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Paver Calculator

Find how many pavers to buy for a patio, path or driveway, with extra for cuts, plus the base gravel and bedding sand you need.

Level: Grades 6–7

  • Common Core standard 6.G.A.2Find the volume of a right rectangular prism with fractional edge lengths by packing it with unit cubes of the appropriate unit fraction edge lengths, and show that the volume is the same as would be found by multiplying the edge lengths of the prism. Apply the formulas V = l w h and V = b h to find volumes of right rectangular prisms with fractional edge lengths in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.
  • Common Core standard 6.RP.A.3.dUse ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.
Printable worksheet

Paver Calculator

Inputs
Units
Paved area
Paver coverage

The space one paver covers when laid. A common brick-style paver is 4 × 8 in.

Edges, curves and patterns need cut pavers. 5–10% suits simple layouts; herringbone or curves often need 15%.

Depth after packing down. About 4–6 in is common for patios and walks; driveways need more. Enter 0 to skip.

About 1 in is typical. Enter 0 to skip.

Loose material shrinks when you pack it down. 10–20% extra is common.

Typical value: about 2,800 lb/yd³ for crushed stone base. Ask your supplier.

Typical value: about 2,700 lb/yd³ for dry sand. Damp sand weighs more.

Result

Pavers to buy

594 pavers

Buy about 594 pavers, 1.63 yd³ of base gravel and 0.41 yd³ of bedding sand.

Pavers in the area (before waste)
540 pavers
Base gravel
1.63 yd³
Base gravel weight
2.28 US tons
Bedding sand
0.41 yd³
Bedding sand weight
0.55 US tons
Paved area
120 ft²

See the step-by-step solution ↓

Step-by-step solution

  1. Multiply length by width to get the area you're paving

    12×10=120 ft²

  2. Find how many pavers fit in one ft²: divide the 144 in² in it by the face of one paver (length × width)

    1448×4=4.5 per ft²

  3. Multiply the area by the pavers in each ft² to get the pavers that fill it

    120×4.5=540

  4. Add 10% extra for cuts and breakage, then round up, since you can only buy whole pavers

    540×1+0.1=594=rounded up:594

  5. Base gravel: area × depth (in ÷ 12 turns it into feet), plus extra because it shrinks when packed down. Divide by 27 for cubic yards

    120×412×1+0.127=1.62963 yd³

  6. Base gravel weight: multiply the volume by how heavy each yd³ is (its density), then divide by 2,000 lb per ton

    1.62963×2,8002,000=2.281481 tons

  7. Bedding sand: area × depth (in ÷ 12 turns it into feet), plus extra because it shrinks when packed down. Divide by 27 for cubic yards

    120×112×1+0.127=0.407407 yd³

  8. Bedding sand weight: multiply the volume by how heavy each yd³ is (its density), then divide by 2,000 lb per ton

    0.407407×2,7002,000=0.55 tons

Test yourself

20 quick questions built from this calculator's formula: work out results, predict what happens when an input changes, and work backward from an answer. Every answer comes with the working.

What this calculator does

Find out how many pavers to buy, plus how much gravel and sand go underneath them. A paver patio or path has three layers. The pavers sit on top. Under them is a thin bed of sand. Under the sand is a thicker layer of packed-down gravel, called the base. This calculator works out all three from the size of your area.

The paver count is your area divided by the space one paver covers. If your pallet lists pavers per square foot, you can use that number instead. Either way, the calculator adds extra for cuts and breakage.

The base and sand come from your area and the depths you choose. The calculator adds a little extra, because loose material shrinks when you pack it down. It shows each amount as a volume and as a weight, using typical densities (how heavy the material is for its size) that you can change.

These are estimates of what to buy. The right base depth depends on your soil, drainage, climate and how much traffic the area gets. So follow the paver maker's installation guide and any local rules.

Where it's used

Why this math matters outside the classroom:

  • Patio pavers. A 12 × 10 ft patio of 4 × 8 in pavers needs 120 × 4.5 = 540 pavers before waste.
  • Base gravel. A 4 in gravel base under that 120 ft² patio is 40 ft³, or about 1.48 cubic yards.
  • Bedding sand. A 1 in sand bed under the same 120 ft² patio takes 10 ft³ of sand.
  • Garden paths. A 30 ft path 3 ft wide of 12 × 12 in stepping pavers needs 90 pavers plus a few spares for cuts.
  • Metric pavers. In metric, 200 × 100 mm pavers cover 1,000,000 ÷ 20,000 = 50 per square meter.

Grade level and standards: Grades 6–7; Common Core State Standards for Mathematics 6.G.A.2, 6.RP.A.3.d. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

How to use it

  1. Choose US units (feet, inches, cubic yards, tons) or metric units (meters, millimeters, cubic meters, tonnes).
  2. Enter the area as length × width. For an odd shape, type in the area if you already know it.
  3. Enter the size of one paver as it's laid. Or switch to pavers per unit area if the product lists that number.
  4. Set the extra for waste, the base and sand depths and the extra for compaction. Then read the pavers to buy and the base and sand amounts.

