#89 Stone: Size, Uses, and Cost Per Ton (2026)

#89 stone is angular crushed stone screened to 3/8 inch and smaller, a blend of the #8 and #9 sizes with the dust washed out. It costs $22 to $40 per ton in 2026, weighs 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard, and is the crushed-stone answer to pea gravel: the same small size, but angular so it packs into a firmer path or patio surface and does not roll away. It is also the standard bedding stone around small pipes and a common aggregate in asphalt and pervious concrete.

What the Number Means

In the ASTM C33 sieve table, #8 stone passes a 1/2-inch screen and stays on a #8 sieve (about 3/32 inch), and #9 is a step finer. #89 is a blend of the two: most of it passes a 3/8-inch screen and stays on a #16 sieve. In practice you get a clean, small, sharp stone that looks like crushed pea gravel. Some quarries sell the same product as #8, #9, or "3/8 clean."

What #89 Stone Is Used For

• Walkways and patios. Two inches over compacted base. Packs firmer than pea gravel, pushes a wheelbarrow more easily, and still feels fine underfoot in shoes.
• Between pavers and flagstones. Fills joints and locks in.
• Pipe bedding. Bedding and backfill around 4-inch drain lines, downspout pipes, and irrigation lines. Small enough to flow into gaps, clean enough to drain.
• Asphalt and pervious concrete. A standard aggregate in surface asphalt mixes and the main stone in pervious concrete.
• Dog runs and kennels. Drains well, easy to hose off, does not pack into mud.
• Driveway top dressing. A thin layer over crusher run smooths the surface and cuts dust.
• Under decks and around foundations. Keeps mud down, drains, looks tidy in gray.

#89 Stone Versus Pea Gravel

Same size, different shape. Pea gravel is rounded and comes in warm mixed colors; it rolls, spreads, and is the more comfortable choice barefoot. #89 is angular and gray; it interlocks, compacts about 8 percent, holds a rake line, and stays inside its edging with less fuss. For a patio that has to hold chairs, a walkway that gets a wheelbarrow, or a dog run, #89 is the better material. For a play area, a Zen garden, or anywhere looks and bare feet come first, pea gravel wins. Price is about the same.

#89 Versus #8 and #57

#8 gravel is one step bigger (3/8 to 1/2 inch) and is the usual driveway top layer. #57 is 3/4 to 1 inch and too coarse for walking. If you want the smallest clean crushed stone for a surface people walk on, #89 is it. Anything finer is screenings or stone dust, which pack solid and do not drain.

Installing #89 Stone

Excavate 3 to 4 inches, set edging, compact the soil, lay fabric if weeds are a concern, and spread 2 inches of #89. Run a plate compactor over it or just walk it in. For a patio, put 2 to 3 inches of compacted crusher run under 1.5 to 2 inches of #89. Keep it to 2 inches on paths so it stays firm.

What #89 Stone Costs

$22 to $40 per ton, or $28 to $50 per cubic yard, a few dollars more than #57 because of the extra screening. One ton covers about 100 square feet at 2 inches. A 3 x 50 ft walkway at 2 inches needs about 1.5 tons, $35 to $60 in stone. A 10 x 20 ft patio at 2 inches needs 2 tons. A 10-ton truckload runs $220 to $400 before delivery.

What to Avoid

Do not use #89 as a driveway surface by itself; it is too small to stay put under tires and works into the base. Do not use it as a paver base (use crusher run and stone dust). Do not use it as a play surface if kids will be barefoot; the edges are sharp. And do not expect it to move a lot of water in a French drain; #57 has more void space.