This is an opinion, not a scientific fact because I can't test all these products myself. I don't think the stabilizers are worth their cost or effort. Many of these types of things (stabilizers and sealers) exist in order to generate profit in the industry. Notice how in later years there is a push in many industries to general subscriptions instead of one-time fees. In the landscape industry, it's sealers and stabilizers that need to be reapplied every so often. Fear is the predominant motivator as people think, "what bad thing will happen if I don't have this extra protection??" Look at all the landscape materials of antiquity. Things lasted better than ever without all the extra "products."

Thanks for the insight Yardvaark. The thought did linger in my mind, as yearly reapplication of liquid stabilizer certainly sounds like a "subscription" of sorts to me. Fear is definitely a selling factor, especially since this is a DIY install. To top it off, California may have a potential El Nino coming and mushy pathways are a bugaboo I don't want to risk having.

After much calling around, I finally located a building supply store not too far from where I live that offered pre-stabilized DG at $111/cubic yard. I'd rather pay $250 for pre-stabilized and deal with light reapplication every few years than have to pour that same amount of money down the drain annually for the liquid stuff.

North Orange County as in "up the coast" or as in "up the 57 Fwy"?

If the latter, OF Wolfinbarger in Chino has stabilized DG for $75 per yard.

You can buy some extra in 1 cu ft bags for touch up later.

This post was edited by GregBradley on Fri, Oct 10, 14 at 18:06

Hi Greg, thank you for the suggestion!

I live up the 57 fwy. I called OF Wolfinbarger and they do indeed have pre-stabilized DG but only in red and not the usual golden/tan hues I was looking for. They do have a very informative website and are SUPER helpful over the phone, so it's another great reference worth having. Southwest Boulder and Stone in Lake Forest happened to have a variety of pre-stab DG, and a lower shipping rate ($95 vs. $170 to my area) so I ended up going with them.