Washed Sand for Patios in St. Helens, OR

Gravel and aggregate delivery in St. Helens, OR runs on the calendar as much as the material.

Most of the year's rain lands between November and March, so Oregon Rock Supply sees patio and flatwork crews working the dry months and racing the fall.

If you are bedding pavers or leveling a patio, 3/4 minus is the base you start from, and the bedding layer goes on top of it.

Ground and Conditions in St. Helens

A thin base is the failure you notice first. The pavers rock underfoot, joints open, and the surface dips where the ground settled.

Across the Willamette Valley and Portland Basin, the ground is deep silt on the floor and silty clay loam in the foothills. It sheds water slowly, and the lowlands hold a seasonal high water table.

That is why the fix is a base that compacts and a bedding layer that stays put. 3/4 minus, also called 3/4-0 or dense-graded base rock, is crushed rock graded 3/4 inch down to fines.

The fines let it lock up under a plate of pavers instead of shifting.

Above that base, 1/4 minus, also called quarter minus or crushed fines, is the bedding layer. It grades fine enough to set pavers and flagstone flat and to top a compacted base.

Wet weather season runs October 1 to April 30 in the Portland area, when bare ground has to be stabilized within two days. Base work concentrates in the dry season for that reason.

Materials for St. Helens Projects

Bedding under pavers and flatwork sets the order of work. You build a compacted base first, then bed the surface into fines.

3/4 Minus is the standard Oregon base under driveways, parking pads, shop floors and shed bases. It compacts and locks up.

1/4 Minus beds pavers and flagstone, tops a compacted base, and fine grades paths. It is the layer the paver actually sits in.

Washed Sand works as pipe bedding, leveling under slabs and flatwork, and concrete mix. It is washed so it drains instead of holding water.

Drain Rock, also called 1 1/2 clean or washed drain rock, is washed and open. It carries French drains, footing drains, drywells and downspout runs so water moves through instead of sitting.

3/8" Crushed Stone is small angular rock for pipe bedding and tight drainage work. It also makes a fine topping over a compacted base.

Delivery to St. Helens and the Surrounding Area

You order online and choose a quantity by the ton or by the yard. Each product page has a calculator if you want to size the load before you check out.

Pick your delivery date at checkout, and a dump truck tips the load on site in one pile. The truck does not spread it, so plan where that pile should sit before the truck arrives.

St. Helens sits in Columbia County, and delivery covers the surrounding area, including Scappoose, Vernonia, Rainier, Clatskanie and Columbia City.

Questions About Ordering in St. Helens

What gravel is best for a driveway in St. Helens?

3/4 minus is the base for most drives here. It is crushed rock graded 3/4 inch down to fines, so it compacts and locks up instead of rolling underfoot.

A clean, open rock drains well but will not compact into a firm surface. For a driveway, you want the minus rock, and you can top it with a finer material later.

How much material will my project need?

Quantities are ordered by the ton or by the yard, and each product page has a calculator. Have your project measurements ready before you use it.

Ordering by the ton is common for base and bedding rock, while sand and soil are often ordered by the yard. Size the load first, then pick your delivery date at checkout.

Order Base, Bedding and Drain Rock for St. Helens

Start with the calculator on the product page to size your quantity, then place the order online. Oregon Rock Supply delivers bulk aggregate across St.

Helens and Columbia County, and a dump truck tips it on site.