Railroad Ballast

Name: Railroad Ballast
SKU: Railroad Ballast
Availability: InStock

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?

Tell us your project size — we’ll figure out how many tons you need. Already know? Type the number below.

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Length (ft) Width (ft) Depth (in)

Typical depths: paths 2–3 in, driveways/patios 4–6 in, drainage or backfill 12+ in.

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SKU: Railroad Ballast Category: Drainage & Base Tags: base material, crushed aggregate, drainage stone, road base

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.