Crushed Concrete

Demolished slabs, curbs and driveways are cleaned of rebar, then run through a crusher and screened to size. The result is angular aggregate with fines left in the mix. Those fines fill the gaps between the larger pieces, and when you water and roll it, the whole lift binds into a surface you can drive a loaded truck across.

There is a second effect people notice: crushed concrete slightly cements itself over time as residual lime reacts with water. A driveway laid this spring is firmer next spring.

One-and-a-half inch minus is the workhorse for driveway base and job-site access roads. Three-quarter inch minus finishes tighter and is the better choice for a top lift, a shed pad or anything you will walk on barefoot.

Residential driveways want four to six inches compacted. Anything carrying delivery trucks or equipment should go eight inches, placed in two lifts and compacted separately.

Crushed concrete typically runs meaningfully cheaper per yard than virgin crushed limestone while achieving comparable compaction on residential work. Limestone stays the better pick where appearance matters, since concrete carries grey and off-white tones and the occasional visible aggregate face.

For a base layer that will be covered by pavers, asphalt or a slab, appearance is irrelevant and crushed concrete is almost always the value choice.