Gravel Delivery in New Jersey

All four of our New Jersey cities sit on layered sedimentary rock. The state geologic map shows siltstone mudstone, arkose, mudstone, siltstone, shale, sandstone and conglomerate at the center point of Jersey City. Newark's center point reads sandstone and siltstone. Paterson's shows conglomerate sandstone, sandstone and siltstone, and Elizabeth's shows siltstone and shale.^[1]

Rock of this family forms from mud, sand and pebbles laid down in old basins and pressed into stone. Shale and mudstone are soft and break into flakes that turn back toward clay in the weather. Sandstone and conglomerate are firmer but still wear faster than hard igneous rock. Arkose is a sandstone rich in feldspar that often has a pinkish tint.^[1]

That matters for a buyer because the softer rocks make poor crushed stone for a driveway or a base. Crushed stone that carries traffic in these cities may come from harder rock quarried farther away, and recycled Crushed Concrete is common in a dense urban market. Crushed hard rock and Crushed Concrete break into sharp, durable pieces that hold up better than crushed shale.^[1]

Surface soil varies from city to city. The USDA soil survey reads loam at the Jersey City center point and sandy loam at Newark's, both classed well drained. Elizabeth's center point reads loamy sand classed very poorly drained, which means water stands at or near the surface for long periods. Loam and sandy loam make a fair subgrade. Very poorly drained sand needs fabric and a thicker base.^[2]

Ground height stays low at three of the four points. The center points of Jersey City and Elizabeth each stand 10 feet above sea level, and Newark's reads 30 feet. Paterson's center point is the highest of the group at 130 feet. Low, flat ground near tidal water often has a high water table, so a drain may have nowhere lower to send water.^[3]

Paterson stands apart from the other three. Its center point sits higher, at 130 feet, and its station logs the most cold days of the group, 108 a year at 32 F or colder. Sloped lots there shed water faster than the flat ground near the harbor, and a drive on a grade needs a well compacted base so rain and melt do not carry the top stone downhill. A rough surface of 3/4" Crushed Stone grips better on a slope than round stone does.^[3],[4]

Space is the first thing to plan in these cities. Row houses, small yards, parked cars and narrow streets all limit where a dump truck can stop and tip. A load may have to land in the driveway, at the curb or in an alley, and then go to the back yard by wheelbarrow. Tell Gravel Valet about tight access, low wires and overhanging trees when you order so the load can be placed where it can be moved.^[2]

Rain is steady. The weather station used for Newark averages 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and the one for Jersey City 49.5 inches. Elizabeth's station reads 46.6 inches and Paterson's 44.9 inches. On the very poorly drained loamy sand mapped at Elizabeth's center point, a yard can stay soft for days after a storm, so keep the truck on pavement and plan the pile for the firmest spot.^[2],[4]

Winter brings snow and cold days. The Elizabeth station averages 31.5 inches of snowfall a year, Jersey City's 29.8 inches and Newark's 28.2 inches. Paterson's station logs 108 days a year at 32 F or colder, Newark's 82 days and Elizabeth's 80 days. Jersey City's station counts 67 days. Clear the drop spot before a winter load, since a plowed bank at the curb can block a truck entirely.^[4]

Protect the street and the sidewalk. A tarp or plywood under a curbside pile keeps stone dust out of storm drains and off the pavement. Sweep up promptly, and keep piles of Topsoil, Fill Dirt or Mason Sand covered if rain is on the way, so the material does not wash into the gutter.^[4]

Old city yards can hide surprises under the topsoil. Decades of building leave behind brick, cinders, old footings and mixed fill, and a shovel may hit any of them. Dig a test hole before you order, so you know how deep the soft material goes and how much base the job needs. Our area calculator turns a length, width and depth into tons, which makes it easier to order the right amount the first time.^[2]

Parking pads and short driveways are the usual order in these cities. On the well drained loam at the Jersey City center point or the sandy loam at Newark's, strip the topsoil, compact the subgrade and build a compacted layer of Road Base or Crushed Concrete. Top it with Driveway Gravel or 3/4" Crushed Stone, or use Asphalt Millings for a firm, dark surface. Edging keeps stone from spilling onto a sidewalk.^[2]

On wetter ground the build changes. Elizabeth's center point reads very poorly drained loamy sand, and stone laid on wet sand slowly sinks. Lay a woven fabric on the graded subgrade, add a coarse layer of #4 Crushed Stone or Railroad Ballast where the ground is soft, then compact the finer base on top. A slight slope toward the street helps water leave the pad.^[2]

Drainage fixes are a common small job. A trench wrapped in fabric and filled with Drain Rock or #57 Crushed Stone can move water from a downspout away from a basement wall. Where the water table sits high, as on low lying lots near the 10 foot center points of Jersey City and Elizabeth, a drain needs a lower outlet such as a curb line or a storm connection. Riprap guards a bank where water runs off fast.^[3],[4]

Small yards make good use of beds and stone borders. Raised beds of Topsoil or Garden Soil with Compost mixed in give plants loose, fertile ground in place of compacted city fill. Brown Shredded Mulch, Black Shredded Mulch and Red Mulch keep beds neat. River Rock and Pea Gravel suit narrow side yards and strips along a foundation, where mulch would wash out in a hard rain.^[2]

Patios fit well in a compact yard. Pavers sit on a compacted Road Base with a thin setting bed of Concrete Sand or Stone Dust Screenings. Walkway Gravel and Decomposed Granite make an easy patio surface that lets rain soak in. Playground Sand or Wood Chips fit a small play area, and Fill Dirt levels low spots before work starts.^[2]