Paver Calculator
Calculate pavers, sand, and gravel for your patio or walkway.
This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.
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This calculator tells you how many pavers to buy and how much base material to order for a patio, walkway, or driveway. Here is how to get an accurate estimate:
- Enter your area dimensions. Type the length and width of the space you are paving in feet. For irregular shapes, break the area into rectangles and use the calculator separately for each, then add the paver counts together.
- Choose your paver size. Select from the common presets (4x8 brick, 6x6, 6x9, 12x12, 16x16, 24x24) or choose "Custom size" and enter exact dimensions in inches. The calculator uses the face dimensions to determine how many pavers fit in your area.
- Set the waste factor. The default 10% accounts for cuts, breakage, and irregular edges. For simple rectangular areas with minimal cuts, 5% may be enough. For diagonal or herringbone patterns, use 15-20% since more cutting is required.
- Set the joint width. The default 0.25 inches is typical for tight-fit installations. Wider joints (0.5 inches or more) use more polymeric sand per square foot. The polymeric sand bag estimate adjusts based on the joint width you enter.
- Read your results. The primary result is the number of pavers. The breakdown shows base gravel (4 inches deep), leveling sand (1 inch deep), polymeric sand bags, and edge restraint length.
Results update as you type. Use Share to send your inputs to a contractor or supplier, or Copy to paste the paver count into a message.
About the Paver Calculator
Installing pavers requires more than just counting how many fit in your space. A proper installation needs a compacted gravel base, a leveling sand bed, polymeric sand in the joints, and edge restraints around the perimeter to keep everything from spreading over time.
This calculator uses standard installation depths: 4 inches of compacted gravel base (using a conversion of 1.4 tons per cubic yard for crushed stone) and 1 inch of coarse bedding sand (using 1.35 tons per cubic yard). These are the depths recommended by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute for most residential applications. Heavier traffic areas may need a 6-inch gravel base, so adjust your order accordingly.
Polymeric sand estimates use 1 bag per 25 square feet for narrow joints (0.25 inches) and 1 bag per 50 square feet for wide joints (0.5 inches or more), which matches manufacturer guidance for most standard paver products. Bag sizes from different brands vary slightly, so check the coverage rate on the bag you purchase.
All calculations run entirely in your browser. No data is stored or transmitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pavers do I need for a 12x10 foot patio?
A 12x10 foot patio (120 square feet) with a 10% waste factor requires 132 square feet of coverage. Using 12x12 inch pavers (1 square foot each), you need 132 pavers. Using 4x8 inch brick pavers (0.222 square feet each), you need 595 pavers. Always round up and buy a few extras for future repairs.
How deep should the base be under pavers?
For most residential patios and walkways, use a 4-inch compacted gravel base topped with 1 inch of coarse bedding sand. Driveways that will support vehicle traffic should have a 6 to 8 inch gravel base. The gravel base must be compacted in 2 to 3 inch lifts using a plate compactor. Skipping proper compaction is the most common cause of paver settling and shifting.
What is polymeric sand and how much do I need?
Polymeric sand is a blend of fine sand and a polymer binder that, when activated with water, hardens and locks the joint sand in place. It resists erosion, deters weed growth, and discourages insects from nesting between pavers. For narrow joints (about 0.25 inches), plan on 1 bag per 25 square feet. For wider joints (0.5 inches), plan on 1 bag per 50 square feet. Coverage rates vary by brand and joint depth, so always read the label.
Why add extra pavers for waste?
Pavers along edges and around curves must be cut to fit, and some cuts produce unusable small pieces. Breakage during cutting and handling adds more losses. A 10% waste factor covers straight-cut rectangular patios. Diagonal patterns, curves, or intricate designs may waste 15-20% or more. It is also worth buying 5-10 extra pavers beyond your calculation to keep on hand for future repairs, since dye lots can change and matching pavers years later can be difficult.