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Is crusher run the same as gravel?

Crush and run driveways, sometimes known as crusher run, dense grade aggregate, or quarry process, is a type of gravel driveway. Gravel comes in many forms and depending on what type of driveway you have, you may prefer one type over another.

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Filed under Permeable Driveway • 6 minute read

Crush and run driveways, sometimes known as crusher run, dense grade aggregate, or quarry process, is a type of gravel driveway. Gravel comes in many forms and depending on what type of driveway you have, you may prefer one type over another. What makes crush and run unique is that it’s commonly made from a combination of stone dust and pulverized stone. The stone used in this process will usually be either granite, trap rock, or limestone. When the original material has either gravel or limestone added to it, it becomes crush and run gravel. Crush and run gravel is useful for a number of reasons. It’s cheaper than regular gravel, which is already pretty cheap to begin with. Also, the limestone sticks together when wet, to help the surface of your driveway last a bit longer. For these reasons, crush and run is frequently used to build cheap driveways. If you want to know what a better alternative to crush and run is, let’s take a look at some of the problems with this paving material and what a better alternative may be.

The Problem with Crush and Run

The problem with building a driveway out of crush and run gravel is the same problem you’d have with any type of loose gravel, it spreads. Even with borders installed around the edges, crush and run gravel is likely to either spread outside your driveway borders, into the surrounding soil beneath the surface, or both. This requires you constantly add more gravel, in addition to sweeping up the gravel that’s already spread. This can be rather labor-intensive and annoying, so therein lies the need for a better alternative to a loose crush and run driveway. However, if you’re wondering if crush and run is good for a driveway, the answer is yes. It just depends on how you install it. A loose crush and run gravel driveway will also break down and deteriorate rather quickly. This can cause dust buildup to occur, in addition to rutting and mud holes. Therefore, if you want to create an effective, durable crush and run driveway, you need to stabilize it with permeable pavers.

How to Build a Better Alternative to Loose Crush and Run

Crush and run for driveway building can work, but only permeable pavers such as TRUEGRID PRO LITE or TRUEGRID PRO PLUS can stabilize a gravel driveway for the long term. TRUEGRID pavers feature empty cells that are designed to hold the gravel and prevent it from spreading or becoming ground into dust. They provide a natural border to keep your entire gravel driveway neat, clean, and functional year-round. Made from 100%-recycled plastic, they are 98%-permeable and will prevent your driveway from flooding, spreading, or developing ruts. They utilize a 12-inch sub-base of dense gravel to drain stormwater directly through them while keeping the surface-level gravel firmly intact.

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Using TRUEGRID permeable plastic pavers is actually the cheapest way to keep a gravel driveway because it lowers the amount of maintenance you have to do and prevents you from ever having to buy more gravel.

TRUEGRID is the Superior Alternative to Loose Crush and Run

The permeable pavers from TRUEGRID are the best solution for stabilizing gravel of any kind to use in your driveway. The installation process is very simple and involves excavating the driveway to a depth of 12 inches before laying a piece of fabric at the bottom to prevent the migration of gravel. Next, the excavated area is filled with gravel and compacted, before the empty pavers are snapped together in place over the top. Once this is done, more gravel of your choice is poured over the top and compressed into the pavers with a vehicle or heavy roller. This weighs the pavers down and prevents the surface of your driveway from shifting or moving at all. The durability of a loose crush and run driveway is next to nothing, but with TRUEGRID pavers you can improve the durability and extend the lifespan of your gravel driveway up to 60 years before needing replacement. With some light sweeping and a good spray-down every now and then, it should be no trouble at all to maintain your TRUEGRID permeable paver driveway. Other popular materials for use with TRUEGRID pavers include stone, pebbles, and even grass. TRUEGRID ROOT pavers, for example, can turn a regular yard into a stabilized driveway, as the grass will take root and cover the paver grids. Let TRUEGRID Help You Get the Most Out of Your Crush and Run Pavement Crush and run is popular for a variety of reasons, but when combined with TRUEGRID stabilizing pavers, all of its good qualities are maximized while its negative qualities are minimized. TRUEGRID pavers are impervious to temperature extremes, UV rays, wind, rain, and insects. If you want the best crush and run driveway money can buy, don’t hesitate to call TRUEGRID today and get in touch with a pavement professional who can point you in the right direction.

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