What do all these names have in common?
Each describes a dense-graded base aggregate: crushed material with a range of particle sizes from a top size down to fines. The fines fill the gaps between larger pieces, so the layer can be compacted into a firm, load-bearing base. That is what separates it from clean stone, which has the fines washed or screened out so water can move through it. See clean rock versus minus for that distinction.
"Crusher run" and "crush and run" describe how the material is made: whatever comes off the crusher, without screening out the fines. "Road base" and "crusher base" describe what it is used for. "Dense grade" describes the particle-size distribution. None of these names, on its own, fixes the top size or the amount of fines.
What is MoDOT Type 5?
Type 5 is a base aggregate defined in Section 1007 of the Missouri Department of Transportation's standard specifications, alongside Type 1 and Type 7. The specification sets a gradation, meaning the percentage of material that must pass each sieve size, plus limits on deleterious material and on the plasticity of the fines. In the edition we reviewed, Type 5 has a 1-inch top size and a cap on the fraction passing the No. 200 sieve, and Types 1, 5, and 7 may each be produced from crushed stone, sand and gravel, or reclaimed asphalt or concrete.
That last point surprises people. A load that meets Type 5 is not necessarily crushed limestone. If the parent material matters for your project, the order has to say so. MoDOT maintains the current requirements in its Engineering Policy Guide for Section 1007. Check the current edition rather than relying on a summary.
Local yards and contractors often say "Type 5" informally when they mean "dense-graded base rock." When a plan, a municipality, or a commercial site specification names MoDOT Type 5, it means the specified gradation, and the supplier may need to show test results or certification.
Which should I order for a driveway?
For a residential gravel driveway without a written specification, a compacted layer of dense-graded base is the usual foundation, often with a coarser or cleaner surface stone on top. J1S stocks ¾-inch-minus crusher run for this use. Our crusher run guide covers compaction and quantity, and the driveway gravel comparison covers surface choices.
A slightly larger top size, such as 1 inch, is not automatically better or worse for a house driveway. What matters more is a firm, drained subgrade, a reasonable layer thickness for the traffic, and compaction in lifts. If potholes keep returning, the stone name is rarely the cause. Read why gravel driveways keep getting potholes first.
When does the exact name matter?
- The plans or permit name a specification. Commercial lots, public right-of-way work, subdivision streets, and many municipal driveway approaches specify the base by standard. Order to that specification and keep the delivery tickets.
- Recycled content is or is not acceptable. Reclaimed concrete and asphalt base can perform well, but some owners or sites exclude them. Say so on the order.
- Drainage is part of the design. A dense base does not drain like clean stone. If the section calls for a drainage layer, that is a separate material.
- Someone will test it. If density or gradation testing is required, confirm the material and the test requirements before the first load.
How to order base gravel without confusion
Tell the supplier: what the base is for; any specification by name, such as MoDOT Type 5; the top size you need; whether recycled material is acceptable; the area and compacted depth; and the delivery address and access. Ask what product will actually be delivered, not only what it is called.
For a starting quantity, the gravel calculator separates base and surface layers. If your project has a specification, send it with the request and we will tell you plainly whether our stocked product fits it or whether it needs to be sourced.