#57 Gravel vs Stone Dust: Size, Cost, and Which to Use

#57 Gravel

The 57 comes from the ASTM C33 grading table. 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.

Stone Dust

Stone dust is a finely crushed aggregate made up of stone particles smaller than 1/4 inch. It compacts tightly when installed and lightly moistened, creating a firm, smooth surface ideal for leveling and base preparation.

#57 Gravel

• ✓ Driveways
• ✓ French drains
• ✓ Concrete mix
• ✓ Pipe bedding
• ✓ Backfill
• ✓ Parking pads
• ✓ Septic systems

Stone Dust

• ✓ Paver base
• ✓ Walkways
• ✓ Patios
• ✓ Leveling layer
• ✓ Pathways

#57 Gravel

• + Cheapest useful stone at $20 to $35 per ton
• + Stocked at every quarry in the country
• + Drains fast, about 35 percent void space
• + Angular pieces interlock under load
• + Works for driveways, drains, concrete, and backfill

• − Too coarse to walk on comfortably
• − Stays loose, rolls to the edges under tires
• − Needs a finer top layer on driveways
• − Not decorative

Stone Dust

• + Compacts very tightly
• + Creates a smooth, level surface
• + Affordable and widely available
• + Easy to shape and grade

• − Poor drainage
• − Can become muddy if overwatered
• − Dusty when dry
• − Erodes without edging

#57 Gravel

#57 gravel is angular crushed stone screened to 3/4 inch to 1 inch, with a few pieces down to 1/2 inch. Color depends on the quarry: gray or blue-gray limestone through the Midwest and Northeast, gray, white, and pink granite in the Southeast, tan limestone in Texas, and dark basalt in the Northwest.

Stone Dust

Fine crushed stone particles under 1/4 inch. Color varies by source rock and is typically gray or tan.