Crushed Limestone vs Recycled Asphalt: Size, Cost, and Which to Use

Crushed Limestone

Crushed limestone is quarried limestone that has been crushed and screened into standard sizes from screenings to 3-inch rock. It costs $20 to $45 per ton in 2026, weighs 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard, and is the cheapest crushed stone across the Midwest, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and any other region sitting on limestone bedrock. Its light color, low price, and the way its fines cement together under traffic make it the default driveway and road gravel in a big part of the country.

Recycled Asphalt

Recycled asphalt is made from reclaimed asphalt pavement that has been crushed and screened. When compacted, it hardens over time as residual asphalt binder reactivates, creating a durable and cost-effective driving surface.

Crushed Limestone

• ✓ Driveways
• ✓ Road base
• ✓ Drainage
• ✓ Paver base
• ✓ Concrete aggregate
• ✓ Farm lanes and arenas
• ✓ Landscaping

Recycled Asphalt

• ✓ Driveways
• ✓ Parking areas
• ✓ Rural roads
• ✓ Access roads

Crushed Limestone

• + Cheapest crushed stone in the Midwest, Texas, and Florida
• + Fines cement together into a hard surface
• + Light color brightens driveways and beds
• + Every standard size available
• + Packs harder than granite crusher run

• − White dust in dry weather
• − Raises soil pH, bad for acid-loving plants
• − Softer, breaks down faster under heavy trucks
• − Expensive where it has to be trucked far

Recycled Asphalt

• + Very affordable
• + Compacts into a hard surface
• + Less dust than gravel
• + Reuses existing materials

• − Can soften in extreme heat
• − Dark color absorbs heat
• − Limited availability in some regions

Crushed Limestone

Crushed limestone comes in every standard sieve size: screenings under 1/4 inch, #8 (3/8 to 1/2 inch), #57 (3/4 to 1 inch), #4 (1 to 1.5 inch), #2 (2 to 3 inch), and crusher run (3/4 or 1.5 inch minus). It is angular when fresh and wears smoother than granite. Color runs white, cream, light gray, and tan, and it turns bright white as dust dries on the surface.

Recycled Asphalt

Crushed asphalt pieces typically under 1 inch. Black or dark gray in color.