(Decorative) gravel
Since ancient times, the Netherlands has been a delta area which means that large amounts of sand and gravel have been deposited by, among others, the Maas and the Rhine. During the various ice ages, stones were also brought from Scandinavian countries to the northern parts of the Netherlands. Via the Maas, materials originating from France and Belgium are deposited. Materials are brought into the Netherlands from Germany via the Rhine.
The Netherlands, except for sand and gravel, does not have any other indigenous raw materials. That is why these materials have been used for many centuries to harden footpaths (clay bound gravel or lime gravel) and as aggregates in concrete products for building homes.
Because increasingly greater amounts of gravel are necessary for building residential properties among other things, ever more gravel is brought from abroad.
Due to the high demand for these raw materials, coupled with improved logistics, increasing volumes of decorative and multi-coloured gravel types are being imported from far-off lands.
Dyckerhoff-Basal Toeslagstoffen includes a wide range of gravel types in its portfolio.
| Road construction: | 2-6 and 4-8mm also known as fine gravel |
|---|---|
| Concrete industry: | 4-16 and 4-32mm |
| Garden and landscape design: | 4-8, 8-16, 16-32 , 30-60, 60-90mm and higher |
| Gabion: | 90-130 and 90-160mm |
In the Netherlands, uses for broken Maas gravel include hard-wearing surface layers and asphalt. At the sand and gravel extraction sites, a breaker is used to separate and break the gravel into grit. This grit is called Dutch crushed stone.