What Size Gravel For Drainage Around Foundation

No affair what type of landscaping feature y'all're building, from driveways, to French drains, to planter boxes, you're going to need to ensure that there'due south enough of drainage. I of the best mediums for creating drainage is gravel.

Merely you might not realize just how many different types of gravel are available. While all gravel is made up of cleaved chunks of rock, not all gravel is ideal for drainage. If you use the wrong gravel, you might non get the drainage you need, resulting in pooling, flooding, and worse.

To help you make up one's mind which blazon of gravel is best for your project, we've put together this listing of the all-time types of gravel for drainage, and we've fifty-fifty included a pros and cons list for each.

The 10 Best Gravels for Drainage

1. Pea Gravel

Pea gravel is by and large almost ⅜-inch in size and is often called pea shingle. Information technology's a very attractive gravel that comes in a variety of colors, including brown, blue, red, and grey.

Pea gravel is very different from crushed stone since it is circular and more often than not smoothen. This means that it doesn't lock into place equally much. However, the minor size means information technology does tend to meaty, which tin inhibit drainage if used on the lesser. Pea gravel is oftentimes chosen at a summit layer considering of its bonny looks.

Pros

Bonny looks are great for a top layer
Comes in a diverseness of colors

Cons

Compacts too much for use on the lesser
Doesn't lock into identify because information technology's smooth

2. Item #4

This type of gravel is a combination of crushed rock, sand, and dirt. It's oftentimes used as a base of operations layer for driveways. What'south interesting most item #iv gravel is that it tin can be fabricated from a diverseness of sources, such equally bricks, concrete, blacktop, limestone, bluestone, or gray gravel.

Most of the stones in item #4 are about the size of a golf brawl, which makes information technology bang-up for drainage, though the sand and clay can sometimes forestall proper drainage. Besides, information technology's not the most attractive gravel, so you probably won't desire to employ information technology as a top layer.

Pros

Made from a variety of materials
Often fabricated of recycled materials
Large stones are good for drainage

Cons

Sand and dirt tin sometimes block drainage
Non very bonny

3. River Stone

Just as the name suggests, the gravel used in river rock comes from the beds of rivers and streams. These stones are round and semi-polished from years of running water. They accept a smooth texture, which means they tend not to stay put one time yous lay them down. All the same, they're very attractive stones that are a great choice every bit a top layer. Merely make sure to border the river stone with some other type of stone to keep it all in place.

River rock gravel tends to be larger than pea gravel, and then it performs ameliorate equally a mid-layer, though it's too small-scale to be used as a bottom layer.

Pros

Attractive and natural aesthetics
Works smashing as a top or mid-layer

Cons

Polish stones don't stay put
Not a great option every bit a bottom layer

4. Base Gravel #3

Base gravel #3 is a perfect gravel for filling your base level. The stones in base of operations gravel #3 tin can be ii inches across and even a scrap larger, making it perfect for that bottom layer where drainage is of the utmost importance. The smallest rocks in this gravel volition be most an inch wide, and then there's nothing to compact and get chock-full up, ensuring that you'll accept dandy drainage.

Base gravel #3 is some of the best gravel for a French drain, whether y'all're using a perforated pipe or not. Just information technology'southward non an aesthetically pleasing gravel, so you'll never desire to use it as a meridian layer.

Pros

Big stones are dandy for bottom layers
No stones smaller than an inch

Cons

Not an attractive gravel
Information technology's non a adept selection for a top layer

five. Pink Quartz

If y'all're looking for gravel that can add together a dash of color while still maintaining good drainage characteristics, yous might accept a look at pink quartz. It'south available in several shades of pinkish, and information technology'due south a very attractive-looking gravel that'due south perfect as a top layer in many situations. Because pink quartz isn't smooth like many of the other elevation layer gravels, it tends to stay in place much easier. Information technology also promotes drainage better than many elevation layer gravels because it doesn't meaty equally much. On the other manus, it does tend to be a bit pricier than some other types of gravel.

Due to its higher price and the smaller size of the individual stones, pink quartz isn't an optimal choice for bottom layers.

