Perhaps you want to redo your driveway, control flower bed erosion, or establish garden paths for relaxing walks through your backyard. Whatever the nature of your outdoor project, gravel and limestone are durable, attractive materials to incorporate into a residential landscape or hardscape. Here’s a guide to the differences between these stones to determine which is right for your property beautification endeavor.

How Does Gravel Differ From Limestone?

Gravel Explained

Gravel is a loose collection of pebbles and stones removed from streams, rivers, and other waterways. Water erodes stone surfaces and makes gravel smooth to the touch and easy to handle. Stones smaller than two millimeters in diameter are classified as sand.

The variety of stones in gravel makes it a colorful addition to garden beds, borders, pathways, driveways, and patios. It’s also sometimes used to create stepping-stones through backyard ponds and streams. 

Limestone Explained

Limestone may be used on its own or mixed into a collection of gravel. A hard sedimentary rock, limestone is a rock compound formed from  an accumulation of coral, algae, and shells. It consists mainly of dolomite or calcium carbonate and is harvested from warm, clear, and shallow ocean waters where organisms with shells and skeletons thrive, including the Caribbean Sea, Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico.

Unlike gravel, limestone has jagged edges. Limestone ranges in color from white to slate gray and performs best in dry heat because it absorbs rather than reflects sunlight. Limestone is used both as a base and top driveway layer and in garden beds and pathways.

Both limestone and gravel are porous. Because they absorb rainwater, they promote efficient drainage. They also impede the growth of weeds.

Purchase gravel or limestone from Ashcraft Sand & Gravel to complete your landscaping project. Offering sand as well as stone deliveries throughout Cincinnati, Butler County, and surrounding communities since 1977, expect timely and reliable services from this family-run company. Call (513) 367-5700 today to schedule a delivery, or visit them online for product information.