By Bennett's Concrete and Excavation, Norwich, NY. Updated October 2026.
Where the numbers come from
New York stone names trace back to the NYSDOT Standard Specifications. Section 703 sets size designations for coarse aggregate in Table 703-4, using numbers like 1A, 1, 2, 3 and 4. Each designation is a range of sizes defined by how much passes through a set of screens. Quarries and stone yards use the same names for their products, so a #2 from one yard should be close to a #2 from another.
Close, not identical. Rock type, crushing and screening vary, so look at the pile or ask for the product sheet if size matters for your job.
Common clean stone sizes
One New York supplier, NESL, lists these sizes and uses on its product sheet:
| Name | Listed size | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | about 1/4 inch | Top dressing for walkways, gardens and pet areas |
| #1 | about 1/2 inch | Pipe bedding, top dressing, subbase for concrete sidewalks |
| #1 & 2 blend | 1/2 to 1 inch | Subbase for concrete sidewalks, drainage stone |
| #2 | about 1 inch | Subbase for concrete sidewalks, drainage stone |
| #3 | about 1 1/2 inch | Larger drainage stone, gray landscape stone |
Some yards also use national AASHTO numbers. NESL, for example, lists AASHTO #57 as a 1 and 2 blend and #8 as a 1ST and 1A blend.
Clean stone vs. stone with fines
This is the most important difference to understand.
- Clean stone (1A, #1, #2, #3) is screened to one size range. Water runs straight through it, which is why it's used for drainage and pipe bedding. It doesn't lock into a hard surface on its own.
- Crusher run runs from dust up to a top size, like 1 inch, 1 1/2 inch or 2 inch. The fine particles fill the gaps between the larger stones, so it packs hard when compacted. NESL lists 1 1/2 inch crusher run for unpaved driveways and walkways, and 2 inch crusher run as subbase under concrete and asphalt driveways.
- Screenings are the fine stuff. The NYSDOT spec defines screenings as all the material passing a 1/4 inch screen. NESL lists limestone screenings as a top dressing over 1 inch crusher run and for animal barns.
Item 304 subbase
NYSDOT's Item 304 covers subbase course, the layer under pavement. Some yards sell product made to that spec. NESL, for example, sells an Item 304.12 subbase, dust to 2 inches, listed as subbase for concrete and asphalt driveways. When a product names a DOT item number, it's meant to meet that gradation, which is handy when you want a known, consistent base. Ask the yard for the spec if it matters.
Crushed vs. round
NYSDOT describes crushed bedrock as sharp-angled fragments, and counts a particle as crushed when its fractured face covers more than 25 percent of its cross section. Angular stone locks together. Round stone, like river gravel, rolls under tires and feet. NESL sells both crushed and round #1 and #2. Round is nice in gardens and pet areas, but it's a poor choice for a driveway or under a slab.
Which stone for which job
| Job | Common choice |
|---|---|
| Gravel driveway base | 2 inch crusher run or Item 304 subbase |
| Gravel driveway top | 1 1/2 inch or 1 inch crusher run |
| Under a concrete walk or patio | Compacted base stone; your contractor or plans set the type |
| French drain or footing drain | Clean #1 or #2 |
| Pipe bedding | Clean #1 |
| Lining a ditch or creek bank | Larger stone such as rip rap |
For how the layers go together, see our gravel driveway guide.
Ordering
Figure the tons with our gravel calculator, then read how far a ton goes for the coverage math. We haul and deliver stone with our own dump truck. See gravel delivery.
