Shipping Georgia Red Clay, Sand, and Stone

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Published: September 20, 2019

Last Modified: May 5, 2023

Author: Ask Truckload

Found in abundance in Georgia, ultisol, also known as Georgia red clay, is a material used in building, pottery, health & beauty, and landscaping. As a specialist product, shipping it comes with some extra considerations that business owners handling it needs to be aware of.

Georgia is well known for its red clay, which gets its characteristic color, according to the USDA, from iron oxide distributed throughout the soil. This red dirt is not only visually unique, but it’s also valuable. Here, we’re going to take a look at what Georgia red clay is used for, how it’s shipped, and the best way to set up a supply chain of Georgia red clay, sand and stone.

Georgia Red Clay Uses

Traditionally, Georgia red clay was used for producing pigments in paints. Today, that task is more often fulfilled by synthetic pigments, but Georgia red clay has found other utilities in construction, landscaping, and even in the health and beauty markets that could make it a profitable venture for business owners to explore.

Georgia red clay is also known as ultisol, and it tends to lack the nutrients needed to support most types of plant life. Red clay soil can be treated through a process known as a soil amendment to help aerate it and make it more suitable for landscaping purposes.

Here are some of the ways that Georgia red clay soils are currently used:

For producing terracotta pottery and other types of pottery, though it does have a lower strength level compared to other clays
In the production of health and beauty products, such as in red clay masks
In landscaping, especially for creating conditions suitable for growing southern pine trees
In industrial uses, it can be used for creating brick and tile

Georgia red clay has a wide variety of different potential applications used for specific landscaping, industrial, and health and beauty purposes. It’s also widely used in clay handicrafts as a material for creating jewelry, accessories, and so on.

Is Clay Good for Building On?

Clay has been used as a material in construction for thousands of years, most often baked into brick or roof tiles, which are both suitable purposes for Georgia red clay. The fact that it’s easily taken from the ground and processed into building materials makes it an efficient and sustainable building material, while also providing good thermal insulation. It also serves as an ingredient in composite materials like ceramics, adobe, cob, rammed earth, and so on.

However, clay is not considered the best soil for growing on, and care may need to be taken to build a foundation upon it for the following reasons:

Clay can shrink as it dries, leading to subsidence. This is when the building foundation can drop due to the loss of support from the soil beneath the foundations
This drying of the soil can occur due to tree roots spreading beneath the building and taking the moisture from the clay, as well as droughts.
Clay also expands as it grows wet, which can cause it to expand. This can result in what is known as soil heave, which pushes up on and causes pressure against the foundation
This soil heave often results due to poor water drainage from the house leading moisture into the soil and the removal of trees which stop the roots from drying the soil.

Due to its poor suitability as material on which to build a home, properties built on soil often have to have their soil treated and new supporting materials laid out for any foundations.

Buying Georgia Clay, Sand, and Stone

Whatever purposes you’re buying Georgia clay, sand, and stone for, buying them in bulk could help you reduce the overhead costs for your company. When buying in bulk, you’re able to reduce the cost per unit of your materials, reducing how much you spend on them overall. Extra care needs to be given to ensure you have the extra space and means to store it, but it could result in serious long-term savings. To ensure the steady, cost-effective supply that you need, be prepared to have detailed conversations with suppliers about purchasing on a regular basis

Buying in bulk also simplifies the purchasing process. You don’t have as many different purchases to account for when planning your finances, making it a lot easier to calculate how your supply of Georgia clay, sand, and stone fits into the budget of the business. If you’re looking for suppliers of red clay, sand, and stone in Georgia, you can start by looking at Atlanta, the Lower Coastal Plain, and Piedmont, where red clay is most often found.

How to Ship Clay, Sand, and Stone

Clay, sand, and stone are often moved in bulk, meaning that serious consideration needs to go into the plans of how you’re going to ship it. This includes not only dealing effectively with their size and weight but also considering how moisture and rain can affect your materials and how to protect them from those effects.

Here are some tips to consider when you’re thinking about how to ship clay, sand, and stone.

Understand the overall size and weight of the inventory that you need to move and ensure that you have the right transportation to meet those needs, whether this means using a pickup truck or trailer or upgrading to more spacious options such as a flatbed truck
Don’t make assumptions when it comes to the weight of clay, sand, and stone and whether your vehicles will be able to handle it. Too much weight can cause collapse and increase the risk of accidents during shipping.·
Take the necessary steps to secure the load property, identifying the best products to help you do so. This can include straps, tarp covers, and other restraints to prevent the inventory from shifting around during transit.

If you’re ever uncertain as to whether or not you have the means to ship clay, sand and stone safely, then you may need to consider working with a transport or logistics company to help you handle the load.

Need Help Shipping Georgia Red Clay, Sand, and Stone?

If you do not have the equipment or capacity to effectively handle shipping Georgia red clay, sand, and stone alone, then you might need some help. Working with an experienced shipping & logistics company can take the load off your shoulders, figuratively and literally. This is done by providing consultation and practical solutions on shipping so you can worry about other aspects of running your business. We also handle everything from seasonal produce in California to oil and gas logistics in Texas.

R+L Global Logistics offer shipping services and access to freight carriers for a range of specialty items, including Georgia red clay, sand, and stone. We go beyond just handling the transportation for you. Our additional logistics services including warehousing, customs brokerage, supply chain management, and more help simplify the entire process. Get in touch with us today and we’ll find the solution that works for your needs.