Bulk Aggregates near Pittsburgh, PA, 15237

Clymer soil under a stable base

At the center point, the USDA soil survey maps Clymer silt loam on 3 to 8 percent slopes, with Clymer making up 90 percent of that map unit. For a driveway or patio, use an angular crushed-stone base that locks together on sloping ground.^[1]

The USDA soil survey rates the soil as well drained and places it in hydrologic group B, with moderate infiltration. Crusher Run, Road Base, or 3/4" Crushed Stone can provide firm support while allowing water to move through the stone layer. The top mineral layer is silt loam, and its shrink-swell rating is low at 1.5 percent. A geotextile beneath a stone base helps keep fine silt-loam soil from mixing upward into the aggregate.^[1]

Lithic bedrock occurs at about 55 inches at the center point. Plan excavation for driveways, patios, and drainage around the available soil depth because deep digging may not be practical. The mapped Casselman Formation includes shale, clastic material, siltstone, sandstone, limestone, and coal. Crushed stone suits areas that need an angular, interlocking base above this varied rock setting.^[1],[2]

Rain and freezes shape drainage details

The NOAA station at Emsworth L/D Ohio RVR, PA, about 4 miles away, records average yearly precipitation of 38.3 inches. Give driveway and patio bases a path for water to leave the stone and avoid trapping it in fines. The center point stands at 1,190 feet. Drain Rock or #57 Stone forms an open drainage layer where collected water needs a path away from a base or planting area.^[3],[4]

At the NOAA station, the low reaches 32 F or colder on 107 days in a year. A compacted angular-stone base limits movement when wet ground freezes and thaws. The median last spring freeze is April 24, and the median first fall freeze is October 27. Use Top Soil for garden-bed finish work during the frost-free growing period, then cover the bed with Shredded Mulch to protect the soil surface.^[3]

Existing homes and recorded materials

Census data list 19,424 housing units here, and 67 percent are detached single-family houses, compared with 44 percent across Pittsburgh. For an individual home driveway, patio, or garden bed, keep base stone separate from surface stone and soil layers so each material has a clear job. The Census median construction year is 1971 here, compared with 1942 for Pittsburgh. When replacing an older driveway or patio, remove soft or mixed material before placing a clean crushed-stone base.^[5]

Pennsylvania DOT identifies its road-building standard as Subbase, No. 2A aggregate, Section 350, Publication 408 Specifications (2026 Edition, Change No. 1). Across Pennsylvania, the materials most often ordered were 3/8" Natural Pea Gravel, Driveway Gravel, and 3/4" Crushed Stone, and the median order size was 2 tons.^[6],[7]