What Is the Paver Calculator?
The Paver Calculator estimates the materials for a paved patio, walkway or driveway. It counts the pavers needed to cover the area and calculates the two layers beneath them: the compacted gravel base and the one inch bed of sand that the pavers sit on.
A paved surface is a system. The pavers are the visible part, but the base does the structural work. Ordering all three materials from one set of measurements keeps the project consistent and makes it easier to arrange deliveries together.
How the Calculator Works
The calculator multiplies the length and width of the area for square feet. It finds the face area of one paver in square inches and divides 144 by it to get the number of pavers per square foot. Multiplying by the total area and adding waste gives the count.
For the base, it multiplies the area by the base depth in inches, divides by 12 for cubic feet, and divides by 27 for cubic yards. It converts to tons at 1.4 tons per cubic yard, a typical density for crushed stone.
Bedding sand is calculated the same way at a fixed depth of 1 inch, using 1.35 tons per cubic yard. The perimeter is shown as the length of edge restraint needed if the patio is free-standing.
The Paver Formula
Pavers per sq ft = 144 ÷ (Paver length × Paver width)
Pavers = Area × Pavers per sq ft × (1 + Waste % ÷ 100), rounded up
Base (cubic yards) = Area × Base depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27
Sand (cubic yards) = Area × 1 ÷ 12 ÷ 27
Common paver sizes
- 4 × 8 inches: 4.5 per square foot
- 6 × 6 inches: 4 per square foot
- 6 × 9 inches: 2.67 per square foot
- 12 × 12 inches: 1 per square foot
- 16 × 16 inches: 0.56 per square foot
Step-by-Step Explanation
- Measure the length and width of the area and multiply for square feet.
- Multiply the paver length by its width in inches.
- Divide 144 by that figure for pavers per square foot.
- Multiply by the area and add 10 percent for waste.
- Multiply the area by the base depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards of gravel.
- Divide the area by 324 for cubic yards of sand at 1 inch.
Worked Example
A patio is 15 feet by 10 feet, using standard 4 × 8 inch brick pavers on a 4 inch base.
- Area: 15 × 10 = 150 square feet.
- Pavers per square foot: 144 ÷ 32 = 4.5.
- Net pavers: 150 × 4.5 = 675.
- With 10 percent waste: 742.5, so 743 pavers.
- Base: 150 × 4 ÷ 324 = 1.85 cubic yards, or 2.59 tons.
- Sand: 150 ÷ 324 = 0.46 cubic yards, or 0.63 tons.
- Edge restraint: 2 × (15 + 10) = 50 feet.
Allowing for compaction, you would order about 3 tons of base stone and three quarters of a ton of concrete sand.
How to Use the Calculator
- Enter the length and width of the area to be paved.
- Enter the length and width of one paver.
- Enter the gravel base depth for your application.
- Set the waste allowance.
- Press Calculate.
- Note the paver count, base, sand and edging.
For curved or irregular patios, find the area with the Square Footage Calculator first. The Gravel Calculator gives more detail on base material, including different stone types. If you are weighing pavers against a poured slab, compare with the Concrete Calculator. Excavated soil can be measured with the Cubic Yard Calculator, and for a brick-on-mortar installation, the Brick Calculator and Mortar Calculator apply.
Practical Tips
- Excavate deep enough for the base, the sand and the paver thickness, so the finished surface sits just above the surrounding ground.
- Slope the surface away from the house at about 1/4 inch per foot.
- Compact the base in layers of 3 to 4 inches with a plate compactor.
- Screed the sand over two pipes or rails to a uniform 1 inch. Do not compact the sand before laying.
- Lay pavers from a straight edge or a corner and work outward, standing on the laid pavers.
- Install edge restraint on all sides not held by a wall. Without it the pavers creep apart.
- Sweep polymeric sand into the joints, compact, and sweep again before misting with water.
- Order pavers from one production run and blend from several pallets as you lay.
Common Mistakes
Too thin a base. A patio on 2 inches of gravel will settle and heave. Four inches is a minimum for foot traffic.
Too much bedding sand. Sand deeper than about 1 inch shifts under load and causes ruts.
No edge restraint. The outer rows spread and joints open.
Not allowing for cuts. Herringbone and curved edges need more waste, often 15 percent.
Ignoring drainage. A flat patio holds water and grows moss. Build in a fall.
Using the wrong sand. Bedding needs coarse concrete sand. Fine mason’s sand or play sand holds water and moves.
Base Depth by Use
- Walkways and patios: 4 to 6 inches of compacted base.
- Residential driveways: 8 to 12 inches.
- Clay or poorly drained soils: add 2 to 4 inches and consider a geotextile fabric.
- Cold climates with frost: deeper bases reduce heave.
Laying Patterns
Running bond is the simplest and uses the least waste. Basketweave suits square layouts. Herringbone at 45 or 90 degrees interlocks best and is recommended for driveways because it resists the twisting force of turning tyres. Patterns that combine several paver sizes are sold as sets, with the proportions given per square foot.
Paver Thickness
Standard pavers for patios are 2 3/8 inches thick, about 60 millimeters. Driveway pavers are often 3 1/8 inches, about 80 millimeters. Thin overlay pavers around 1 inch thick are made for laying over existing concrete. Include the thickness when you work out excavation depth.
Paving a Circle or Curve
For a circular patio, the area is 3.1416 times the radius squared. A 12 foot diameter circle is 113 square feet. Circle kits are sold with wedge-shaped pavers that form the rings without cutting. If you use rectangular pavers on a curved edge, increase waste to 15 percent, because every paver along the curve is cut. Mark the curve with a garden hose or a string from a centre stake, lay pavers past the line, and cut them in place with a masonry saw.
Joints, Sealing and Upkeep
Polymeric sand hardens when wetted and resists weeds and washout better than plain sand. One 50 pound bag typically fills the joints of 50 to 75 square feet of standard pavers. Sealing is optional. It deepens colour and makes stains easier to clean, and it needs renewing every three to five years. An unsealed patio needs only occasional sweeping and a top-up of joint sand.
Estimating Cost and Delivery
Pavers are sold by the piece, by the square foot or by the pallet, and a pallet typically covers 100 to 120 square feet depending on the product. Divide your paver count by the number per pallet to see how many pallets to order, and ask whether part pallets are available. Pallets are heavy, often more than 3,000 pounds, so delivery by a truck with a forklift is normal and there may be a refundable deposit on the pallet itself. Base stone and sand are delivered loose. Try to schedule the base first, compact it, then take delivery of the sand and pavers, so that materials are not in the way while you excavate. Polymeric sand, edging and spikes are easy to forget and should be on the same order.
How Long Does a Paver Patio Take?
For a 150 square foot patio, plan a weekend for two people with a rented plate compactor. The first day goes on excavation and the base. The second covers screeding the sand, laying and cutting pavers, fitting the edge restraint and sweeping in the joint sand. Larger patios scale roughly with area, and curves or intricate patterns add cutting time.