#5 Stone: Size, Uses, Weight and How Many Tons

#5 stone is a clean crushed stone from the ASTM size chart with pieces that run mostly from 1 inch down to 1/2 inch. It is one size up from the more familiar #57, but without the smaller chips that #57 carries, so the stones are more uniform and the gaps between them stay open. That makes #5 a good fit for drainage layers, some concrete and asphalt mixes, and a few kinds of stone surfacing, and a poor fit as a driveway base on its own. A cubic yard usually weighs about 1.3 to 1.45 tons. Below you will find what the number means, how #5 compares with #57, #4 and #67, where it is the right stone, and a simple way to work out how many tons to order.

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What the “5” in #5 stone means

The number comes from ASTM D448, the standard that sorts coarse aggregate into numbered sizes (AASHTO M 43 is the matching highway version). Single-digit sizes are narrow bands, and size No. 5 covers stone from 1 inch (25 mm) down to 1/2 inch (12.5 mm). The standard sets how much of a sample, by weight, may pass each sieve:

Screen opening	Share passing, by weight (size No. 5)
1 1/2 inch	100%
1 inch	90 to 100%
3/4 inch	20 to 55%
1/2 inch	0 to 10%
3/8 inch	0 to 5%

Read it this way: nothing is bigger than 1 1/2 inches, nearly everything fits through a 1-inch screen, roughly half or more is larger than 3/4 inch, and almost nothing is smaller than 1/2 inch. There is no sand or dust to speak of, which is the whole point of the size.

Suppliers do not always use the ASTM name. You may see it sold as “#5s,” “1-inch clean,” “1-inch washed stone” or simply “drainage stone.” Those labels are not standardized, so if a plan or a permit calls for size No. 5, ask the yard for its gradation sheet and compare.

#5 stone vs #57, #4 and #67

On the ASTM chart a larger number means a smaller stone. Here is how #5 lines up against its neighbors:

Size	Nominal range	Typical uses
#4	1 1/2 in to 3/4 in	Drainage beds, construction entrances, ballast-style layers
#5	1 in to 1/2 in	Drainage layers, concrete and asphalt mixes, open-graded bases
#56	1 in to 3/8 in	Concrete, drainage, some asphalt mixes
#57	1 in to No. 4	Drainage, concrete, driveway surfacing, pipe bedding
#67	3/4 in to No. 4	Concrete, slab and pipe bedding

#5 vs #57. Both top out at about 1 inch. The difference is at the bottom: #57 keeps stone all the way down to about 3/16 inch, while #5 stops at 1/2 inch. With the small pieces removed, #5 has larger, more uniform voids, so it holds and passes more water but packs a little less tightly underfoot. If you want a stone that drains fast and stays open for years, #5 has the edge; if you want one stone that drains reasonably well and also makes a passable walking or driving surface, #57 is the more common pick.

#5 vs #4. #4 is the next band up, roughly 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches. It is chunkier, harder to walk on, and better suited to heavy drainage beds and rough construction entrances.

#5 vs #67. #67 is noticeably smaller, topping out at 3/4 inch, and is chosen for concrete with tighter rebar spacing or thinner pours.

Where #5 stone works well

Drainage layers and trenches. Clean, uniform stone keeps its voids open, so water moves through it freely. It is used in French drains, behind retaining walls and around foundation drains. Wrap it in filter fabric where surrounding soil could wash in. Our French drain gravel guide compares the usual choices.
Concrete and asphalt mixes. Some ready-mix plants and asphalt plants blend #5 with smaller sizes to build a mix. The plant and the agency spec decide this, not the homeowner.
Open-graded base layers. Permeable pavement systems and some subbase designs use clean stone in this range as a water storage layer. Follow the system maker’s detail for size and depth.
Stone around downspouts and splash areas. The larger pieces resist washing away under a downspout better than small chips do.

Where #5 stone is the wrong choice

Do not use #5 by itself as a driveway or parking base. With no fines to lock it together, a deep layer rolls and shifts under tires and never firms up. Build the base with a dense-graded material such as crusher run, then add a clean stone on top if you want that look. Our driveway gravel sizes by layer chart lays out a typical build. It also makes an uncomfortable walking surface for paths and play areas; smaller angular stone or pea gravel is easier on feet.

