Aggregate Materials and Their Purpose in Southwest Florida

Aggregate materials are abundant in the Southwest Florida area. While the average person may not be familiar with the word, it would be impossible to do any construction work without them.

 

What are aggregates? The word is the general term used for a multitude of materials such as sand, gravel, stone, and many others. Even fill dirt is considered an aggregate. Another aggregate is called Rip Rap.

 

Southwest Florida has many limestone quarries from which Rip Rap is produced. Rip Rap consists of random sizes of stone or rock and is primarily used to prevent erosion on the many waterways in the area. It can be used at the base of pilings to break the impact of incoming waves or in decorative landscaping. Smaller sizes are regularly used as gravel.

 

Some other forms of aggregates that are common in Southwest Florida are sand and shells. Both of these items are in great demand for construction projects both commercial and residential. The composition of sand can vary depending on the source. Coastal sand can be a bright white and may contain small shell fragments. Often, sand is screened to meet the precise specifications of a particular need. Shell can be colored, washed or crushed. It is most often used for driveways or decorative purposes.

 

Whether paving a road, building a bridge or any of a number of construction projects, aggregate materials are guaranteed to be a part of the project. Southwest Florida is fortunate to have easy access to these necessary resources.