# Difference between sand and gravel: fine and coarse aggregate Civil engineering splits sand and gravel by particle size, using the No. 4 sieve (4.75 mm) as a general rule of thumb. When to use each. By the Grupo Server editorial team · [Editorial policy](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/blog/editorial/) Published September 2, 2026 · Updated September 9, 2026 The difference between sand and gravel is particle size: sand is fine aggregate and gravel is coarse aggregate. As a general rule of thumb in civil engineering, the dividing line is the No. 4 sieve, with a 4.75-millimeter opening: what passes through it is called sand, and what is retained on it is called gravel. The particle-size grading of both is checked under NMX-C-077-ONNCCE-2019, in force since April 2020. **Key facts** - The No. 4 sieve (4.75 mm) is the general engineering criterion separating fine from coarse aggregate. - NMX-C-077-ONNCCE-2019 has governed the sieve-analysis test method for aggregates since April 2020. - NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018 has set specifications for aggregates in hydraulic concrete since November 2018. - Aggregates —sand and gravel combined— are 60–70% of concrete's volume, per GCC (August 2020). - Structural concrete requires fine and coarse aggregate together, not either alone. ## What is the criterion for telling sand from gravel? In civil engineering practice, aggregate is split into two families by particle size: fine and coarse. Fine aggregate —sand— is what passes the No. 4 sieve, with a 4.75-millimeter opening; coarse aggregate —gravel— is what is retained on that same sieve. This size criterion is a general engineering rule of thumb, checked through sieve analysis under [NMX-C-077-ONNCCE-2019](https://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5591694&fecha=16/04/2020). It is not a distinction of material origin — both can come from a river or from a crushed-rock quarry — but purely one of particle size. The same quarry can produce both sand and gravel depending on how the material is screened after crushing. Within each family there are further subdivisions. Sand, for example, is split into [types such as river sand, manufactured](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/blog/tipos-de-arena-para-construccion/) (crushed) sand and silica sand, each with a different source and use within the fine-aggregate range. [Gravel is split by nominal size](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/blog/tipos-de-grava-y-sus-tamanos/) — 3/8, 3/4, 1 and 1½ inches are the most common in the Mexican market — within the coarse-aggregate range. Those subdivisions do not change the underlying criterion: each unit is still fine or coarse based on its relation to the No. 4 sieve. ## Why does concrete need sand and gravel together? Concrete is a mix of cement, water and aggregate, and the aggregate itself must cover a continuous range of particle sizes, from fine to coarse. That is the combined role of sand and gravel: sand fills the gaps between gravel particles and reduces the mix's voids, while gravel provides bulk volume and structural strength. Per [GCC](https://www.gcc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/FT-0620-AGREGADOS-P%C3%89TREOS.pdf)'s technical data sheet from August 2020, aggregates —sand and gravel combined— make up 60 to 70% of the total volume of hydraulic concrete. Cement and water make up the rest, but in a smaller proportion than the aggregate. Concrete made with only sand, no gravel, or only gravel, no sand, does not meet the continuous grading NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018 requires. ## When do you use sand and when do you use gravel? Sand is used where fine filler, bonding and finish are needed: mortar, plaster, block-laying and as the fine component of concrete. Gravel is used where bulk volume and structural strength are needed: the coarse component of concrete, paving bases and compacted fills of larger particle size. On site, it is rarely a choice between one or the other: nearly every job with concrete or mortar needs both, in different proportions depending on the application. The table below summarizes the typical use of each. | Aggregate | Size | Typical use | | --- | --- | --- | | Sand (fine) | Passes No. 4 sieve (4.75 mm) | Mortar, plaster, block-laying, fine component of concrete | | Gravel (coarse) | Retained on No. 4 sieve | Coarse component of concrete, bases, compacted fills | ## How do you order sand and gravel for a job? A clear order specifies three things: the aggregate type (sand or gravel), the size —for gravel, the nominal inch size: 3/8, 3/4, 1 or 1½— and the volume or weight. It also helps to require in writing that the material meet NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018, especially when it is going into structural concrete rather than fill or a base course. Since weight per cubic meter varies by aggregate type and by whether the material is loose or compacted, it is worth confirming with the supplier