How much a yard of #5 stone weighs

Uniform clean stone has more empty space than a well-graded mix, so it weighs a bit less per yard. Expect roughly 1.3 to 1.45 tons per loose cubic yard, or about 2,600 to 2,900 pounds, for crushed limestone or granite. Use 1.4 tons per yard as a planning figure unless your supplier gives you its own. Wet stone and dense rock such as trap rock come in heavier on the scale. For other materials, see our crushed stone weight chart.

How deep to place #5 stone

French drain or trench: usually a few inches under the pipe and enough to cover it, often 12 inches or more of total stone depth.
Drainage layer behind a wall: commonly about 12 inches wide from the back of the wall, full height, per the wall maker’s detail.
Downspout or splash bed: about 3 to 4 inches.
Open-graded base: whatever the design calls for, often 4 to 12 inches or more.

These are starting points only. An engineer’s drawing, a wall or paver system detail, or a local permit overrides them.

How many tons of #5 stone to order

Measure the length and width in feet and the depth in inches. Then:

Cubic yards = length × width × depth in inches ÷ 324
Tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.4
Square feet one ton covers ≈ 230 ÷ depth in inches

Add about 10 percent for uneven ground, settling and what ends up on the lawn.

Depth	Approx. area per ton	Tons per 100 sq ft
3 inches	about 77 sq ft	about 1.3
4 inches	about 58 sq ft	about 1.7
6 inches	about 38 sq ft	about 2.6
12 inches	about 19 sq ft	about 5.2

Example: a French drain trench 60 feet long, 1 foot wide and 18 inches deep. 60 × 1 × 18 ÷ 324 = about 3.3 cubic yards. Subtract a little for the pipe if you like, but most people do not bother. 3.3 × 1.4 = about 4.7 tons. With 10 percent added, order about 5 tons.

Example: a 4-inch splash bed 3 feet by 10 feet under a downspout run. 3 × 10 × 4 ÷ 324 = about 0.37 cubic yards, or about half a ton. Many yards sell by the half ton or less, and bulk bags may be easier for a job this small. If you are hauling your own, our guide to tons of gravel in a dump truck helps match the order to your truck.

Tips for placing it

Line trenches with non-woven filter fabric so soil cannot work into the stone and clog it.
Keep the pile clean. Dirt, mulch or clay mixed in fills the voids and cuts drainage.
Place drainage stone in lifts and settle it with a tamper or plate compactor where the detail calls for it.
Use edging where #5 meets lawn; the round-ish pieces roll into grass under mowers.

Buying tips

Ask for the size by number. “Size No. 5 per ASTM D448” leaves less room for confusion than “1-inch stone.”
Ask if it is washed. Washed stone drains better and leaves less dust on the surface.
Check availability. Not every quarry stocks #5; many carry #57 instead. If the job only needs good drainage, #57 may be an acceptable substitute, but confirm with whoever wrote the spec.
Mind delivery minimums. Small orders can trigger a short-load fee, so combine with other material if you can.

Questions people ask

What size is #5 stone?

ASTM size No. 5 runs from 1 inch down to 1/2 inch. All of it passes a 1 1/2-inch screen, 90 to 100 percent passes 1 inch, and no more than 10 percent passes 1/2 inch.

What is the difference between #5 and #57 stone?

Both top out near 1 inch, but #57 keeps smaller pieces down to about 3/16 inch. #5 stops at 1/2 inch, so its stones are more uniform and the voids between them are larger and drain faster.

What is #5 stone used for?

Mostly drainage: French drains, wall backfill, foundation drains and splash beds. Plants also blend it into some concrete and asphalt mixes, and permeable pavement systems use clean stone in this range as a base.

How much does a yard of #5 stone weigh?

About 1.3 to 1.45 tons per loose cubic yard, or roughly 2,600 to 2,900 pounds. Use 1.4 tons per yard for planning unless the quarry gives its own figure.

Is #5 stone good for a driveway?

Not as a base by itself. It has no fines to bind it, so a thick layer shifts under tires. Use a dense-graded base such as crusher run and keep clean stone to a thin top layer.

Can I use #57 instead of #5 stone?

Often, for general drainage, since #57 is more widely stocked and still drains well. If an engineer or product detail names size No. 5, ask before substituting.

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