What the inputs mean

Paver length
The space one paver covers once it's laid, usually the size listed for it. Most pavers have tiny spacer bumps and thin sand gaps you can ignore. If your gaps are wide, add the gap to each side's measurement.
Pavers per square foot
Many makers list how many pavers cover one square foot (or square meter). This is common for patterns that mix sizes. Use that number here.
Pavers per square meter
Often printed on the pallet or product sheet.
Extra pavers for cuts and breakage
Cutting pavers at edges and around obstacles leaves pieces you can't use. 5–10% extra is typical for straight layouts. Herringbone (a zigzag pattern), diagonal and curved designs need more.
Base gravel depth
How thick the crushed stone base is after it's packed down. Walkways and patios often use about 4–6 in (10–15 cm). Driveways and poor soils need more.
Bedding sand depth
The smoothed, level bed of coarse sand the pavers sit on, usually about 1 in (2.5–3 cm). The sand you sweep into the gaps after laying is a small extra amount.
Extra base and sand for compaction
Gravel and sand shrink by roughly 10–20% when you pack them down. So you need more loose material than the finished layer holds.
Base gravel density
Typical value: about 2,800 lb/yd³ for crushed stone base. Ask your supplier.
Sand density
Typical value: about 2,700 lb/yd³ for dry sand. Damp sand weighs more.

Formula and method

pavers per ft² = 144 ÷ (length in × width in);   pavers per m² = 1,000,000 ÷ (length mm × width mm)
pavers to buy = area × pavers per unit area × (1 + waste % ÷ 100), rounded up
US layer volume (yd³) = area ft² × depth in ÷ 12 × (1 + compaction % ÷ 100) ÷ 27
metric layer volume (m³) = area m² × depth cm ÷ 100 × (1 + compaction % ÷ 100)
weight = volume × density  (US: lb ÷ 2,000 = tons)

A square foot holds 144 square inches (in²), and a square meter holds 1,000,000 square millimeters (mm²). Divide that by the face of one paver, and you get how many pavers fit in each square foot or meter. Multiply by your area and add the waste allowance. Then round up to whole pavers.

The base and sand are flat layers, so each one is area times depth. The calculator then adds the compaction allowance. Dividing the depth by 12 turns inches into feet, and dividing by 27 turns cubic feet into cubic yards (yd³). Weight is volume times density. The densities here are typical values, so swap in your supplier's numbers if you have them.

Worked example

A 12 ft × 10 ft patio uses 4 × 8 in pavers with 10% extra, on 4 in of base gravel and 1 in of bedding sand with 10% extra for compaction.

  1. Area: 12 × 10 = 120 ft².
  2. Pavers per ft²: 144 ÷ (8 × 4) = 4.5.
  3. Pavers: 120 × 4.5 = 540; with 10% extra, 540 × 1.1 = 594 pavers.
  4. Base: 120 × (4 ÷ 12) × 1.1 ÷ 27 = 1.63 yd³, weighing 1.63 × 2,800 ÷ 2,000 = 2.28 tons.
  5. Sand: 120 × (1 ÷ 12) × 1.1 ÷ 27 = 0.41 yd³, weighing 0.41 × 2,700 ÷ 2,000 = 0.55 tons.

Result: Buy 594 pavers, about 1.63 cubic yards (2.28 tons) of base gravel and 0.41 cubic yards (0.55 tons) of bedding sand.

Understanding the result

Pavers are often sold by the pallet, or by how many square feet they cover. Round up to whole pallets or bundles. Keep a few spares from the same batch for future repairs, because colors vary from one batch to the next.

Suppliers sell base and sand either by volume or by weight. Use the number that matches their quote, and round up to the amount they deliver in.

Assumptions and limitations

  • The area is flat, and the base and sand are the same depth everywhere.
  • All pavers are the same size, or the pavers-per-area number already averages out a mixed pattern.
  • The gaps between pavers are small enough to ignore, unless you add them to the paver size.
  • This estimates materials; it isn't an installation plan. Base depth, edging, slope and drainage depend on your soil, climate and use. Follow the paver maker's instructions and local rules.
  • It doesn't include the polymeric or joint sand you sweep into the gaps. That's usually a small amount, listed on its bag.
  • Estimate curved edges and borders made of a different paver separately.

Frequently asked questions

How many pavers do I need per square foot?

Divide 144 by the paver's length times width in inches. A 4 × 8 in paver gives 4.5 per ft², a 6 × 6 in paver gives 4, and a 12 × 12 in paver gives 1.

How much sand do I need under pavers?

A 1 inch bed over 100 ft² is 100 × (1 ÷ 12) = 8.33 ft³, or about 0.31 yd³. That's before the extra for compaction. The calculator adds that extra and gives you the weight too.

How deep should the base be under pavers?

Walkways and patios often use about 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) of packed crushed stone. Driveways and soft or wet soils need more. Let the paver maker's guide and local practice decide the final depth.

Why add extra pavers?

Pavers get cut at the edges and around obstacles, and a few break while you handle them. The extra covers those losses. Spares from the same batch also help later repairs match.

How this calculator is checked

Method: Unit count = area ÷ unit face area; layer volume = area × depth × compaction allowance; weight = volume × density; exact unit factors (144 in²/ft², 27 ft³/yd³). The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-18. Found a problem? Tell us.

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