how they measure the volume they deliver, to avoid a mismatch between what was ordered and what arrives. A common mistake is ordering "material" in general, without distinguishing sand from gravel or specifying a size, and letting the supplier decide the mix. That can work for fill with no structural requirement, but not for concrete, where the mix design sets specific proportions of each aggregate that a generic order cannot guarantee. ## How does Grupo Server help? Triturados Gramol, a Grupo Server company founded in 2003, produces sand and gravel —along with ballast, base and asphalt mix— at two plants, one in Coahuila and one in San Luis Potosí, graded to the standard required for each size. You can review [Triturados Gramol's profile](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/empresas/triturados-gramol/), the group's [construction section](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/construccion/), or write in through the [contact form](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/contacto/) to specify a sand and gravel order. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between fine aggregate and coarse aggregate? As a general engineering rule of thumb, fine aggregate —sand— is what passes the No. 4 sieve (4.75 mm), and coarse aggregate —gravel— is what is retained on it. Both are checked by particle-size analysis under NMX-C-077-ONNCCE-2019. ### Can concrete be made with only sand or only gravel? Not for conventional structural concrete: the mix needs fine and coarse aggregate in proportion, along with cement and water, to achieve continuous grading and predictable strength. ### How do you order sand and gravel separately? You specify the aggregate type (sand or gravel), the size —for gravel, in inches: 3/8, 3/4, 1 or 1½— and the required volume or weight, and require compliance with NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018. ### Which standard measures aggregate particle size? NMX-C-077-ONNCCE-2019, 'Aggregates for concrete – Sieve analysis – Test method,' published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on April 16, 2020. ### Are sand and gravel sold by weight or by volume? On site they are usually ordered by volume (cubic meters) or by truckload, but their weight varies by type and by whether the material is loose or compacted, per the ranges manufacturers such as GCC publish. ## Topics - Grupo Server - Triturados Gramol - Saltillo - Coahuila - NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018 - NMX-C-077-ONNCCE-2019 ## Sources - [NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018, Diario Oficial de la Federación, November 12, 2018](https://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5543504&fecha=12/11/2018) - [NMX-C-077-ONNCCE-2019, Diario Oficial de la Federación, April 16, 2020](https://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5591694&fecha=16/04/2020) - [GCC, Aggregates technical data sheet (August 2020)](https://www.gcc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/FT-0620-AGREGADOS-PÉTREOS.pdf) - Triturados Gramol company profile Spotted an incorrect fact? Tell us the article title through the [contact form](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/contacto/). ## Keep exploring the site [Construction](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/construccion/)[Group companies](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/empresas/)[Contact](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/contacto/) ## Related articles - MaterialsSeptember 2, 2026 ## [Types of sand for construction: river, manufactured, silica and volcanic](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/blog/tipos-de-arena-para-construccion/) Aggregates —sand included— make up 60–70% of concrete's volume (GCC, 2020). A guide to the 4 sand types and how each is used. - MaterialsSeptember 2, 2026 ## [Types of gravel and their sizes: 3/8, 3/4, 1 and 1½ inches](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/blog/tipos-de-grava-y-sus-tamanos/) GCC grades crushed gravel in 3/8, 3/4, 1 and 1½ inches (NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018). Sizes, uses and the difference with fine gravel. - MaterialsSeptember 2, 2026 ## [What is a stone aggregate: definition, types and how it is made](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/blog/que-es-un-agregado-petreo/) Stone aggregate —sand and gravel— is 60–70% of concrete's volume (GCC, 2020). What it is, its types, and how a quarry produces it. - CompanySeptember 2, 2026 ## [Who Is Grupo Server? A Construction Group in Saltillo Since 1966](https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/blog/quien-es-grupo-server/) Grupo Server is a Mexican construction group founded in Saltillo, Coahuila, in 1966: nine companies in housing, civil works, materials and industrial parks. --- Fuente: https://gruposerver.com.mx/en/blog/diferencia-entre-arena-y-grava/ · Índice para agentes: https://gruposerver.com.mx/llms.txt · Sitemap: https://gruposerver.com.mx/sitemap.xml