Paver Calculator
Pavers, base stone, bedding sand, joint sand and edging — the whole order, not just the top layer.
Pavers to buy
1083
- Area
- 240 sq ft
- Coverage per paver
- 0.233 sq ft · 4.30 per sq ft
- Exact fit
- 1,031 pavers
- Cutting waste (5%)
- +51 pavers
- Base stone (4 in compacted)
- 3.70 yd³ · 5.56 tons
- Bedding sand (1.00 in)
- 0.74 yd³ · 0.96 tons
- Polymeric joint sand
- 4 bags (50 lb)
- Edge restraint
- 64 ft · 11 pieces · 64 spikes
- Excavation
- 5.46 yd³ of spoil
Materials only. Excavation, compaction, geotextile and labour are separate, and on a driveway the base work usually exceeds the paver cost.
Pricing the base stone on its own? Use the gravel calculator →
How this is calculated
paver sq ft = (width + joint) × (length + joint) / 144 pavers = ceil( area / paver sq ft × (1 + waste%) ) base order = area × depth(in)/12 / 27 / (1 − compaction%) base tons = base order × density / 2,000 bedding = area × depth(in)/12 / 27 (no compaction) joint bags = ceil( area / coverage ) spikes = perimeter(ft), one per foot
The joint is added to both dimensions before dividing, because every paver carries half a joint on each of its four sides — which works out to one full joint in each direction. On a 4 by 8 paver that is a 3% difference against ignoring it, small per paver and about thirty pavers on a large patio.
Base stone is divided by the compaction factor rather than multiplied, so a 20% loss means ordering 25% more, not 20%. Bedding sand is not treated that way on purpose: it is screeded to depth and left alone until the pavers are down and the plate compactor passes over the finished surface. Compacting the sand first is a common and unrecoverable mistake.
Pavers per square foot by size
| Paver | With 1/8 in joint | Per sq ft | Per 100 sq ft | Tight-butted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holland 4" × 8" | 0.233 sq ft | 4.30 | 430 | 4.50 |
| 6" × 6" | 0.261 sq ft | 3.84 | 384 | 4.00 |
| 6" × 9" | 0.388 sq ft | 2.58 | 258 | 2.67 |
| 8" × 8" | 0.458 sq ft | 2.18 | 219 | 2.25 |
| 12" × 12" | 1.021 sq ft | 0.98 | 98 | 1.00 |
| 12" × 24" plank | 2.031 sq ft | 0.49 | 50 | 0.50 |
| 16" × 16" | 1.806 sq ft | 0.55 | 56 | 0.56 |
| 24" × 24" slab | 4.042 sq ft | 0.25 | 25 | 0.25 |
Both columns are generated by the same arithmetic the calculator runs. The gap between them is what the joint costs you in count — larger on small pavers, since a 4 by 8 has far more joint per square foot than a 24 by 24 slab does.
Base depth and stone by use
| Use | Compacted base | Yd³ per 100 sq ft | Tons per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walkway, foot traffic | 4 in | 1.54 | 2.31 |
| Patio | 4 in | 1.54 | 2.31 |
| Patio over clay or poor soil | 6 in | 2.31 | 3.47 |
| Driveway, cars | 8 in | 3.09 | 4.63 |
| Driveway, heavy vehicles | 12 in | 4.63 | 6.94 |
Ordered volumes at 20% compaction and 3,000 lb per cubic yard crusher run. Add geotextile between soil and stone on anything soft: it costs little and it is the difference between a base that stays put and one that pumps up into the stone over a few wet seasons.
Frequently asked questions
How many pavers do I need?
Divide the area by the face area of one paver including its joint, then add waste for cutting. A 4 by 8 inch paver with a 1/8 inch joint covers 0.233 square feet, so a 200 square foot patio needs about 860 pavers before waste and roughly 905 laid in running bond. Buy the waste in the same delivery: pavers are made in batches and the colour of a later pallet rarely matches.
How deep should the base be under pavers?
Four inches of compacted crushed stone for a patio or walkway on decent soil, six over clay or anywhere that holds water, and eight to twelve for a driveway. On top of that goes one inch of bedding sand, screeded and never compacted before the pavers go down. Nearly every failed paver installation failed in the base, not the surface, and no amount of care with the pavers compensates for a thin one.
What sand goes under pavers?
Coarse concrete sand, screeded to exactly one inch. Not mason sand, which is too fine and holds water, and not more than an inch, because a thick sand layer keeps consolidating under traffic and the surface goes wavy. The joints between the pavers get a different material: polymeric sand, swept in and watered so it sets and locks the field together.
How much waste should I add for cutting?
Five percent for running bond on a rectangle, ten for 90 degree herringbone, and fifteen to twenty for anything laid at 45 degrees, because every course meets the edge at an angle and the offcut is unusable. Curves and circle kits run higher still. The pattern decides this more than skill does, which is why picking herringbone is a material cost decision as well as a look.
Do I need edge restraint?
Yes, on every free edge that is not against a building or a curb. Pavers are held by the friction of the joint sand and by nothing else, so an unrestrained edge migrates outward season by season and the joints open behind it. Plastic edging spiked every twelve inches is the standard answer, and it is one of the cheapest parts of the job to do properly.
How much does a paver patio cost?
Materials alone typically land between six and fifteen dollars per square foot depending on the paver, and installed cost runs three to four times that once excavation, base, compaction and labour are included. The base material is usually the biggest surprise: a driveway needing twelve inches of compacted stone can use more tonnage than the pavers cost.
Results are planning estimates. Paver dimensions vary by manufacturer, stone density varies by quarry, and local codes may require deeper base or a permit for a driveway. Confirm the paver spec sheet and the base requirement before ordering.