Paver Calculator
Pavers and gravel base for a patio or walkway of any size.
Input sheet
DIY at your own risk. Calcora's calculators and guides are general estimates and information only — not professional, engineering, legal, or safety advice. Always verify local building codes and permit requirements, and hire a licensed pro for electrical, gas, plumbing, structural, or any work you're not fully comfortable doing yourself.
Paver math is straightforward — patio area divided by one paver's face — but the part that decides whether the patio lasts is the base under it. This calculator counts the pavers and sizes the gravel base in the same pass.
How it works
Pavers = patio area in square inches ÷ one paver's area, plus waste. The base metric figures 4 inches of compacted gravel under the whole patio.
Paver count converts the patio to square inches (area × 144) and divides by one paver's length × width, then adds waste for the cut pieces at every edge. The default 8 × 4 in paver runs 4.5 per square foot; larger slabs need fewer but waste more per cut.
The gravel-base metric figures 4 inches of compacted base under the full patio footprint, converted to cubic yards. On top of that goes about 1 inch of bedding sand — use the sand calculator for that layer.
Pavers = patio area (sq ft) × 144 ÷ (paver length × width in inches) × (1 + waste), rounded up. Base gravel = area × (4 ÷ 12) ÷ 27 cubic yards.
Worked examples
A 12 × 10 ft patio in 8 × 4 in pavers with 5% waste. → 567 pavers over about 1.5 cu yd of gravel base.
120 sq ft × 144 = 17,280 sq in; ÷ 32 = 540 pavers; × 1.05 = 567. Base: 120 × 0.333 ÷ 27 ≈ 1.5 yd.
A 20 × 3 ft walkway in the same paver. → 284 pavers.
60 sq ft × 144 ÷ 32 = 270; × 1.05 = 283.5, rounded up to 284.
Tips & gotchas
- Diagonal and herringbone patterns cut more edge pieces — use 10% waste instead of 5% for anything other than a running bond.
- Buy the full order at once and from one pallet lot; paver color varies batch to batch just like tile.
- Compact the gravel base in 2 in lifts, not one thick pass — under-compacted base is why pavers dip after the first winter.
FAQ
What goes under the pavers?
About 4 in of compacted gravel topped with 1 in of bedding sand. Skipping the base is why patios heave and dip.
Do I need edge restraint?
Yes. Plastic or concrete edging pinned at the perimeter is what stops the field from spreading. Skipping it undoes the whole base job in a season or two.
Polymeric sand or regular sand in the joints?
Polymeric sand hardens after wetting and resists weeds and washout — worth it for most patios. Plain sand is cheaper but migrates.
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