5 Best Gravel Types for Patios (Pros & Cons)

5 Best Gravel Types for Patios (Pros & Cons)

If you are considering constructing a gravel patio for your residence, you are very likely asking yourself about the options you have available to you as significantly as gravel varieties. You can use many products, but if you have not completed this sort of perform ahead of, it can be puzzling to know which sort will serve you best.

We have collected all of the distinct types, and we’ll go over the execs and disadvantages of each and every so you can see which one will operate ideal for your functions.

Road Rock

Gravel patios typically have a cement enclosure. You require to remove any grass and topsoil right up until you reach the more difficult soil under to provide a sturdier foundation. The gravel will want to be at the very least four inches deep, so remember that as you dig, and the ground will need to be stage. Put in any drainage pipes you may possibly require if your patio will acquire rain.

With the patio based geared up, fill it ¾ total of Highway Rock, also recognized as Street Foundation. The highway foundation is a stone combination designed to give structural integrity. It’s a kind of angular crushed stone that locks in place when you tamp it down and provides a large degree of stability.

The 5 Best Gravel Types for Patios

With the foundation prepared and the highway rock extra, it is time to select what variety of gravel you will use to fill the remaining ¼ of your patio box.

1. Crushed Stone

5 Best Gravel Types for Patios (Pros & Cons)
Image credit: paulbr75, Pixabay

Crushed stone is an inexpensive solution that works really properly. The irregular designs of the rocks assist them bind jointly above time to produce a stable floor. It’s available in many measurements and shades, so it is straightforward to obtain any appear you want. Once the stones get started to lock in spot, your patio will need very minor maintenance.

The only genuine downside to crushed stone is that it’s very easily kicked out of the enclosure. The stones can also crush additional and settle, requiring you to refill the patio every single number of many years.

Pros
  • Inexpensive
  • Multiple color options
  • Little maintenance
Cons
  • Easy to kick out
  • Requires frequent replenishing
  • Requires settling time

2. Marble Chips

5 Best Gravel Types for Patios (Pros & Cons)
Image credit: Tony-Media, Pixabay

Marble chips are an additional alternative that several people use as patio gravel. It appears very desirable and doesn’t call for significantly time to settle into a secure base. It also doesn’t need regular refilling, and it’s accessible in many colors and grades.

The draw back to marble chips is that they are a lot more costly, dependent on what kind you get, and it’s not as effortless to develop styles that you may well see with crushed stone. It also collects dust and is difficult to keep thoroughly clean, so it requires quite a little bit of maintenance. It can also produce puddles when it rains as the h2o doesn’t very easily move by way of it.

Pros
  • Attractive
  • Doesn’t settle
  • Stays in place
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Creates puddles
  • High maintenance

3. Pea Gravel

5 Best Gravel Types for Patios (Pros & Cons)
Image credit: Garyuk31, Pixabay

As the name suggests, pea gravel is a little and spherical rock usually located by riverbeds. It is excellent for creating patterns on your patio flooring and is obtainable in a broad selection of colours. Rain passes by means of it simply, so it will preserve your patio dry, and it’s effortless to walk on. It also resists moss progress and rodents.

The downside to pea gravel is that it doesn’t lock in spot, so it’s easily kicked out of the enclosure, and strolling by way of it will produce footprints. Even hefty winds or rain can scatter the pebbles, so you will want to usually rake and replenish them, creating it a greater maintenance alternative.

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Easy to create designs
  • Does not create puddles
  • Easy to walk on
Cons
  • High maintenance
  • Easily kicked out of place
  • Frequent refilling

4. Decomposed Granite

5 Best Gravel Types for Patios (Pros & Cons)
Image credit: serato, Shutterstock

Decomposed granite varieties in a natural way from weathered granite. It’s affordable and obtainable in a vast selection of colours. Once settled, it will give you with a challenging, secure surface area although retaining the capability to take in drinking water.

The most significant draw back to decomposed granite is that it tends to adhere to your sneakers, not some thing we want in patio gravel. Even though it is not as substantial maintenance as some other folks, it will demand occasional redressing and refilling.

Pros
  • Inexpensive
  • Provides a stable surface
  • Absorbs water
Cons
  • Sticks to feet
  • Occasional refilling

5. Lava rock

5 Best Gravel Types for Patios (Pros & Cons)
Image Credit: Garden Bed Lava Rocks DTXR-ST-1, Shadowmeld Photography, Wikimedia Commons CC SA 4.0 International

Lave rock is a popular gardening gravel material that you can use on your patio. It’s light-weight and porous, so it will absorb rainwater. It also stays in location and does not break down or disintegrate, so it is really lower maintenance.

The downside to lava rock is that it’s very tough and can result in deep cuts if you fall on it. It is only obtainable in purple, grey, and black, and it is very pricey compared to other kinds of gravel.

Pros
  • Lightweight
  • Absorbs water
  • Low maintenanc
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Limited colors
  • Can cause injury

Summary

When deciding on a gravel kind for your patio, we recommend crushed stone for most men and women. It is offered in a wide selection of colours and is straightforward to develop styles and unique patterns. Once settled in, it offers a stable base that calls for some upkeep but is affordable to replenish. An additional excellent decision is the pea gravel. It is quite relaxed to walk on, even with bare feet, and it resists mould and stays dry.

We hope you have loved our search into the distinct gravel sorts you can set in your patio and identified the one you like. If we have assisted solution your inquiries, remember to share this guide to the five best gravel varieties for your patio on Fb and Twitter.


Highlighted Image Credit rating: Ozgur Coskun, Shutterstock

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