Gravel Delivery in Georgia

Hard, old rock lies under the northern center points. The state geologic map shows gneiss, mica schist and amphibolite at Atlanta's center point, and amphibolite, biotite gneiss and mica schist at the center point of South Fulton. Sandy Springs reads quartzite, and Athens reads gneiss. All of these are dense metamorphic rocks, and when quarried and crushed they break into sharp, durable pieces that hold an edge under traffic.^[1]

The middle of the state looks different on the map. Columbus, Augusta and Macon each show fine alluvium at their center points, which is silt, sand and clay laid down by moving water. Savannah's center point reads sand. Ground like this has no rock near the surface, so any stone in a driveway there sits on soft sediment and depends on a good base layer and fabric to stay in place.^[1]

Soil texture follows the same split. The USDA survey reads sandy loam at the center points of Athens, Sandy Springs and South Fulton, each one well drained. Columbus also shows sandy loam, rated moderately well drained. Augusta's center point is fine sandy loam and Macon's is silt loam, and the survey classes both of those somewhat poorly drained. Silt loam holds water and turns slick when wet, so a base over it needs fabric underneath and a slope that moves water off.^[2]

Ground height drops steadily from north to south. Atlanta's center point stands 1,050 feet above sea level, Sandy Springs 1,010 feet and South Fulton 970 feet. The center point of Athens reads 790 feet. Macon's is 300 feet, Columbus 250 feet and Augusta 110 feet, and Savannah's center point is just 10 feet above the sea.^[3]

The Georgia Department of Transportation writes up its own layer under paved roads as Graded Aggregate, Section 310, in its Standard Specifications Construction of Transportation Systems (2021). For a homeowner, the point is that crushed rock from the northern belt of gneiss and schist is tough and angular. Crushed stone made from it packs well in a base and wears slowly on top. Round River Rock and Pea Gravel are better kept for beds, borders and drains.^[4]

Rain is steady statewide. The weather station used for Sandy Springs averages 51.4 inches of precipitation a year, South Fulton's 50.4 inches and Athens 49.0 inches. Columbus reads 48.8 inches, Atlanta and Savannah 48.1 inches each, Macon 46.9 inches and Augusta 44.1 inches. After a wet spell, sandy loam firms up quickly in the sun, while silt loam, like the survey shows at Macon's center point, stays soft much longer.^[2],[5]

Cold days vary more than rain. Atlanta's station logs 52 days a year at 32 F or colder, Augusta's 51 and Sandy Springs 49. Athens records 46 days, Macon 44 and South Fulton 36. Columbus logs 28 days and Savannah 21. Snow is light: South Fulton's station averages 2.2 inches a year, Augusta's 0.8 inches, Columbus 0.5 inches and Savannah 0.0 inches. A freeze can still lift a thin base on wet ground, so drainage under the stone matters even here.^[5]

Hilly lots in the north bring their own access questions. A steep driveway is hard for a loaded truck to climb, and a driver may need to tip the load at the bottom of the hill or on a flat landing. Look for low branches, overhead wires and narrow gates along the path. Tell us if the street is a cul-de-sac with little turning room, since a large truck needs space to back in straight.^[3]

Pick a firm, level spot for the pile. A paved apron or the end of an existing gravel drive is best. Lawns over somewhat poorly drained ground, as the survey reads at Augusta's center point, can rut under the tires after rain. Lay a tarp down if the load will sit on grass or near a flower bed, and keep the pile clear of storm drains so a heavy rain does not wash sand or soil into the street.^[2]

Think ahead to the spreading when you choose the spot. Stone is heavy to haul by wheelbarrow, so drop it near the work if firm ground allows. Keep the load off septic lids, sprinkler heads and shallow pipes. On the coast, where the station used for Savannah logs 48.1 inches of yearly precipitation and the center point sits at 10 feet, a sand or soil pile is best covered between storms.^[3],[5]

Gravel driveways are a common first order. On the well drained sandy loam the survey reads at the center points of Athens and South Fulton, a drive can sit on a compacted layer of Road Base with a top of #57 Crushed Stone or Driveway Gravel. On the silt loam at Macon's center point, put fabric down before the base so the soft silt does not pump up into the stone. Crown the surface and cut a shallow ditch on the low side.^[2]

Hillside drainage is the second big job. Runoff on sloped lots carries soil and gravel downhill, so a swale lined with River Rock or Riprap slows it down. A French drain filled with Drain Rock or #57 Crushed Stone and wrapped in fabric pulls water from a wet basement wall. With 51.4 inches of yearly precipitation at the station used for Sandy Springs, a dry well of clean stone at each downspout can save a lot of washed-out beds.^[5]

Garden beds do well with added organic matter. Sandy loam drains well but holds little food, so mix in Garden Soil or Compost, then cap the bed with Brown Shredded Mulch, Black Shredded Mulch or Red Mulch. For the fine sandy loam at Augusta's center point and the sand at Savannah's, Topsoil helps a new lawn take hold. Wood Chips make a soft path under trees and a good cover around play sets, and Playground Sand fills a sandbox.^[1],[2]

Patios, walkways and fire pit areas use finer stone. Pavers sit best on compacted Road Base with a thin bed of Concrete Sand or Stone Dust Screenings. A garden path can use Decomposed Granite or Walkway Gravel, which pack down into a firm surface you can walk on. Around a fire pit or a sitting area, Pea Gravel or #89 Crushed Stone looks clean and lets rain soak through. Mason Sand works for setting stone or for a smooth layer under a play area.^[2]

Larger site jobs call for heavier material. Crushed Concrete and Asphalt Millings make a firm, hard-wearing surface for a long rural lane or a parking pad. Fill Dirt and Fill Sand raise low spots before a slab or a shed goes in. Railroad Ballast and #4 Crushed Stone serve as a stable first layer on soft ground, such as the fine alluvium mapped at the center points of Columbus and Augusta.^[1]