RCA — Recycled Concrete Aggregate

RCA — Recycled Concrete Aggregate (MA SHA Class A)

RCA is the contractor-spec recycled concrete aggregate ordered for sustainable base, sub-base, and structural fill on commercial, municipal, and LEED-mandated projects. Sold as MA SHA Class A grade material — same physical product as our residential Crushed Concrete listing, sold under its industry name with supplier gradation tickets for spec-grade procurement. Bulk delivery across Greater Boston via tandem dump truck.

At a glance

What it's good for

• Driveway and parking-lot sub-base on commercial and municipal projects
• Pad and slab base material for sheds, garages, and accessory structures
• Pipeline trench backfill for DPW water/sewer work
• LEED-mandated hardscape base (Material & Resources Credit 2)
• Sustainability-required public works — DOT, MBTA, and municipal procurement
• Cost-effective alternative to virgin processed gravel where spec allows

How much RCA do I need?

For a 50' × 12' commercial driveway at 6" sub-base depth, plan on about 11 cubic yards of RCA. For a 30' × 30' parking pad at 8" depth, you're looking at 22 cubic yards. For a 200' utility trench 24" wide × 18" deep backfill, roughly 22 cubic yards.

Rule of thumb: 1 cubic yard covers about 100 square feet at 3" depth (compacted). Order 15% extra for compaction.

How RCA compares

• vs. Crushed Concrete 1" to minus — Identical physical material. RCA is the contractor spec name with documentation/tickets for sustainability credits and public-works procurement. Crushed Concrete is the residential listing for the same material at the same delivery rate.
• vs. #610 Stone (Dense-Graded Granite Base) — Both are dense-graded base materials. #610 is virgin crushed granite (higher cost, tighter spec for premium hardscape). RCA is recycled — appropriate where spec permits and sustainability credits matter.
• vs. Dense Pack ¾" to minus — Dense Pack is virgin processed gravel. RCA is the recycled equivalent at typically lower cost. Both compact tightly and serve similar applications.
• vs. Common Borrow (M1.01.0) — Common Borrow is unprocessed structural fill for bulk grade-raising. RCA is processed base material for the engineered layer above.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between RCA and Crushed Concrete?
Same physical material. RCA is the contractor spec name — comes with material tickets, sustainability documentation, and is sold for public-works and LEED projects. Crushed Concrete is the residential listing for the same material.

Is RCA sold as Mass DOT / MA SHA Class A grade?
Yes. Our RCA is graded to MA SHA Class A for recycled concrete aggregate, suitable for sub-base on public-works projects where the spec permits. Supplier gradation tickets and material origin documentation available on request.

Does RCA qualify for LEED credits?
Yes — RCA qualifies for LEED Materials & Resources Credit 2 (Construction & Demolition Waste Management) by diverting concrete from landfill. Also contributes to MR Credit 4 (Recycled Content).

How does RCA compare to virgin processed gravel for compaction?
Comparable. RCA achieves equivalent compaction density (~95% standard Proctor) when installed in 6" lifts at optimum moisture. Long-term freeze-thaw performance matches virgin aggregate on properly drained sites.

Can I use RCA under pavers or flagstone?
Yes for utility paving and parking lots. For premium hardscape (residential paver patios, decorative flagstone), some installers prefer virgin #610 Stone for color consistency and predictable color matching.

Do you deliver in the Boston area?
Yes — same-day and next-day bulk delivery across Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex, Plymouth, Bristol, and Barnstable Counties. Tandem-axle dump trucks for larger commercial loads.

Same-day and next-day bulk delivery, no minimum order. We run RCA across Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Essex, Bristol, and Barnstable County daily.

Pair with our Common Borrow (M1.01.0) for the structural fill underneath, or our #610 Stone when virgin aggregate is specified.

Order RCA today — MA SHA Class A recycled concrete aggregate delivered by the truckload across Greater Boston, with sustainability documentation included.

• Same-day & next-day delivery available — weekends fill fast, order early.
• Curbside or on-property drop — let us know at checkout.
• Up to 6 yds per load for dense materials (gravel, soil, rock, sand) — mulch loads carry up to 10 yds. Delivery is $100 per load within 30 miles of our Dispatch Office, plus $4 per mile beyond. No minimum order.
• Job site delivery available
• Questions? Call (617) 645-0987 or see full delivery info →