Last Modified: January 25, 2024

Limestone Chippings

Cost-Effective Landscaping Aggregates

Limestone chippings close up

By Ben Parrot - Landscape Gardener & Amateur Geologist

Classification:

Stone landscaping material and construction aggregate

Scientific Name:

Calcium carbonate

Other Name(s):

Crushed Limestone, White Limestone Gravel, Limestone Grit, 10mm Limestone Chippings, 20mm Limestone Chippings

Overview

This encyclopaedia listing aims to provide a comprehensive guide detailing the key product specifications, benefits, and popular applications of limestone chippings. Limestone chippings are mostly used in the construction and building sector. They are excellent for sub-base, pipe bedding, and infill due to their exceptional drainage characteristics. While they are not as often chosen for decorative applications, limestone chips are a very good value option for constructing hard-wearing driveways and paths.

As you navigate through this page, you will find links to valuable resources covering design fundamentals, inspirational ideas, and DIY-friendly 'how to' project instructables for various applications of limestone chippings.

Limestone Chippings Specifications

material

colour

shape

sizes

fall safety

price

Stone

3-40mm

durability

fish friendly

eco friendly

degradability

ph

diy friendly

Non-degradable

Alkaline

Material

Calcite or dolomite

Colour

Generally grey but can also appear in shades of yellow and white

Shape

Angular

Close up of limestone chippings

Size Range

3mm to 20mm (0.23 to 0.78 inches)

Fall Safety

Not recommended for play surfaces.

Price

One of the cheapest types of aggregate you can find

Durability

High

Fish Friendly

No

Limestone gravel close up

Eco-Friendly

Yes

Degradability

Low degradability; does not decompose easily

pH

Alkaline

DIY-Friendly

Yes

Limestone stones garden path

Benefits

Limestone chippings have earned a strong reputation in garden and landscape design due to their affordability and practical advantages. They offer texture and contrast, enhance drainage, and prevent weed growth when used as ground cover or for pathways and driveways.

Another compelling aspect of limestone is its ability to naturally adjust soil pH and its superior compaction properties, making it an excellent choice for driveways and heavily-trafficked garden paths.

  • Inhibits weeds
  • Improves drainage
  • Hard-wearing
  • Eco-friendly, sustainable
  • Low-maintenance
  • Moisture retention
  • Versatile all-rounder
  • pH alkaline
  • Quick space transformation
  • Unsafe for aquatic life
  • Pipe bedding
  • Easy to lay

Applications

Using limestone chippings for garden design is popular because they are a durable and natural solution for weed suppression, compaction and drainage. Moreover, they serve as an excellent ingredient in high-strength concrete mixtures. When limestone chippings are used for most of the following applications, these common benefits will apply.

In the following section we list many of the popular limestone chippings uses, although it is not an exhaustive list. Wherever there is a hyperlink beside an item, an article from Outdoor Aggregates about the topic is available.

Buff gravel path with rockery

Informational & Inspirational Articles

DIY-Friendly How-To Guides

Other Applications

Some other excellent applications for limestone chippings include:

  • Base for terrace, patios or outdoor seating areas
  • Sub base layers
Limestone chips under leaves in a garden

Unsuitable For

The following list represents the kinds of applications that limestone chippings are not suitable for:

  1. 1
    Aquascaping due to the alkaline effect on water pH posing harm to aquatic life.
  2. 2
    High moisture areas like pond linings due to alkaline nature.
  3. 3
    As an alkaline agent, they are unsuitable for acidic soil gardens, and as a general rule, they are not suitable for use as a ground cover around plants and trees unless they are suited to alkaline soils.
  4. 4
    Some experts say that limestone chippings are unsuitable for french drains because they deteriorate and pack down like a sub base. 
  5. 5
    Play surfaces due to the unforgiving nature of the gravel in the event of a fall.

Similar Alternatives to Limestone Chippings

The following is a list of decorative aggregates which are alternatives to limestone chippings but offer unique variations on the primary colour, offer more economical options or substitute where they may not be optimal for the project you are creating.

Name

Colours

Material

Size

Shape

Availability

Price

buff, white

10-20mm (0.4-0.8")

angular

UK, USA, EU

pink, blue, grey

Marble

6-20mm (0.4-2")

angular

UK, USA, EU

pale yellow

5-20mm (0.2-0.8")

angular

UK, USA

buff

Limestone

20mm (0.8")

angular

UK, USA, EU

golden, brown

Flint

10-20mm (0.4-0.8")

rounded

UK, USA

white

Marble

10-20mm (0.4-0.8")

angular

UK, USA, EU

Under £80

£80-£120

£120-£150

£150-£200

£200-£300

£300+

Maintenance

Sweeping slate path

Limestone chippings are generally low maintenance, especially when a weed membrane is installed underneath, with most work limited to the occasional removal of debris. To maintain the original colour and prevent algae or moss buildup, occasional power washing is advisable. Natural quarry materials also may have dust, which should be hosed off with water at the time of installation.

For more on how to clean stone chippings, read our article: how to clean garden stones.

Purchasing Tips

Cotswold bolders

When purchasing limestone chippings, it's crucial to consider the specific requirements of your project. Also, consider the size you'll need; for instance, limestone chippings 20mm are typically used for driveways, while smaller 10mm and 6mm limestone chippings are better suited to footpaths. When applying as a soakaway, limestone chips 10mm to 20mm are most useful.

Using a limestone chippings calculator is one of the best and easiest ways to get the right amount for your needs, with just a few measurements. Ordering in bulk bags is often more cost-effective than smaller quantities. Ensure you consider the delivery aspects, especially the vehicle access to the site.

FAQs

What are limestone chippings used for?

Limestone chippings are commonly employed in garden paths,  driveways, and as a decorative element around water features and borders. Use 20mm or larger for a limestone chippings driveway. Limestone chippings sub base are popular and generally involve smaller sized chippings.

What is 20mm limestone used for?

20mm limestone is frequently used in driveways and high-traffic garden paths due to its superior compaction properties. They are often also used as a condensate soakaway.

Will crushed limestone kill plants?

Crushed limestone chips won't directly kill plants but can raise soil pH, making conditions less suitable for acid-loving species. Conduct a soil pH test and choose plants accordingly to mitigate any negative impact.

How much does a bulk bag of limestone cover?

A bulk bag can typically cover an area of about 12 square metres (129.17 square feet) at a depth of 50mm (2 inches).

What size are limestone chips?

Limestone chips for landscaping can range in size from 6mm to 20mm (0.23 to 0.78 inches).

What is 20mm to dust limestone?

20mm to dust limestone refers to limestone chippings that have been crushed to a size of 20mm but also include fine particles, essentially 'dust'.

What is 10mm limestone used for?

10mm limestone is mainly used for garden footpaths, as a condensate soakaway and as a sub base for laying artificial grass.

There are many other varieties of stone chippings available for your project. Check out them out!

About the author 

Ben Parrot is a landscape gardener and amateur geologist. He is the founder of Outdoor Aggregates, with the mission to create the first encyclopaedia for decorative aggregates. From natural stone through to decorative bark, these aggregates are critical to garden and landscape design, universally.

The problem: There isn't any place where all the different types of decorative landscaping materials and construction aggregates can be found, nor are the specifications of each type readily available. So, enriched by his extensive experience, and inspired by the timeless elegance and raw beauty of stone and rock, etched by nature's artistry over millennia, Outdoor Aggregates was born.