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Paver Calculator: Pavers, Base Gravel and Sand
Plan a paver patio, walkway or driveway. Enter the area and paver size to see how many pavers, how much gravel base and bedding sand, and the edging you need.
How many pavers do I need?
Divide the area in square inches by the area of one paver. A 12 × 12 ft patio is 144 sq ft, or 20,736 sq in. A standard 4 × 8 in brick paver covers 32 sq in, so you need 648 pavers, or 713 with 10% waste. Pavers are often sold by the square foot or by the pallet, so you can also simply order your area plus waste.
Base and sand
A paver patio lasts when the base underneath is right. The usual build-up from the bottom is:
- Dig out the soil and compact it.
- Lay 4 to 6 inches of crushed stone base (often called ¾ in minus or road base), compacted in 2 in layers. Driveways need 8 to 12 inches.
- Spread 1 inch of coarse concrete sand and screed it flat.
- Lay the pavers, compact them, and sweep polymeric sand into the joints.
Dig deep enough for the base, sand and paver thickness together: about 7 inches for a typical patio with 2⅜ in pavers. Slope the surface away from the house by about ¼ inch per foot so water drains.
Edging
Edge restraint keeps pavers from spreading. Plastic or aluminum edging is pinned along every side that isn't against a wall. Our estimate assumes all four sides need it.
Frequently asked questions
How many pavers do I need for a 10x10 patio?
Using 4 × 8 in pavers, a 10 × 10 ft patio needs 450 pavers, or about 495 with 10% waste.
How deep should a paver base be?
4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed stone for patios and walkways, and 8 to 12 inches for driveways, plus 1 inch of sand.