Paver Calculator: How Many Pavers Do I Need?
Enter the patio area and the size of the paver. You will get three separate orders — the pavers, the compacted base underneath and the bedding sand between them — because a paver patio is three deliveries, and turning up with only the pavers is the classic way to stall a weekend.
Patio and paver size
Measure the finished surface, not the excavation around it.
Base material compacts by considerably more than the paver allowance covers — expect to order extra, or to top it up after the first pass with a plate compactor. Base depth also depends on the soil and what the patio will carry.
How many pavers do I need?
Take the patio area, add a cutting allowance, and divide by the face area of one paver. A 4 × 8 in paver covers 32 square inches, so there are four and a half to the square foot — small units add up quickly and a rounding error compounds.
The base and sand are calculated on the patio itself, not on the cutting allowance. Offcut pavers do not need their own foundation.
The three layers
| Layer | Typical depth | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Compacted base | 4 in | Carries the load and drains |
| Bedding sand | 1 in | Screeded level so pavers sit flat |
| Pavers | Product depth | The surface itself |
A patio carrying vehicles needs a deeper base than one carrying furniture. Soft or poorly draining soil needs more again, and so does a frost-prone climate — 4 in is the pedestrian minimum on established, well-draining ground.
Bedding sand is screeded, not compacted, and it should stay thin and even. Using it to level out a bad base does not work: the sand migrates and the patio ripples within a season.
How much waste to allow
| Waste | Good starting point for |
|---|---|
| 5% | A rectangular patio laid square |
| 10% | Curves, borders, or a diagonal layout |
| 15% | Circles, fans, or heavy cutting |
Paver waste is cutting waste. A rectangle laid square wastes very little; a curved edge, a circular feature or a herringbone pattern against a wall all produce offcuts that cannot be reused.
How to measure
Not the excavation, which extends past the edge for the base.
The dimensions you lay, not including any spacer nibs on the sides.
Four inches suits foot traffic on decent soil; more for vehicles or soft ground.
Common mistakes
- Ordering the pavers and forgetting the base and sand entirely.
- Under-ordering base material because it compacts more than expected.
- Using thick bedding sand to correct an uneven base.
- Measuring the excavation rather than the finished patio.
Sourcing the base material?
Price the crushed stone by the ton as well as the yard.
Open the Gravel Calculator →