Any Landscapers? Question about Quarter-Minus

[stanley]

Any landscapers or folks with good experience laying down 'Quarter Minus'?    If so, I have a question for you!

I'm helping my son landscape his front yard, and he's going with basically a zero-scape Sonoran Desert vibe (a few local native cacti and maybe a mesquite....).  He's going with Quarter Minus as the base, which I have in my backyard and love.  The question we have is with the pre-prep.  Specifically, does the prepped ground have to be 100% clear of pebble sized rocks laying around (like, do we need to scrape it down to the fill dirt?), or will it be OK to put 2 1/2 - 3 inches of Quarter Minus right over the top of the small stones that are laying around?

Wondering if the stones would eventually sort of percolate their way up to the top, or if the Quarter Minus should settle in nice and packed tight with a bit of water on top and time.....   ( In my backyard, the Quarter Minus ended-up doing what it does, which is to settle into a nice dense packed layer.)

Might be overthinking it.....

[Sky Island junkie]

2 hours ago, stanley said:

Any landscapers or folks with good experience laying down 'Quarter Minus'?    If so, I have a question for you!

I'm helping my son landscape his front yard, and he's going with basically a zero-scape Sonoran Desert vibe (a few local native cacti and maybe a mesquite....).  He's going with Quarter Minus as the base, which I have in my backyard and love.  The question we have is with the pre-prep.  Specifically, does the prepped ground have to be 100% clear of pebble sized rocks laying around (like, do we need to scrape it down to the fill dirt?), or will it be OK to put 2 1/2 - 3 inches of Quarter Minus right over the top of the small stones that are laying around?

Wondering if the stones would eventually sort of percolate their way up to the top, or if the Quarter Minus should settle in nice and packed tight with a bit of water on top and time.....   ( In my backyard, the Quarter Minus ended-up doing what it does, which is to settle into a nice dense packed layer.)

Might be overthinking it.....

You’re probably overthinking it a bit but if it’s not your craft then that’s understandable. We used to just try to remove anything over larger than 1/2”-3/4” before installing. If the job was in an area where it’s real rocky just figure the stone a little heavier. 
1/4” minis will usually go down at 2” depth if you figure it around 130-140 sq ft per ton but if the surface is difficult to grade just figure it like 100-120 sq ft per ton and you’ll be good. 
Is it Madison gold or are they still mining that down there?

[NOTAGS]

How’s the base? 1/4 minus can settle out and let the base up.. aka  moon dust in the nw valley. My next load will be 1/4 screened, the minus turned to dirt…. No bueno

[stanley]

On 2/21/2026 at 5:46 PM, Sky Island junkie said:

You’re probably overthinking it a bit but if it’s not your craft then that’s understandable. We used to just try to remove anything over larger than 1/2”-3/4” before installing. If the job was in an area where it’s real rocky just figure the stone a little heavier. 
1/4” minis will usually go down at 2” depth if you figure it around 130-140 sq ft per ton but if the surface is difficult to grade just figure it like 100-120 sq ft per ton and you’ll be good. 
Is it Madison gold or are they still mining that down there?

Thanks for the info!  Will take your advice and go slightly heavier with the coverage.  Not certain where they're mining it, but yes, will be going with the Madison gold.  Seems to have the most natural look. 

 

 

NOTAGS, thanks for the watchout tip on the moondust thing.  We'll maybe talk to the folks at the sand/gravel operation to double check screening options.  

[NOTAGS]

if you order 1/4 screened, it will all be 1/4+ material.  The minus is what turns to dirt and can make up a large part per ton.  The screened costs more upfront, but you won't be like me needing to redo it. My neighbor put down 1/4 screened, and its a solid, dust free surface.

[trphyhntr]

I like saying “quarter minus” 

[stanley]

1 hour ago, NOTAGS said:

if you order 1/4 screened, it will all be 1/4+ material.  The minus is what turns to dirt and can make up a large part per ton.  The screened costs more upfront, but you won't be like me needing to redo it. My neighbor put down 1/4 screened, and its a solid, dust free surface.

Ah, I got it.    I'll run it by my boy.  (It's his job and he's paying, so he'll be the one to decide, ultimately.....)

Thanks!

[wildwoody]

use 1/2"

[Sky Island junkie]

44 minutes ago, stanley said:

Ah, I got it.    I'll run it by my boy.  (It's his job and he's paying, so he'll be the one to decide, ultimately.....)

Thanks!

If he’s after the real native desert look go with 1/4” minus. 1/4” and 3/8” screened does have very little fines but if he has a dog or kids he might regret it as it rolls under foot and when dogs or kids run it will spray all over the place on decks, in pools etc. and it has more of a tendency to stick to the tread of shoes and then you’re walking it in the house. If you go with a screened rock I’d do what Wildwoody said and go with 1/2” screened 

[NOTAGS]

1 hour ago, wildwoody said:

use 1/2"

for the  front yard, with little foot traffic, I agree. I missed the front yard part.  Kinda pokey on the bare feet , so  for my back yard where I run around with my dogs, the 1/4 " has been been more comfortable. 

[wildwoody]

Always suck when you step on one on the hard floor. I live on a granite pit

[Sky Island junkie]

48 minutes ago, NOTAGS said:

for the  front yard, with little foot traffic, I agree. I missed the front yard part.  Kinda pokey on the bare feet , so  for my back yard where I run around with my dogs, the 1/4 " has been been more comfortable. 

I missed the front yard part too. I haven’t installed 1/4” minus as a decorative stone in a long time but 25-30 years ago we did a bunch of landscapes in an area in north Scottsdale where 1/4” minus was the only material that could be used because of the native desert look they were after.