About Paver Patio Calculator (Pavers, Base & Sand)
The paver patio calculator counts the pavers, base gravel, bedding sand, polymeric jointing sand, and edge restraint to buy for an interlocking concrete paver patio, walkway, or driveway apron. Enter the area directly or as length × width, pick a paver face size (4×8, 6×6, 6×9, 12×12 inch, or a custom size), and choose the lay pattern. The paver count is the area divided by one paver face, grossed up by a pattern waste allowance — 5% for a running or stack bond, 10% for herringbone where every course is cut at the edges, and 15% for circular or fan layouts that cut nearly every perimeter and wedge unit.
Under the pavers, the calculator follows ICPI-style flexible-pavement practice: a compacted crushed-aggregate base at 4 inches for pedestrian traffic or 8 inches where vehicles will drive (custom 2–12 inches), ordered with a 1.15 loose-to-compacted allowance, and a bedding sand layer screeded at a fixed 1 inch — the bedding course is not a leveling layer and should never be thickened to make up base grade. Polymeric jointing sand is counted at a representative 80 ft² per bag, but coverage varies strongly with joint width and paver size, so check the chart on the bag you buy. Base depth is representative practice too: frost depth, soil drainage, and local standards govern, so verify with your local requirements.
How It Works
- Enter the patio area directly in square feet, or switch to length × width mode and enter the two dimensions in feet (up to 20,000 ft²).
- Enter the open perimeter in lineal feet — the edges that need plastic or aluminum edge restraint spiked into the base. Enter 0 if the patio is fully edged by the house, a wall, or existing edging.
- Pick the paver face size from the presets (4×8 holland, 6×6, 6×9, 12×12 inch) or choose custom and enter the width and length in inches (2 to 24 in).
- Pick the lay pattern — running bond, stack bond, herringbone, or circular — to set the waste allowance for cuts, breakage, and spares.
- Pick the base duty (4-in pedestrian or 8-in vehicular preset) or enter a custom compacted base depth from 2 to 12 inches; the gravel order carries a 1.15 compaction factor.
- Read the results: pavers to buy, compacted base and bedding sand in cubic yards, polymeric sand bags, edge restraint sticks, and a chart comparing the paver count across all four patterns.
Worked Example
A 10 × 12 ft backyard patio (120 ft²) gets 4×8 in pavers in a running bond over a 4-inch pedestrian base, with 44 LF of open perimeter (one side sits against the house). Each paver covers 32 in², so the net count is 120 × 144 / 32 = 540 pavers, and 5% running-bond waste grosses that up to ceil(567) = 567 pavers. The compacted base is 120 × (4/12) / 27 = 1.481 yd³, ordered at × 1.15 = 1.704 yd³ of gravel. Bedding sand at the fixed 1-inch screed depth is 120 × (1/12) / 27 = 0.370 yd³. Polymeric sand at 80 ft² per bag needs ceil(120 / 80) = 2 bags, and the 44 LF of open edge needs ceil(44 / 8) = 6 eight-foot restraint sticks.
Formulas
- Paver count
N = ceil( A x 144 / A_paver x (1 + w) )- Compacted aggregate base
V_base = A x (d / 12) / 27 x 1.15- Bedding sand
V_sand = A x (1 / 12) / 27- Polymeric sand and edge restraint
bags = ceil( A / 80 ); sticks = ceil( P / 8 )
Standards & References
- ICPI Tech Spec 2 — construction of interlocking concrete pavement (practice basis)
- ASTM C936 — solid concrete interlocking paving units
- ASTM C33 bedding sand gradation — 1-in screeded bedding course
- Representative quantities — local frost depth, soils, and product coverage charts govern
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pavers do I need per square foot?
Divide 144 by the paver face area in square inches: a 4×8 in paver (32 in²) runs 4.5 per ft², a 6×6 runs 4 per ft², a 6×9 runs 2.67 per ft², and a 12×12 is exactly 1 per ft². Then add the pattern waste — 5% for running or stack bond, 10% for herringbone, 15% for circular layouts — for cuts, breakage, and spare units from the same production lot.
How deep should the paver base be?
Common ICPI-style practice is a minimum of about 4 inches of compacted crushed aggregate for pedestrian traffic (patios, walkways) and 8 inches or more where vehicles drive. These are representative figures: poorly drained clay soils and deep-frost climates commonly need thicker bases, so check local practice and your municipality before excavating. The calculator applies a 1.15 factor so the loose gravel you order compacts down to the design depth.
How much bedding sand goes under pavers?
A fixed 1-inch screeded layer of concrete (coarse washed) bedding sand, per ICPI practice. The bedding course is not a leveling layer — do not thicken it to correct a low base, because thick sand ruts and lets pavers settle unevenly. The calculator holds this depth at 1 inch regardless of the base depth you choose.
How much polymeric sand do I need?
The calculator uses a representative 80 ft² per bag, but real coverage varies more than any other material here — wide joints, small pavers (more joint per square foot), and thick pavers all drink more sand, and manufacturers quote anywhere from about 50 to 100+ ft² per bag by joint profile. Treat the bag count as a buying estimate and check the coverage chart on the specific product you buy.
Do I need edge restraint on every side?
Every open edge needs restraint — spiked plastic or aluminum edging, or a concrete curb — because interlocking pavers rely on edge confinement to keep the sand-set surface from spreading under load. Sides that butt a house foundation, an existing slab, or a wall are already confined, so measure only the open perimeter; enter 0 if the patio is fully bounded by structures. Sticks come in 8-ft lengths in this calculator.
What waste percentage should I use for a paver pattern?
Running bond and stack bond laid square to the edges waste about 5%. Herringbone runs the courses at 45° or 90° to the border, so nearly every course ends in a cut — plan on 10%. Circular, fan, and other curved layouts cut almost every perimeter unit and use wedge cuts throughout, so 15% is a realistic allowance. Small or irregular patios with lots of curves sit at the high end of each range.