#57 Gravel: Size, Uses, and Cost Per Ton (2026)

#57 gravel is crushed stone screened to 3/4 to 1 inch with the dust washed or screened out. It costs $39 to $65 per ton in 2026, weighs 1.35 to 1.55 tons per cubic yard, and is the most used aggregate in the country. Quarries sell more #57 than any other size because it works for driveways, French drains, concrete, pipe bedding, and backfill. If a contractor says "gravel" with no other detail, they usually mean #57.

What the Number Means

The 57 comes from the ASTM C33 grading table, and the same size appears in AASHTO M43. Size #57 means most of the stone passes a 1-inch screen and stays on a #4 sieve (about 3/16 inch), with the bulk of it between 1/2 and 1 inch. It is "clean" stone, so there are no fines. That leaves about 35 percent air space in a pile, which is why it drains so well and why it stays loose on its own.

The published AASHTO #57 envelope is what a quarry is actually grading to:

Read the bottom two rows first. Almost nothing smaller than a #4 sieve is allowed in the mix, and that gap is the whole reason #57 drains. A load with visible dust in it is not #57, whatever the ticket says.

Limestone, Granite, or Gravel?

#57 is a size, not a rock. In Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Texas, #57 is crushed limestone. In Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia it is granite. In the Northwest it is basalt. In river valleys it may be crushed river gravel with one rounded face. All of them behave about the same. Limestone is softer and packs a bit tighter over time as the edges wear. Granite stays sharp and drains better for longer. Price follows what is local: the nearest quarry is almost always the cheapest #57.

What #57 Gravel Is Used For

• Driveway middle layer. The standard three-layer gravel driveway is 4 inches of #3 or #4 base, 3 to 4 inches of #57, and 2 inches of #8 or crusher run on top. #57 fills the gaps in the base and gives the top layer something to bite into.
• French drains. Wrap a trench in fabric, add 2 to 3 inches of #57, lay perforated pipe, and cover with more #57 to within 4 inches of grade. The 3/4-inch pieces are big enough to leave voids and small enough to shovel.
• Concrete. #57 is the standard coarse aggregate in ready-mix concrete.
• Pipe bedding and backfill. Utility crews bed water and sewer lines in #57 because it flows into voids around the pipe and never needs compaction.
• Foundation and slab base. A 4-inch layer of #57 under a slab is a capillary break that keeps ground moisture out of the concrete.
• Septic drain fields. Washed #57 is the usual stone around leach lines.
• Parking and construction pads. Works as an overflow parking surface on firm ground, though it stays loose under tires.

How #57 Behaves

Angular pieces interlock, so a layer of #57 spreads loads well. Without fines it does not "set up" the way crusher run does. Compaction is only about 8 percent. That means a #57 driveway surface always feels a little loose, stone rolls to the edges under tires, and you will rake it back once or twice a year. It also means water goes straight through, which is the reason to use it anywhere drainage matters.

Walking on #57 is not pleasant. The pieces are big enough to turn an ankle and hard to push a wheelbarrow through. For paths and patios go down to #8 gravel or #89 stone.

#57 Versus Nearby Sizes

• #57 vs #4 stone. #4 is 1 to 1.5 inches, one step bigger. Use #4 for base layers and deep drainage beds, #57 for anything closer to the surface.
• #57 vs #8. #8 is 3/8 to 1/2 inch. It is the top-layer stone, smooth enough to walk and drive on.
• #57 vs crusher run. Crusher run has the dust left in and packs hard. #57 is clean and drains. Use crusher run for a driveway surface, #57 under it or in a drain.
• #57 vs #411. #411 is #57 blended with fines. It drains a bit and packs a bit, a middle ground for driveway resurfacing.
• #57 vs #67. This is the one that causes real trouble. #67 tops out at 3/4 inch instead of 1 inch and its envelope runs down to the #8 sieve, so it is the smaller stone and it drains slower. Some yards use the two names loosely. Confirm the top size before you order stone for a drain.

How Much to Order

One ton of #57 covers about 80 square feet at 3 inches and 60 square feet at 4 inches. A 12 x 40 ft driveway layer at 4 inches needs about 9 tons; order 10. A 50-foot French drain 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep needs about 3 tons. A 10-ton single-axle truckload costs $390 to $650 before delivery. The planner below measures your area from a satellite photo and does the tonnage.

What to Avoid

Skip #57 as the only layer of a driveway on soft ground. It will sink and rut. Do not use it as a patio or path surface, under pavers (use stone dust or #8), or in play areas. And do not order "57 gravel" from a landscape yard without confirming it is clean stone. Some yards sell a "57 blend" with fines that will not work in a drain.