Paver Calculator
Paver counts, base depth, bedding sand and edge restraint — for the pattern you’re actually laying.
Getting your paver order right
Most paver projects fail below the surface. The base and the edge restraint decide whether the patio is still flat in three years.
Pattern changes your order more than size does
Running bond is the forgiving pattern. Whole pavers do most of the work and the cuts are confined to the edges, so waste stays low.
Herringbone at 45 degrees is the opposite. Every course meets the perimeter at an angle, which means cuts on all four sides and offcuts you mostly cannot reuse. On the same patio, the same pavers, herringbone at 45 degrees will have you ordering meaningfully more than running bond — and running out of a discontinued colour halfway through a patio is a genuinely expensive mistake.
Select your pattern above and the waste allowance adjusts. You can still override it.
Base depth depends on what will be on top
A patio that carries foot traffic and a driveway that carries a car are not the same build, and the difference is almost entirely in the base. Under-specifying it is the most common paver failure — the surface looks right for a season, then dips where the load concentrates.
Set the application above, foot traffic or vehicle, and the calculator adjusts the base depth and the gravel tonnage with it. Soft or poorly drained ground needs more again, so check locally if you are unsure.
Planning pavers alongside the rest of the job
The base under your pavers is gravel — the gravel calculator gives you tonnage by gravel type.
Pouring a concrete edge or footing instead? Work it out with the concrete calculator.
Related calculators
- gravel calculator — for the sub-base tonnage under this surface.
- concrete calculator — for edging, footings and a poured alternative.
FAQFrequently asked questions
Divide your area by the size of one paver, then add waste for cuts. A 4 × 8 inch paver covers about a third of a square foot, so a 200 sq ft patio needs roughly 900 before waste. Pattern matters — enter your dimensions, paver size and laying pattern above for an exact count.
It is straight geometry: 144 divided by the paver's area in square inches. A 4 × 8 inch paver gives 4.5 per square foot, a 6 × 6 gives 4, and a 12 × 12 gives 1. Joint width changes this slightly on large areas, which the calculator accounts for.
| Paver size | Pavers per sq ft |
|---|---|
| 4 × 8 inch | 4.5 |
| 6 × 6 inch | 4 |
| 6 × 9 inch | 2.67 |
| 12 × 12 inch | 1 |
Base depth depends on what the pavers will carry. A patio or walkway taking foot traffic needs less than a driveway carrying a vehicle, which needs substantially more and is usually built in layers. Soft or poorly drained ground needs more again. Set the application above and the calculator adjusts the base depth and tonnage.
There are two sands and they are not interchangeable. Bedding sand goes under the pavers as a screeded layer, roughly an inch deep, and is ordered by the ton. Polymeric sand goes into the joints afterwards and is sold in bags, with coverage depending on joint width and paver size. The calculator estimates both.
| Bedding sand | Polymeric sand |
|---|---|
| Under the pavers | In the joints, after laying |
| Screeded, about an inch deep | Swept in and wetted to set |
| Ordered by the ton | Sold in bags |
More than you would for running bond. Herringbone at 45 degrees meets the perimeter at an angle on every side, producing cuts all the way round and offcuts that mostly cannot be reused. Herringbone at 90 degrees sits between the two. Select your pattern above and the waste allowance adjusts automatically.
Yes, on any area without a permanent border. Pavers laid on sand will creep outward under load and the joints open up. Edge restraint is ordered by linear foot around the perimeter, which the calculator works out for you.
Add the base depth, the bedding sand layer and the paver thickness together — that total is your excavation depth. Dig wider than the paved area as well, so there is room to compact the base and set the edge restraint properly.
Sometimes, if the concrete is sound, drains properly and the resulting height still works against doors and thresholds. The method differs from a sand-and-gravel build and drainage is the usual sticking point. Check with an installer before committing, particularly on a driveway.