What is Class 2 base and what is it used for in Sacramento County?

Class 2 base is a compacted aggregate base specified by Caltrans Standard Specifications Section 26 as Class 2 aggregate base, in a 3/4 inch or 1-1/2 inch maximum grading. It is the higher-strength grade, and it is used under driveways, parking pads, paver patios and slabs, and under Stone Screenings paths. Recycled Class 2 base made from Road Base or asphalt is allowed and used the same way.

How deep should a gravel driveway base be in Sacramento County?

Depth depends on what the drive carries and what the native ground is doing. Heavy valley clay that ponds in winter and hardpan a few feet down both push toward a thicker base and a drainage layer beneath it. There is no single number that fits every site, so plan the base and the drainage together before the first load arrives.

How much gravel do I need for my project?

Measure the length and width of the area, then enter the material and the depth you want into the calculator. It converts that into the quantity to order by the ton or the yard. Ordering slightly over what the math gives you covers the low spots that show up once material is spread.

Gravel, Soil and Stone for Sacramento County, CA

California Rock Supply delivers gravel, stone and aggregate in Sacramento County, CA, and the ground here decides how a job starts. Much of the valley sits on heavy clay that cracks open in summer, with cemented hardpan a few feet down in places. Water has nowhere to go, so the base has to carry the load and drainage has to be built in.

Class 2 base, also called Class II base or Class 2 aggregate base, is the standard base under drives, pads and pavers. It is specified by Caltrans Standard Specifications Section 26 in a 3/4 inch or 1-1/2 inch maximum grading, and it is the material most local buyers order first.

Materials Delivered in Sacramento County

Material makes more sense when you read it by size, from the coarsest stone down to the finest sand and soil. Coarse stone drains and armors, mid sizes build and surface, and fines pack and plant.

Coarse stone for drainage and slope protection

RipRap, also called rock slope protection, armors creek banks, slope toes and culvert outlets against winter storm runoff.
Railroad Ballast is heavy coarse stone for hard standing, track beds and severe drainage.
#4 Crushed Stone handles heavy drainage, construction entrances and trench bottoms.
3/4" Drain Rock, also called #57 stone, is clean stone with no fines, so water moves through it in French drains and drainage trenches.

Base and surfacing material

Class 2 Base is the workhorse. Caltrans specifies California aggregate base as Class 2 or Class 3, in a 3/4 inch or 1-1/2 inch maximum grading. Class 2 is the higher-strength grade and Class 3 is lower strength, and recycled Class 2 base made from Road Base or asphalt is widely sold because the spec allows processed reclaimed material. That is the material that goes under driveways, parking pads, paver patios and slab edges.

Decorative rock, sand and soil

River Cobble and Large River Rock suit decorative beds, borders, dry creek beds and swales that slow runoff.
Natural Pea Gravel works for play areas, walkways and bedding.
Mason Sand is for brick and block work and paver joints, and Washed Sand is for leveling and bedding under slabs.
Top Soil and Garden Soil build up lawns, beds and raised planters over heavy valley ground.
Fill Dirt raises grade and builds pads before a Class 2 base goes down.

Ground Conditions Across Sacramento County

The working season runs from late spring into fall, long, hot and dry. That is the window when clay is firm and trucks can reach a pad without leaving ruts. Winter rain turns the same ground soft and sticky, and dense tule fog can slow an early start.

Most rain arrives from late fall to spring in winter storms and atmospheric rivers. On flat clay and hardpan, water ponds instead of draining away, so a drainage layer is part of the plan, not an afterthought. Clean stone such as Drain Rock gives that water a path through French drains, drywells and downspout runs.

Flat ground means little hillside erosion here. The real risk is high water and bank erosion along rivers, creeks and levees during large winter storms. RipRap placed on a bank or outlet is how that gets handled, and a 3/4" Crushed Stone layer works for drainage beds and construction entrances.

Delivery Across Sacramento County

Order online and size the load by the ton or the yard, then use the calculator to set the quantity. Pick a delivery date at checkout, and a dump truck brings the material to the site.

Coverage runs across the county, including Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Carmichael, North Highlands, Antelope, Orangevale, Fair Oaks, Galt, Rio Linda, Wilton and Elverta. Give the driver a clear spot for the tailgate and a firm approach, since soft clay ground is what most often stops a dump.

Choosing the Right Material

Ground changes the answer, and it changes fast once you cross a county line. Solano County spans the Bay Area coast and ranges plus the Central Valley floor. Where it shares the valley floor, the ground is similar to Sacramento County's clay and hardpan, so the material choice is close: Class 2 base under drives and pads, and clean drain rock where water needs a path.

El Dorado County spans Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains, so slopes and winter runoff shape the job more than flat-ground ponding does. Expect more slope protection from riprap and more attention to where water leaves the site.

Amador County sits on rocky hillside soils, often shallow over bedrock, with clay in many areas and fast-draining Stone Screenings in others. Shallow rock undercuts differently than deep valley clay. There, DG and drainage stone carry more of the load, where Sacramento County projects lean on Class 2 base.

Order Class 2 Base and Aggregate for Sacramento County

California Rock Supply delivers bulk gravel, stone, sand and soil across Sacramento County, from Sacramento and Elk Grove to Folsom, Galt, Wilton and Elverta. Choose your material, size the load with the calculator, and pick a delivery date at checkout. Place your order online and the truck brings it to the site.

Class 2 Base, Sand and Gravel Delivery in Sacramento County, CA