Pros

Bonny looks
Doesn't meaty much or move around
Offers splendid drainage characteristics

Cons

It's often more expensive than other options
Not a not bad pick for bottom layers

6. Crushed Stone #57

There are many types of crushed stone to choose from, only crushed stone #57 is the most popular. Information technology'due south got a very angular shape that offers first-class drainage properties since the rocks won't stick together and compact. The stone in this gravel is machine crushed, with medium to big-sized pieces that are perfect for acting equally the mid-layer in a drainage organization. It'south not a particularly pretty gravel, so you won't want to use it on the summit layer, and it's not large enough to fill the lesser layer for most situations.

Pros

Doesn't meaty and stick together
Offers excellent drainage for a mid-layer

Cons

Not bonny enough for use as a superlative layer
Too small-scale for a lesser layer

7. Jersey Shore Gravel

Bailiwick of jersey shore gravel is similar to pea gravel, though not available in as many colors. These stones are rather pocket-size, and they're all shades of tan, white, brown, and aureate; essentially, the color of beach sand. Jersey shore gravel features smooth rocks that don't stay in place well. They're great for use as a top layer, but don't perform well as a lesser or mid-layer gravel.

Pros

Bonny small-scale rock gravel
Great for use in pinnacle layers

Cons

Always the color of sand
Not a great performer equally a lesser or mid-layer

eight. Crushed Stone #411

Crushed stone #411 is some other very popular crushed stone selection that'due south quite like to crushed rock #57. In fact, it'due south fabricated up of crushed stone #57 mixed with coarse rock grit and small stones known as fines. The smaller stones and dust make full in the cracks left past the larger stones, causing them to all compact together and form a tight surface. It'due south great as a top layer of driveways and other areas that require drainage, though the inclusion of smaller stones and rock dust means it's non an platonic option for other layers. Luckily, it does tend to be a cheaper option for the top layer than some of the more decorative river rocks and pea gravel.

Pros

It's affordable
Corking as a top layer

Cons

Compacts likewise much for use every bit a bottom or mid-layer

9. Marble Fries

marble gravel-pixabay — Credit: Tony-Media, Pixabay

Marble chips are tiny petty pieces of crushed marble, and they're i of the near attractive top layers you could choose. This gravel glitters and sparkles in the sunlight, offering a unique and elegant look. The chunks are very small, so it's only a good choice as a pinnacle layer. And since this is some of the most expensive gravel you might utilise, yous definitely won't desire to waste information technology anywhere that it'southward not going to be visible. These chips are very smooth, like to pea gravel. They won't stay in place, then you'll need edging to keep them in.

Pros

Incredible aesthetics
They sparkle and glimmer in the sun

Cons

You'll need edging to forbid them from washing away
They're some of the most expensive gravel

10. Done Make clean Stone

Washed clean stone is essentially crushed rock that has been washed to get rid of any modest chips and rock dust. This prevents it from compacting and ensures that it volition always have neat drainage. Considering of this, it's an platonic choice for bottom and mid-layers, though it does tend to be a flake pricier than non-washed crushed stone gravels.

Pros

No small stones or rock dust
Doesn't meaty or forbid drainage

Cons

More expensive than other crushed stone

Conclusion

In that location are loads of dissimilar types of gravel for you to choice from when y'all need a drainage solution. Depending on your needs, some types of gravel may be perfect, while others would be a poor choice. Remember, equally a general dominion, you want larger stones on the bottom with smaller stones on the top for proper drainage. While you might pick the well-nigh attractive gravel as a acme layer, looks won't matter for the gravel layers on the lesser. And so, option your gravel for the bottom layers for their drainage characteristics first and foremost.

Meet Also:9 Best Types of Gravel for Your Driveway (Pros & Cons)

Featured Image Credit Past: serato, Shutterstock

Contents

ane The 10 Best Gravels for Drainage
- i.one ane. Pea Gravel
- 1.2 two. Item #4
- 1.iii 3. River Rock
- ane.4 4. Base Gravel #3
- 1.5 v. Pink Quartz
- ane.six 6. Crushed Rock #57
- 1.7 seven. Bailiwick of jersey Shore Gravel
- 1.8 8. Crushed Rock #411
- i.nine ix. Marble Fries
- one.10 x. Washed Clean Stone
ii Conclusion