[AT] Shale or gravel?

[carl gogol]

I am in the process of leveling an area for an eventual animal shelter (or 
barn) and am wondering about the suitability of shale as the base for the 
barn and section of the barnyard nearest the barn.  Does well compacted 
shale drain as well as gravel or "run-of-crusher", or is it more or less 
impervious to water when packed?

"Run of bank" gravel would cost about $5.50/cubic yard delivered.  The shale 
would be loaded free and deliverery is about half the distance, costing me 
about $1 a cubic yard delivered.  The contractor that just excavated our 
pond would be the supplier in either case.  He has a gravel bed about 7 
miles down the road and will soon be excavating for a detention pond that 
will require moving the removed material (much of it shale) off site.  Since 
he also has the road contract, he will be hauling gravel past our place and 
returning empty.  This way he can return with a load of shale and dump it 
here on the way back to the gravel.

Is shale a good choice, or should I just use the gravel the way I had 
planned.  Your thoughts would be appreciated.  For example, would shale be 
likely to cut animal's hoofs?  Does it drain, or does water tend to run off 
instead of pass through?
Carl Gogol
Manlius, NY
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