Crush and run gravel costs about $20–$35 per ton at the quarry, or roughly $28–$50 per cubic yard — the cheapest compactable base material most yards sell. Delivered, it typically lands at $30–$65 per ton once the flat delivery fee is spread over the load, and a full single-car driveway runs about $350–$800 in material.
What is crush and run gravel?
Crush and run — sold as crusher run in most quarries, and also as dense grade aggregate (DGA), quarry process (QP) or road stone — is crushed stone with the stone dust left in. The fines fill every gap between the angular stones, so when the layer is compacted with a plate compactor it locks into a near-solid sheet. That is the whole point of the product: it is the standard base under driveways, patios, pavers and shed pads.
The name depends on where you live. "Crush and run" is the common phrase across the Southeast; "crusher run" dominates elsewhere, and some yards just call it #21A or #21B after their local blend numbers — the 21A vs 21B guide explains those state-spec blends. They are the same material, priced in the same band — so when you phone around, ask for both names or you may be quoted a clean stone by mistake. For how the fines-and-dust blend compares with clean grades like #57, see gravel sizes and types.
Crush and run gravel cost per ton
Quarries price crusher run by weight, and because it skips the washing and sorting steps that clean stone goes through, it usually sits at the bottom of the price list. Typical 2026 numbers:
| How you buy it | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Per ton, picked up at the quarry | $20–$35 | Cheapest per ton; you haul it |
| Per cubic yard | $28–$50 | 1.4 tons per yard |
| Per ton, delivered (bulk load) | $30–$65 | Includes flat delivery fee amortized |
| Per ton, spread & compacted | $45–$90 | Adds machinery and labor |
| Bagged (½ ft³ bags) | $160–$240 / ton equivalent | Only for tiny patch jobs |
Two levers move you within those ranges: load size (a full 10–20 ton truckload beats a 2-ton drop on per-ton cost, because delivery is a flat fee) and distance from the quarry (aggregate is heavy and cheap, so hauling is a large share of what you pay). The general mechanics — delivery minimums, seasonal pricing, regional variation — are the same for all gravel types and are covered in gravel cost per ton.
How much does crush and run cost per yard?
If your supplier quotes by volume, convert in one step: crusher run weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, so the per-yard price is the per-ton price × 1.4 ($20–$35/ton becomes $28–$50/yard), and one yard of compacted crusher run covers about 80 sq ft at 4 inches or 160 sq ft at 2 inches. Buying by weight is the more exact route when you can: the weighbridge measures what you actually received, and moisture differences between loads then cost nobody an argument. The gravel cost per cubic yard guide extends this conversion to every stone type.
How much does a truckload of crush and run cost?
A standard tandem dump truck carries 10–20 tons, which puts a full load of crush and run at about $300–$850 delivered at current prices. Since delivery is charged per truck rather than per ton, the fuller the load, the lower your effective per-ton cost — a 15-ton delivery at $27/ton plus a $100 truck fee works out to about $34/ton, while a 3-ton drop of the same stone can approach $50–$60/ton all-in. If your project is anywhere near a full load, order the full load and keep the surplus for future top-ups; crusher run stores indefinitely in a pile.
Crush and run driveway cost
A gravel driveway is a layered system, and crusher run is usually most of the tonnage: a typical build is 4–6 inches of compacted crusher run as the base (sometimes over larger #3 stone on soft ground), finished with a 2-inch top layer of either more crush and run or a cleaner decorative stone. Budgeting material only, at mid-range delivered prices:
| Project | Stone required | Material cost |
|---|---|---|
| Top up an existing drive (12 × 40 ft, 2 in) | ~4.5 tons | $150–$290 |
| Single-car driveway, 4 in compacted | ~9 tons | $270–$585 |
| Single-car full rebuild (base + top) | ~15–22 tons | $450–$1,430 |
| Double-car full rebuild (20 × 40 ft) | ~25–35 tons | $750–$2,275 |
For context, the same 12 × 40 ft single-car driveway in concrete runs roughly $1,900–$3,800 installed, and asphalt a little less. Crush and run is the budget option by a wide margin — and unlike a slab, it is a weekend-scale repair when it settles. The gravel driveway calculator works out each layer's tonnage for your exact dimensions, with compaction guidance for a drive that lasts.
Crusher run vs #57: cost and which to buy
These two are the workhorses, and they are opposites by design. Crusher run keeps its fines and compacts solid; #57 is clean ¾-inch stone that drains freely but stays loose. Most driveways use both: compacted crusher run underneath, #57 (or pea gravel) on top for the finished look.
| Crusher run | #57 crushed stone | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per ton | $20–$35 | $25–$45 |
| Fines / stone dust | Yes — that is the product | No, washed clean |
| Compacts | Near-solid when compacted | Only firms up somewhat |
| Drainage | Slow — sheds water | Excellent — free-draining |
| Best role | Base layer | Top layer, drainage, concrete aggregate |
How many tons of crush and run do I need?
Use the standard gravel formula with crusher run's density: area (sq ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27 × 1.4 = tons, then add 10% for compaction and spillage. Worked example for a 12 × 40 ft pad at 4 inches: 480 × 0.333 ÷ 27 = 5.9 cubic yards × 1.4 = 8.3 tons, plus 10% waste ≈ 9 tons. At $28/ton plus one $100 delivery, that job lands near $350 delivered — the range shown in the driveway table above.
A useful rule of thumb when you are standing in the yard: at 4 inches compacted, 100 square feet takes about 2 tons of crush and run. Multiply your driveway's square footage by 0.02 and you have a defensible order before you ever open a calculator.
How to get the best crush and run price
- Buy at the quarry, not the landscape yard. Garden centers re-sell aggregate with a $5–$10/ton markup; a real quarry is the source price.
- Ask for every name. Say "crusher run — also called crush and run, DGA or quarry process" so you are quoted the right product, and ask what their #21A/#21B equivalent is.
- Order a full load. The flat delivery fee is the enemy of small orders; stone you do not use this season does not spoil.
- Buy off-season. Late fall and winter orders often price a little sharper and schedule sooner.
- Price the spread separately. If you can run a plate compactor yourself, spreading and compacting your own 9-ton layer saves $150–$350 of machinery time.
The short answer
Crush and run is the value pick in gravel: $20–$35 a ton at the yard, $30–$65 delivered, about 2 tons per 100 sq ft at 4 inches. Size the job with the driveway calculator, sanity-check the price against gravel cost per ton, and read sizes and types if you are deciding between crusher run and a clean top stone.