, 24 to 48 inches) protects seawalls and dam spillways. Every state DOT has its own classification system with different class names and size ranges. Always match the specific DOT or engineering spec for your project. See the rip rap size table above for typical ranges by class.
Produce Your Own Crushed Stone On-Site
Every ton of demolition concrete, broken curb, or old foundation your crew tears out can become graded aggregate on the same jobsite. A portable jaw crusher set to the right CSS produces road base, #57 stone, and structural fill without a single haul trip. Pair it with a vibratory screener and you make spec products.
The math works. On-site crushing costs $5 to $12 per ton. Quarry stone delivered costs $30 to $50 per ton. On a 200-ton job, that is $6,000 to $8,000 back in your pocket.
GrinderCrusherScreen has connected contractors with portable crushers and screening equipment since 1973. Call 770-433-2670 to get matched with equipment in your area.
Browse concrete crushers or vibratory screeners for sale on GrinderCrusherScreen.com. Need rental pricing? Visit the concrete crusher rental page or the screener rental page.
