Gravelpave²

Fill Material

Choose your gravel fill, from local sources, to match the color of the Gravelpave² mats, availability, and to meet the following criteria:

Clean/Washed
Sharp, hard and angular
3/16″ to 3/8″ uniform

Some examples of proper fill materially (left to right): Crushed Granite 3/16″ ; Decomposed Granite 3/8″; Hard Limestone 3/8″, Chicago, IL. Add 25-30% clean sharp concrete sand to maintain porosity; Carbon Canyon 5/16″, San Diego, CA.; Sonoran Tan 3/8″ , Tucson, AZ.; Sharp Angular Pea Gravel, Elgin, IL. Do not use rounded pea gravel.

Applications

You will need 1″ of gravel fill, compacted. Be careful to order enough for the compaction process and choose a gravel size that will nest well into the rings.We have found that 3/16″ minus crushed stone and sometime 3/8″ with limited small sharp screenings (#40 to #100 screen) works well. Washed gravel will roll within the rings and will also “roll about.” For this reason, we do not recommend pea gravel, even though it is often very attractive. A visit to your local quarry is suggested. We have found that some geological areas of the United States have limited types of sharp gravel available. It has been necessary to import gravel from a neighboring state, but remember the amounts are relatively small — the top one-and-a-quarter inch of the cross section.

Gravel should be as free of fines as possible. To maintain porosity, avoid soft stone materials with low durability that will break easily.

Other Fill Materials for Gravelpave²

Ground rubber, crushed glass, crushed brick, and many other materials can be useful as attractive fill materials for various applications. Cement binders are commonly used. Thermoset (epoxy, polyurethane, etc.) binders may be cost prohibitive for most projects, but offer unique design possibilities, including clarity, color enhancement (wet look), flexibility, and durability.