Outdoor, Deck & Fence
Paver Calculator
Pavers, base gravel, bedding sand and edge restraint for a patio, walkway or driveway.
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About this calculator
A paver project is three orders: the pavers, the compacted gravel base and the 1 in bedding sand they sit in. This calculator counts all three from your patio size and paver format, with a waste allowance for edge cuts and pattern loss.
What this number means
A paver project is really three orders, not one: the pavers themselves, the compacted gravel base underneath, and the bedding sand they sit in. The pavers get all the attention, but the base decides whether the patio stays level — a thin base over soft soil is how patios settle into puddles within two winters.
The paver count comes from area divided by paver area, but the waste allowance does heavier work here than in most calculators: edge cuts consume whole pavers, and a herringbone pattern can eat 15% before a single paver breaks. Order the waste, or plan a second delivery.
The formula
- Area = Length × Width
- Paver area = (Paver length × Paver width) ÷ 144
- Pavers = Area × (1 + waste %) ÷ Paver area, rounded up
- Base gravel (cu yd) = Area × base depth (in) ÷ 324
- Bedding sand (cu yd) = Area × 1 in ÷ 324
- Edge restraint = 2 × (Length + Width)
Worked example
A 12 × 16 ft patio in 6 × 9 in pavers, 10% waste, 5 in base.
- Area = 192 sq ft; each paver covers 54 ÷ 144 = 0.375 sq ft
- Pavers: 192 × 1.10 ÷ 0.375 = 563.2 → 564 pavers
- Base gravel: 192 × 5 ÷ 324 = 2.96 cu yd (about 4.15 tons)
- Bedding sand: 192 × 1 ÷ 324 = 0.59 cu yd
- Edge restraint: 2 × (12 + 16) = 56 linear ft
Assumptions and limitations
- One rectangular area per calculation. For curves and circles, total the area first (the Square Footage Calculator helps) and run that total.
- Joint width is absorbed by the waste allowance rather than added to paver dimensions — for wide-joint designs, use the higher waste figure.
- Base gravel tonnage uses 1.4 tons per cubic yard, the usual figure for crushed stone; exact density varies by quarry.
- Polymeric sand, edge spikes and landscape fabric are small extras outside this count — budget them separately.
Frequently asked questions
100 sq ft in 6 × 9 in pavers (0.375 sq ft each) at 10% waste: 110 ÷ 0.375 = 294 pavers. In 4 × 8 in pavers (0.222 sq ft each) the same patio needs 495.
Four inches compacted for foot traffic, six inches for driveways. The depth here is the compacted depth — loose gravel compacts roughly 20%, so order and compact in lifts rather than dumping the full depth at once.
One inch, screeded level — no more. Thicker sand layers shift under load and let pavers rock. For 100 sq ft that is 0.31 cu yd, about 9 bags of 0.5 cu ft or a third of a bulk yard.
Ten percent for a straight-lay rectangle, 15% for herringbone, basketweave or diagonal layouts, and more again for curved edges. Edge cuts waste whole pavers — the offcut rarely fits anywhere else.
Yes, on every open edge. Without restraint the outer pavers creep outward under foot traffic and the joints open. The calculator gives the linear feet of restraint around the perimeter.
About 1.4 tons for crushed stone, 1.3 for pea gravel. Suppliers sell by the ton and you measure by volume, so the conversion matters: 3 cu yd of base is roughly 4.2 tons.