Paver Hardscape Calculator
Estimate the number of pavers plus cubic yards of gravel base and sand needed for a patio, walkway, or driveway. Accounts for waste, base depth, and sand bed thickness in one calculation.
Last updated: September 2026
Formula below · 2 sources (usda.gov, Wikipedia) · Updated Sep 2026
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About this calculator
A paver installation needs three materials: pavers, compacted gravel base, and bedding sand, and this calculator reports all three. Pavers = ⌈projectArea ÷ paverSize × wasteFactor⌉, where paverSize is the face area of one paver in sq ft (a 6×9-inch paver is 0.375 sq ft, 8×8-inch is 0.444, 12×12-inch is 1, 12×24-inch is 2) and the waste factor (1.05–1.15) covers cuts and breakage. Gravel base (yd³) = projectArea × baseDepth ÷ 12 ÷ 27, and bedding sand (yd³) = projectArea × sandDepth ÷ 12 ÷ 27, where dividing by 12 converts inches to feet and dividing by 27 converts cubic feet to cubic yards; both are rounded up to the nearest 0.01 yd³. Interlocking-paver guidelines call for at least 4 inches of compacted base for walkways and patios on well-drained soil, about 6 inches for patios in cold or poorly drained sites, and 8 inches or more under driveways, with a 1-inch sand bed. Skimping on base depth is the leading cause of paver settling. Compacted base material is denser than loose delivered stone, so order 10–20% more gravel than the compacted volume shown.
How to use
You are paving a 200 ft² patio with 12×12-inch pavers (1 ft²), a 4-inch gravel base, a 1-inch sand bed, and a 1.10 waste factor. Step 1 — pavers: 200 ÷ 1 × 1.10 = 220 pavers. Step 2 — base gravel: 200 × 4 ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 2.47 yd³. Step 3 — bedding sand: 200 × 1 ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 0.62 yd³. The result reads: 220 pavers, 2.47 yd³ gravel base, 0.62 yd³ bedding sand. Order about 2.75–3 yd³ of base gravel to allow for compaction, and 0.75 yd³ of coarse concrete sand.
Frequently asked questions
How many pavers do I need per square foot for a standard patio?
Divide 1 by the paver's area in square feet to get pavers per square foot. A common 4×8-inch brick paver covers 0.222 ft², requiring about 4.5 pavers per square foot. A 12×12-inch paver covers 1 ft², so you need exactly 1 per square foot. Always multiply your count by a waste factor of 1.05–1.10 to cover cuts at edges, patterns like herringbone that produce more waste, and occasional breakage during installation. For diagonal or complex patterns, use a 1.15 waste factor.
How deep should the gravel base be under pavers for a patio or driveway?
For pedestrian patios and walkways, a 4-inch compacted gravel base is the minimum recommended depth. Driveways and areas subject to vehicle traffic require 6–8 inches of compacted base to prevent settling under load. In regions with freeze-thaw cycles, a deeper base (6 inches minimum) helps prevent frost heave that causes uneven paver surfaces. The base should be compacted in 2-inch lifts using a plate compactor — simply dumping 4 inches of gravel without compaction provides very little structural support.
What type of sand should I use as a bedding layer under pavers?
Coarse concrete sand (also called sharp sand or washed concrete sand) is the correct choice for paver bedding — never play sand or masonry sand. Coarse sand provides the right particle size for interlock, drains well, and resists washout. The bedding layer should be exactly 1 inch thick after screed and before paver placement; thicker sand beds compress unevenly and cause wobbling pavers. Polymeric sand, which hardens when wet, is used to fill joints between pavers after installation to inhibit weed growth and prevent ant nesting — it is different from bedding sand.