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Aggregates cover a lot of ground on construction sites. Most projects use several different types to fulfill the job, from beneath a foundation to the top layer of a driveway. Each type has unique properties that make it applicable to different things.
What separates one aggregate from another usually comes down to three things: where it came from, whether it’s naturally rounded or machine crushed and how it performs under a load of water. Gravel and crushed stone might look alike at a glance, but their shape alone changes how they compact and how well they drain. Sand varies just as much depending on how fine or coarse it is. These properties define where and when you should use each.
Here’s a breakdown of the four main types, what each one is used for, and which grades we supply out of our yard at Fakenham.
Gravel
Gravel is often what comes to mind first when it comes to aggregates. It’s a rounded stone, worn smooth over time by water and weather rather than shaped by a machine. That natural roundness means it sits loose and drains freely, which suits some jobs perfectly and rules it out for others.
We supply gravel in 10mm, 20mm and 40mm grades. The 10mm is used most often for driveways and pathways, giving a neat, even finish underfoot. 20mm works well in drainage layers and land drains, where the extra bulk helps water move through rather than pool where it shouldn’t. 40mm is used in heavier groundworks, where larger stone carries more weight about shifting under pressure.
There’s also 20mm ballast, a mix of gravel and sharp sand. Combined with cement and water it becomes concrete, with the sand filling the gaps between the stones and holding the mix together.
Crushed stone
Crushed stone starts life very differently to gravel. Rather than being worn smooth by nature, it’s broken down mechanically, which leaves it angular and sharp edged instead of rounded. This is the reason crushed stone works so well under pressure. The angular pieces lock together tightly when compacted, which is why it’s the first choice for roads, hardstanding, and anything that needs to bear heavy weight.
Most crushed aggregates we supply here are recycled, made from demolition waste that’s been processed and graded, rather than sent to landfill. Our recycled Type 1 Crushed Concrete is used widely as a sub base under driverways, roads and hardstanding. Recycled 6F5 is a coarser hardcore, used for bulk fill and levelling before finer layers go down on top.
Using recycled crushed stone does the job just as well as anything freshly quarried, and often at a lower cost. It’s a sustainable choice too, keeping demolition waste out of the ground and reducing the demand for virgin aggregates.
Sand
Sand has different properties on site depending on its coarseness. Particle size and shape affect how well it binds into a mortar mix and how it drains once it’s laid, and the choice usually comes down to whether you’re mixing mortar or concrete.
Builders sand is fine and soft, used in mortar mixed for bricklaying and plastering. Sharp sand is coarser and more angular, normally used in concrete mixes or as bedding sand under paving for extra grip and drainage. Sandfill is the bulk option, used for filling and levelling ground where a fine finish isn’t the priority.
Concrete and recycled aggregates
Road planings are what’s left of when an old road surface gets milled off during resurfacing work. Rather than sending that material straight to landfill, it gets processed and reused.
Once processed, road planings make a solid, cost effective surface for temporary access roads and car parks. They compact well and hold up under regular traffic, which makes them a practical option anywhere a durable surface is needed without the cost of laying something new.
It’s a straightforward way of putting a material back to work rather than treating it as waste and it fits the same principle behind our recycled Type 1 and 6F5, using what’s already there to make significant cost savings.
Getting the right material to your site
Based in Fakenham, we supply aggregates across Norfolk, with next day delivery on most orders. Every material we supply is graded to spec, so what turns up on site is of a high quality.
Pricing is straightforward, with lower rates per tonne on bulk orders, and no hidden costs added on once the wagon’s loaded. Order online, give us a call on 01328862659, or send an enquiry to check stock and pricing for your job.
