Crusher dust vs road base: which material holds up on the road?

Many products can be used as durable packing materials which create a compact ground for the construction of a road, driveway and yard paths. Typically, both crusher dust and road base can be used for the laying of slabs and paving. This article will help gain an understanding of which is the best compaction material, which do you think will come out on top?

What is the difference between crusher dust and road base?

What is road base?

Road base is one of the most versatile filling products that can be used in construction. Road base comprises materials such as decomposed granite, crushed gravel, or limestone, which are then compacted to form hard surfaces. It is crushed blue or grey rock around 20 millimetres in size with smaller-sized rock particles, right down to "fines" mixed in. The mixture of small-sized rocks to dust particles enables the result of a solid compacted surface.

Road bases can be used for driveways, parking lots, garden pathways, building pads, and bases, and hardstand areas. 

What is crusher dust?

Crusher dust is the dust that is leftover from concrete recycling when rocks are being crushed. While rocks are going through the crusher, tiny pieces of rock and dust particles are left behind. Crusher dust is made from recycled crushed rock or concrete, which is 5 millimetres or smaller in size. It contains fine particles such as soft sand, making it a valuable packing material. It is a by-product of concrete recycling; it has strong compaction abilities to create a smoother finish between pavers. Crusher dust can also be used on plants and in the yard as it acts as a fertiliser and soil improver due to increasing the mineral content in the soil.

 

Pricing & Cost comparison

Road Base Pricing

Road base is slightly more expensive than Crusher Dust, coming to an average of $73.00 per cubic meter; however, pricing may differ depending on the supplier or location.

Crusher Dust Pricing

Crusher dust is more affordable than other materials because it is recycled from crushed rock rather than discarded rock. Crusher dust is usually sold at an average of $66.00 per cubic meter; however, prices may differ depending on the supplier and location.

 

When to use road base?

Road base is used as the foundation of roads and driveways, which is laid and compacted into a smooth surface. Road base materials can also be used under cement slabs ensuring stability and stable compaction. The base material should be laid at an approximate thickness of 100 to 250 millimetres in depth. This gives the surface structural integrity and strength once the surface is graded, compacted and water-bound.

 

When to use crusher dust?

Crusher dust can be used for many construction projects as it acts as the ideal layer under many different materials. Due to being a common product from recycled concrete, it comes in various sizes, shapes and colours, which can be laid smoothly using a plate compactor. It can be used to form the foundation beneath surfaces where compaction is required, under pavers, concrete, and pathways. Crusher dust is a non-porous material that stops water from heavy rain seeping below the paving stones, as well as preventing minerals from leaching into nearby soils which reduces waterlogging. Crusher dust is commonly used as packing material around water tanks, driveways, and pathways, which can be blended with natural sands to improve concrete shrinkage and water damage.

 

Find the supplier with the right material for you

Both Crusher Dust and Road Base can be bought from your local store and found online, and received via delivery. But, finding the right supplier can be a tedious task. iseekplant has thousands of suppliers listed on our marketplace who can possibly be the right fit for your project. Contact our projects team today to get the best expert advice in choosing a supplier, or head to the marketplace and find a supplier that has what you need.