Aggregate and gravel — price, types and what to check
Crushed stone that gives concrete its body.
Coarse aggregate — gitti, jelly or kapchi — forms about 60–70% of concrete's volume. Its size and shape decide how well the concrete packs around steel.
The basics
- Coarse aggregate is crushed stone above 4.75 mm.
- 10 and 20 mm for RCC, 40 mm for PCC and foundations, larger sizes for road base.
- Usually crushed basalt or granite; basalt is common across MP and Maharashtra.
- In central and western India it's traded by the brass — 100 cft.
Aggregate and gravel types and price ranges in India
| Type | Specification | Best used for | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 mm aggregate | IS 383 | RCC slabs, beams and columns | ₹35–60 |
| 10 mm aggregate | IS 383 | Thin sections and congested steel | ₹40–65 |
| 40 mm aggregate | IS 383 | PCC below footings, floor base | ₹30–50 |
| GSB / WMM | Graded mix | Driveway and road base | ₹25–45 |
| Boulders and rubble | 150–300 mm | Foundation masonry, retaining walls | ₹1,500–3,000 |
Quality checks before you accept delivery
- Pieces should be angular and cubical. Reject flaky or elongated stone.
- No dust coating — wash dusty aggregate before use.
- Tap two pieces together: a ringing sound means hard, sound stone.
- Flaky and elongated pieces should stay within IS 383 limits — the fewer the better.
- Break a few pieces with a hammer to find soft or weathered stone.
- Uniform colour suggests a single quarry source.
Pro tips
- Blend 20 mm and 10 mm roughly 60:40 for denser RCC.
- Maximum aggregate size should be 5 mm less than the clear gap between rebars.
- Stack aggregate on a hard surface so it doesn't pick up soil.
- Wet aggregate before mixing in hot weather so it doesn't steal mix water.
- Use 40 mm only in PCC, never in RCC with dense steel.
- Keep 10 mm and 20 mm in separate heaps.
Mistakes to avoid
- Rounded river pebbles in RCC — they bond poorly.
- Mixing dusty aggregate straight into concrete.
- Accepting mixed sizes when you ordered 20 mm.
- Aggregate piled on soil that gets mixed in when shovelled.
- Adding extra coarse aggregate to 'save cement'.
Where you can save
- Order sand and aggregate from the same crusher to share a delivery.
- Buy by the brass against a measured truck body.
How much you need
About 1.35 cft per sq ft of built-up area.
Brands to know
Local crushers and quarries
Related materials
CementThe binder that holds the whole house together.SandFine aggregate for concrete, mortar and plaster.Bricks and blocksThe walls — clay, fly ash or lightweight blocks.TMT steelReinforcement inside every column, beam and slab.Shuttering and scaffoldingThe temporary moulds and platforms behind every slab.