Loam & Level

Paver calculator

Enter the size of your patio or walkway and the size of one paver. You'll get the number of pavers, plus the base gravel and bedding sand that go underneath.

–pavers
Area (sq ft)
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Base gravel (cu yd)
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Base gravel (tons)
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Bedding sand (cu yd)
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Bedding sand (tons)
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Gravel weight assumes 1.4 tons per cu yd and sand 1.3 tons per cu yd.

How deep should the base be?

ProjectGravel baseSand bed
Walkway or patio4–6 in1 in
Patio on clay or wet soil6–8 in1 in
Driveway8–12 in1 in

Lay and compact the gravel in layers of 2 to 3 inches. A plate compactor, which most tool rental shops carry, makes a firm base that won't settle unevenly later.

How the math works

Divide the area by the area of one paver, then add extra for cuts. A 12 by 10 foot patio is 120 square feet. A 12 by 6 inch paver covers half a square foot, so you need 240 pavers, or 264 with 10% extra. A 4 inch gravel base for that patio is about 1.5 cubic yards.

Common questions

Why add 10% extra?

Edges and corners need cut pieces, and a few pavers usually chip or break. Herringbone and other angled patterns need more cuts, so order 15% extra for those.

What kind of gravel goes under pavers?

Use crushed stone with a mix of sizes, often sold as paver base or road base. The angular pieces lock together when compacted. Round pea gravel doesn't lock and shifts under weight.

What sand goes under pavers?

Coarse concrete sand is the standard bedding layer. Fine play sand holds too much water and washes out over time.

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