Half the calls I get start the same way: "I need some gravel delivered." Good — that's my favorite kind of call. But "gravel" isn't one thing, and ordering the wrong rock is an expensive mistake to fix once it's spread and packed. Here's the plain-English version of what each material is and when I'd use it.
You don't have to get the name right when you call. This is just so you know what the words mean — and so you can picture what's going to show up on the truck.
CA6 (Road Stone) — The Workhorse
This is crushed limestone with the fines left in — the fines are the powder and small chips that let it pack down hard and lock together. That's what makes CA6 the default for anything you drive on: driveways, lanes, parking areas, and the base under a building pad. Spread it, grade it, run a truck over it a few times, and it sets up like a hard surface. If you're driving on it, this is almost always the answer.
Road Pack — Same Job, Often Cheaper
"Road pack" is the other packing stone I get asked for — a crushed material (sometimes recycled concrete or asphalt, sometimes crushed limestone) with enough fines to lock down tight like CA6. It builds a hard driving surface and a solid base, and depending on what the quarry has, it can come in a little cheaper than fresh CA6. If the goal is "I want to drive on it and I don't need it pretty," road pack does the job.
CA7 (Clean Stone) — For Drainage, Not Driving
CA7 is roughly 1-inch crushed limestone with the fines washed out. Because there's no powder in it, it does not pack — water runs straight through it. That's exactly what you want for drainage: around a drain tile or pipe, in a French drain, under a shed or in a muddy spot you're trying to firm up so it sheds water. What you don't want is to build a driveway out of it — with no fines it'll never set up hard, and it'll push around under tires.
White Rock (1" White) — When You Want It To Look Nice
White rock is a roughly 1-inch white limestone, and it's mostly about looks — decorative driveways, around buildings and landscaping, clean bright borders. It drains fine, but you're paying for the appearance, so it runs more than CA6. Plenty of folks run CA6 for the base and top-dress with white rock so it looks sharp without paying white-rock price for the whole depth.
River Rock — Smooth and Decorative
River rock is smooth, rounded stone — landscaping beds, dry creek beds, decorative drainage where you want it to look good. Because the stones are round, it doesn't pack or lock together, so it's not for a driving surface. Think looks and water movement, not load.
Topsoil — Just Topsoil (Not Screened)
One thing to be straight about: my topsoil is just topsoil — it isn't screened. It's good native dirt for filling low spots, building up a yard, grading, and establishing grass. It is not a fine screened garden blend, and I won't sell it as one. If you specifically need a screened, sifted soil for a flower bed or a finish-grade seedbed, tell me — that's a different product and I'll point you the right way. For fill, grading, and growing a lawn, this is the dirt you want.
The Short Version
- Driving or parking on it? → CA6 or road pack
- Moving water / drainage? → CA7
- Want it to look nice? → white rock or river rock
- Filling, grading, or growing grass? → topsoil (unscreened)
Tell Me What You're Doing — I'll Figure The Rest
I haul rock and dirt across Coles County and the surrounding area — Mattoon, Charleston, and out toward Effingham and Champaign — and I'll spread and level it while I'm there if you want it spread. You don't need the spec memorized. Call or text (217) 809-0779 with what you're trying to do and where, and I'll quote the material and the haul.
More on rock & dirt hauling, or if it's a driveway you're after, the gravel driveway service.