#4 Stone vs Brown Shredded Mulch: Size, Cost, and Which to Use

#4 Stone

Sieve size #4 in the ASTM aggregate grading means most of the stone passes a 1.5-inch screen and stays on a 3/4-inch screen. In practice you get a pile of roughly walnut to golf ball sized rock. Every piece is angular because it was crushed, and those sharp edges lock together under load instead of rolling like river stone. Because it is washed or screened clean, there are no fines to fill the gaps between pieces. That is the whole point: about 35 to 40 percent of a pile of #4 is air, so water moves through it fast.

Brown Shredded Mulch

Shredded bark and wood from trees like oak, hickory, and maple. Retains moisture, suppresses weeds, and regulates soil temperature. Decomposes slowly over time, adding organic matter to the soil. Adds a natural, finished look to landscape beds.

#4 Stone

• ✓ Driveway and road base
• ✓ Drainage beds
• ✓ Retaining wall backfill
• ✓ Construction entrance pads
• ✓ Pipe bedding for large pipe
• ✓ Erosion control

Brown Shredded Mulch

• ✓ Landscape beds
• ✓ Tree rings
• ✓ Garden borders
• ✓ Erosion control
• ✓ Playground surfaces
• ✓ Slope stabilization

#4 Stone

• + Excellent drainage with 35 to 40 percent void space
• + Bridges soft ground better than smaller stone
• + Cheap, $20 to $40 per ton, and stocked everywhere
• + Angular pieces lock together under load
• + Same price as #57 with more drainage capacity

• − Too coarse to walk on or drive on as a surface
• − Needs a finer cap layer for any traffic
• − Hard to rake and spread by hand
• − Sinks into soft clay without fabric

Brown Shredded Mulch

• + Retains soil moisture reducing watering
• + Suppresses weed growth naturally
• + Insulates soil temperature
• + Decomposes to enrich soil over time
• + Attractive natural brown color

• − Needs replenishing every 1-2 years as it decomposes
• − Can attract termites if placed against structures
• − May temporarily rob nitrogen from soil as it breaks down
• − Floats and washes away in heavy rain
• − Can develop mold in overly wet conditions

#4 Stone

#4 stone is crushed rock screened to pieces between 1 and 1.5 inches, with some quarries running it up to 2 inches. It is angular with sharp fractured faces. Color follows the quarry: gray or blue-gray limestone in the Midwest and Northeast, gray to pink granite in the Southeast, tan limestone in Texas.

Brown Shredded Mulch

Shredded strips of bark and wood, typically 1-4 inches long. Natural brown color that fades to gray over time. Double-shredded mulch is finer and mats together better, resisting wind and rain displacement.