Pea Gravel vs Crushed Stone: Which Is Best for Your Project?
Our discussion flows on the topic ‘pea gravel vs crushed stone.’ we have brought you the most important aspects of these two gravels, such as their uses and pros and cons, so you will be able to choose the right gravel for your next project.
Both pea gravel and crushed stone perform important roles in the construction industry, along with their versatility. Pea gravel is formed naturally, while crushed stone is produced by machinery, so they differ from each other in numerous ways. However, some people often misunderstand when they are going to use them for different landscaping projects.
What is Pea Gravel?
Pea gravel (pea shingle) is a natural aggregate in the construction field. The average size of gravel is about 6 to 10mm. Mostly, they have rounded edges and smooth textures.
The reason why, pea gravels are formed from natural phenomena. In detail, the flowing water in rivers erodes the rocks into fine pebbles for years. Accordingly, pea gravel is collected from the river bodies. And there are various neutral as well as vibrant colors of pea gravels, such as brown, orange, yellow, white, grey etc. Due to the aesthetic appearance of pea gravels, they are widely used in various landscaping projects.
Common Uses of Pea Gravel?
Mostly, pea gravels are used to provide an aesthetic look to the landscaping, so homeowners use them around their flower beds and fountain in gardens. And also, it is the perfect choice for walkways, patios, and playgrounds due to its smooth texture and oval edges.
What’s more, the vivid colors of pea gravel make the path more attractive. Since they are solid and good at draining water, pea gravels can be used for driveways as well. And you can use it as a mulching material since they disturb the growth of bothersome weeds. Further, pea gravels are suitable to utilize as a base material underneath the paving stones.
Pros and cons of pea gravel
Pea gravels are an inexpensive aggregate. But there are multiple uses for these pebbles for landscaping. Moreover, the installation process and maintenance are quite easy because of the shape and size of pea gravel. Another reason is they are free of dust. Most importantly, they are durable and capable of draining rainwater without clogging. Most people like to walk on pea gravel to boost blood circulation as well.
When it comes to the drawbacks of pea gravels, they do not stay in place all the time because they are less compact. And if you spread pea gravel on soil, you will need a thick layer because they sink in the soil.
What is Crushed Stone?
Crushed stones are one of the most used aggregates in the construction field. They are made from several kinds of rocks, such as limestone, dolomite, traprock, granite, etc. As its name indicates, they are manufactured by crushing aforesaid rocks. Since they are made through a machinery process, the texture of crushed gravel is rough, and they are a bit dusty.
And the particles are larger than other aggregates. Mostly, they are grey in color. And the gravel takes an irregular shape due to the clumsy cuts of machines. But crushed stones are durable to use in different kinds of construction projects.
Common Uses of Crushed Stone
Crushed stones are widely used for construction projects which need solid bases. So they are a must for roads and driveways because of their durability. And it provides better compaction because of the dust in stones. Indeed, crushed stones can be used for any other base layer. So, they are perfect for building foundations and patio bases, too.
Further, you can use it as a composite material in your concrete mixture. Thus, parts of this gravel are contained by ready-mix concrete so much. If you want to use crushed stones for drainage systems, washed crushed stones are also available.
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Pros and cons of crushed stone
Crushed stones are durable, and they can make any base strong and solid. And this gravel never fails to provide better compaction for your concrete layers. Therefore, it does not take much time to level on the surface. As we discussed earlier, crushed stones are versatile; you can use them for a bunch of different works.
But regular crushed stones cannot be used for drainage systems due to their dust, so you have to buy washed ones that have been specially designed for drainage systems.
Comparing Pea Gravel vs Crushed Stone
The appearance and texture of pea gravel are different when compared with crushed stone. Pea gravel has a wider color scheme and smooth texture, while the crushed stone is limited to 1 to 2 colors. Its texture is harsh. Pea gravels are smaller than crushed stones in size; pea gravels are usually 3/8”, but crushed stones are from 3/8” to 4”.
Both of these two gravels are durable to use for construction projects. But pea gravels which naturally form, have higher durability. However, when it comes to maintenance, crushed stones are the easy ones. They are highly compact. In contrast, pea gravels need some maintenance over time.
Both materials are inexpensive, but the prices may vary depending on the area you live. In the USA, crushed stones are available in almost every state. But it may be difficult to find genuine pea gravels in some areas.
If we consider their usages, pea gravels are mainly used for kinds of aesthetic construction projects like spreading around flower beds due to their appearance. The helpfulness for water drainage is another good quality of pea gravel. But when you want a solid, durable material for heavy-duty projects, you will need crushed stones. Because of the dust in crushed stone, they do not help with drainage much.
How to Choose Between Pea Gravel and Crushed Stone
Simply, have a clear about your construction project because the material you are going to choose totally depends on your work.
If you want gravel to enhance the beauty of your exterior, pea gravels would be the best choice since they are colorful, smooth and oval-edged. If your project is a heavy-duty one, like constructing a road or driveway, you will need a compactable and solid material, so go for crushed stone. And consider the drainage system on the surface when choosing gravel.
Anyways, feel free to contact a professional, in case it is hard to decide what to choose.
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