Bedding Materials
Bedding Materials Chip Stone
Chip stone is small crushed rock, usually 3/8 inch and smaller, screened to a tight size range. The pieces are angular, so they lock together and don't roll around under load. Most chip stone is washed, which means the fine dust is rinsed out so water drains straight through. Drop a scoop into a trench and it settles into place with almost no tamping.
Chip stone is a size and shape label, not a rock type. It can be crushed limestone, granite, or river gravel, and you'll see it sold as #8 stone, #89 stone, or plain 3/8 chip under the ASTM D448 sizing spec. It costs a bit more than base rock because it's screened smaller and often washed. That's why it's the go-to bedding for buried pipe, conduit, and drain lines.
Compare every grade
| Grade | Size | Shape | Washed | Top use | We deliver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chip Stone (3/8″, Dry) | 3/8" | — | — | Landscaping | Reference only |
| Chip Stone (3/8″, Washed) | 3/8" | — | Washed | Driveway surfacing | Reference only |
What people use it for
How to choose within bedding materials chip stone
Around a pipe
Clean washed stone around the pipe, sized so the pipe never rests on a sharp point. #57 stone is the workhorse.
Under a paver
A coarse sand or fine screening levels flat and compacts uniform. Don't bed pavers in play sand — the joints move.
Behind a wall
Clean stone against the back face lets water fall away instead of pooling against the wall.
All bedding materials chip stone grades
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