The paver calculator counts the pavers for a rectangular patio, walk or driveway, then sizes the two layers under them: the compacted aggregate base and the bedding sand. The depths come from the installation guide of the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association.
It is a takeoff for a rectangle on a well-drained site. Curves, steps and slopes change the count, and wet or weak soil changes the base, which is then a design question.
How to use it
- 01
Enter the size
Length and width in feet. For an L-shape, run each rectangle and add the results.
- 02
Pick the paver size
The face size in inches. The count is the area divided by the face of one paver, so a 4-by-8 paver is 4.5 to the square foot and a 12-by-12 is one.
- 03
Choose patio or driveway
The association's guide calls for at least 4 inches of compacted base under patios, sidewalks and pedestrian areas on well-drained soil, and at least 6 under residential driveways. Colder climates and wet or weak soils need more; the slider goes to 12.
- 04
Set the waste on pavers
Ten percent by default, for the cuts at the edges. Base and sand get no allowance here because they are not cut; the gravel calculator adds one to a base if you want it.
How the math works
Pavers
Pavers = area × 144 ÷ (paver length × width in inches) × (1 + waste), rounded up. A 12-by-10 patio in 4-by-8 pavers is 540 pavers net and 594 with ten percent waste.
Base
Cubic yards = area × (base depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27; tons = cubic yards × 2.03, the Tennessee DOT's estimating factor for dense-graded aggregate base per compacted cubic yard. The same patio on a 4-inch base needs 1.48 cubic yards, about 3.0 tons.
Bedding sand
Cubic yards = area × (1 ÷ 12) ÷ 27, for the nominal inch the guide calls for. The weight is a range from the FHWA table for clean sand graded fine to coarse, loosest to densest: the example needs 0.37 cubic yards, 0.42 to 0.69 tons.
Edge restraint
The perimeter, 2 × (length + width). The guide wants at least an inch of restraint in contact with the side of the paver; count only the edges that do not already sit against a wall or a curb.
Where the number goes wrong
- Paving a driveway on a patio base. The guide's minimum for a residential driveway is 6 inches of compacted base, not 4.
- Screeding the bedding sand thicker to hide an uneven base. The unevenness reflects through to the surface over time; fix the base.
- Bedding pavers in stone dust or masonry sand. The guide rules both out and names concrete sand meeting ASTM C33.
- Laying the surface flat. The guide sets slopes at a minimum of 1.5 percent.
- Digging before utilities are marked. The guide says to have lines located before excavating; call 811 a few days ahead.
Questions people ask
How many pavers do I need per square foot?
144 divided by the face of one paver in square inches: 4.5 for a 4-by-8, 4 for a 6-by-6, 2.67 for a 6-by-9, 1 for a 12-by-12 and 0.56 for a 16-by-16. Add a cutting allowance on top.
How deep should the base be under pavers?
The association's installation guide: at least 4 inches compacted under patios and walks on well-drained soil, at least 6 under residential driveways, and more in cold climates or on wet or weak soil.
How thick are pavers for a driveway?
The guide says pedestrian areas, driveways and areas with limited vehicle use are paved with units 2⅜ inches (60 mm) thick; streets and industrial pavements need at least 3⅛ inches.