Sand & Gravel

Sand and Gravel Delivery in South Lyon, MI

Sand and gravel are the basic elements of a wide range of construction projects. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to do some minor landscaping around the house or a professional contractor or landscaper needing sand and gravel for your projects, having a reliable source for materials can save you lots of time and money by helping you complete your projects on time. Stone Depot is a reliable local source for Michigan residents, so you can count on us for your next project.

Got potholes? We can help fill them! Michigan’s changing weather often leads to drainage issues from melting snow and rainstorms, making gravel an essential material. Contact us for gravel and we’ll fill your holes!

What Sand and Gravel Are Used For

While you probably have a rough idea regarding some of the most common uses for sand and gravel, their range of applications may be broader than you think. This include, but aren’t limited to:

• Landscaping: Whether you’re a DIY type of homeowner or call someone to decorate your garden beds, pathways, and ground cover, you’ll soon realize that you need plenty of sand and gravel.
• Hardscaping: Areas around your home that need to be both good-looking and durable, such as your patio and walkways, need sand to create a flat and even surface underneath, and gravel for a stable sub-base layer.
• Drainage: Given the fact that Michigan gets plenty of rainfall throughout the year, the drainage properties of sand and gravel are essential for preventing water from pooling in certain areas.
• Construction: Gravel is essential for driveways and building structural bases. Efficient drainage is particularly important in a climate like Michigan’s, with freeze-thaw cycles potentially causing major erosion.
• Playground and safety surfacing: Sand and fine gravel are also great for covering playgrounds and light-traffic walkways, as they provide cushioning for falls, in addition to efficient drainage.

Common Types of Sand and Gravel at Stone Depot

At Stone Depot, we sell a wide variety of sand and gravel for different purposes. These include:

• Masonry sand: Its smooth texture isn’t suitable for heavy construction and major drainage applications, but it works great for masonry work, filling joints between pavers, and generally places where a finer texture is needed.
• Fill sand: As the name suggests, this is great for filling and leveling areas before the final layer is applied.
• Concrete/all-purpose sand: This is coarser than masonry sand, with its particles locking into a stable base and providing both a solid footing and efficient drainage.
• Pea gravel: These small rounded stones look great, making them ideal for decorative purposes like defining garden paths, placing decorative ground cover, and covering playgrounds. Pea gravel won’t work well for heavy-traffic areas, but its looks and drainage abilities make it suitable for many different purposes.
• Crushed gravel: Crushed stone has irregular angles, making individual stones interlock effectively to create a stable load-bearing surface. This makes them ideal for larger projects, including driveways and patios.
• River rock: Unlike crushed gravel, these are usually smooth, meaning that you can safely step on them barefoot. They’re also visually appealing, so they work great in areas like a French drain or a dry creek bed.
• Decorative gravel: These come in a wide variety of shapes and colors, giving various areas of your yard a smooth and polished look.

How to Choose the Right Material for Your Project

You can follow these basic guidelines when choosing the right sand and gravel for your project:

• Paver and patio installations: An effective combo would be to use fill sand or masonry sand as a base and for joints, while building your sub-base with crushed gravel.
• Drainage correction and French drains: Angular crushed stone ranging from ¾ inch to 1½ inches in diameter provides an optimal balance between water flow and stability.
• Decorative pathways and garden beds: Pea gravel and decorative landscaping gravel both look great and require little maintenance.
• Concrete mixing and masonry work: Masonry sand provides the cleanest mix consistency. The standard concrete mix ratio is 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, and 3 parts gravel.
• Driveways and heavy-use areas: Crushed gravel pieces interlock to provide great stability while also draining effectively.