Railroad Ballast
Railroad Ballast keeps water moving and builds a solid, compactable base for drives, pads, and drainage. Delivered in bulk with volume pricing.
How much Railroad Ballast do you need?
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Typical depths: paths 2 to 3 in, driveways/patios 4 to 6 in, drainage or backfill 12+ in.
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Recommendation
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- Size2 - 3"
- Weight2900 lb/yd³
- ColorGray
- Sold byton
About Railroad Ballast
Engineered, dense-graded aggregate that compacts under heavy load, the structural foundation under driveways, parking lots, slabs, and walkway pavers.
| Material | Railroad Ballast |
|---|---|
| Category | Construction & Base |
| Stone size | 2 - 3" |
| Weight | 2900 lb/yd³ |
| Color | Gray |
| Sold by | the ton |
How much will you need?
One ton of Railroad Ballast covers roughly:
112 sq ftat 2" deep
74 sq ftat 3" deep
56 sq ftat 4" deep
Tons ↔ cubic yards for Railroad Ballast
1 cubic yard of Railroad Ballast weighs about 2,900 lb ≈ 1.45 tons. One ton covers roughly 0.69 cubic yards.
| Cubic yards → tons | Tons → cubic yards |
|---|---|
| 1 yd³ ≈ 1.45 tons | 2 tons ≈ 1.38 yd³ |
| 2 yd³ ≈ 2.9 tons | 5 tons ≈ 3.45 yd³ |
| 3 yd³ ≈ 4.35 tons | 10 tons ≈ 6.9 yd³ |
| 5 yd³ ≈ 7.25 tons | 20 tons ≈ 13.79 yd³ |
| 10 yd³ ≈ 14.5 tons |
Figures are approximate: moisture and compaction change weight.
How to install Railroad Ballast
-
1
Strip & compact subgrade
Remove organics; proof-roll the subgrade until it tightens up.
-
2
Lay in lifts
Place in 4" lifts; compact each lift to 95%+ modified Proctor.
-
3
Moisture-condition
A light mist before compacting helps fines bind without flooding.
-
4
Check elevations
Final base should be smooth, dense, and within 1/4" of grade.
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Cory A. ·
Solid under the shop pad
Used 10 tons of railroad ballast as the bottom layer under a pole barn slab area. Went down thick, about six inches, and gave the base course something firm to sit on. Gray color, uniform size, hardly any fines in the load. The dump truck spread it out a bit as it drove forward, which saved me an hour of raking.
Ruben D. ·
Big rock, drains great
Put 6 tons of railroad ballast down along the back of the barn where water used to sit for days after a storm. It is big two to three inch rock, gray, angular, and it lets water run straight through. Nothing has puddled since. Driver dumped it in two piles so I could spread from both ends with the tractor.