Caliche or Limestone? When to Use Which

If you’ve been around the Dirt World for a little while, you’re probably aware that the two most common base materials used to build foundational pads and all-weather roads are caliche and limestone. Some individuals are major proponents of one or the other, but we feel that each material has its place in earthwork. If you are wondering which material would be best for your earthwork project, read on! 

To give a general overview, caliche, when compared to limestone, has a higher sand and/or clay content and therefore a higher PI (Plasticity Index). This means that caliche can tend to retain moisture and swell more than limestone which has a lower PI. Limestone binds and compacts better, giving a limestone foundation a harder surface than a caliche foundation. The harder the surface, the better the longevity of the structure when exposed to weather. Because of its higher sand/clay content, caliche material is usually a more natural color than limestone material which is usually a bright white color. Oftentimes, caliche is less expensive than limestone in Texas. However, pricing can vary based upon availability, location, etc..

Our Recommendations – We believe caliche is a great choice if it is locally-available, you are building in a fairly arid climate, and you are building a structure that will not be negatively affected by slight swelling/variance when exposed to moisture (such as an all-weather road). On the other hand, we recommend using limestone base if you are building in an area with a lot of moisture and/or your project requires a product with minimum variance and maximum quality (such as building a foundation for a residential or commercial building). 

In summary, the different factors that earthwork customers should consider when choosing between caliche or limestone include how compacted you need the surface of your structure to be, pricing, maintenance, and even material color. Ultimately, the decision is up to the customer unless there are certain project requirements outlined in a geotech report or ordered by a local, state, or federal law (depending on the project type). However, the earthwork experts at Cenizo Services are happy to provide our advice and recommendations whenever requested!