Enter the area, the paver size and the depth of base and sand. The calculator counts the pavers with waste for cuts and gives the cubic yards of base gravel and bedding sand underneath.
Paver formulas
Pavers per sq ft = 144 ÷ (paver length × width, in inches) Pavers = area × pavers per sq ft × (1 + waste %) Base (cu yd) = area × base depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 Sand (cu yd) = area × sand depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27
Worked example: a 12 × 12 ft patio of 4 × 8 in pavers
- Area: 144 sq ft; pavers per sq ft: 144 ÷ 32 = 4.5.
- Pavers with 10% waste: 144 × 4.5 × 1.10 = 713.
- Base at 6 in: 2.67 cu yd. Sand at 1 in: 0.44 cu yd.
How deep should the base be?
Unilock recommends 4 to 6 in of compacted base for pedestrian walkways and 8 to 12 in for driveways. Clay or poorly draining soil may need more. A 1 in sand bed is a common setting depth; follow the paver maker’s installation guide. Use the paver base calculator for tons of base material.
Pavers per sq ft by size
| Paver | Per sq ft | Per 100 sq ft with 10% |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 8 in | 4.5 | 495 |
| 6 × 6 in | 4 | 440 |
| 6 × 9 in | 2.67 | 294 |
| 12 × 12 in | 1 | 110 |
| 16 × 16 in | 0.56 | 62 |
| 12 × 24 in | 0.5 | 55 |
Questions
How many pavers for a 10 × 10 patio?
495 pavers of 4 × 8 in, including 10% waste.
How much waste for pavers?
5–10% for a straight pattern, more for herringbone or curved edges; this is a common rule of thumb.
Do I need polymeric sand?
It is commonly used to fill the joints; the polymeric sand calculator estimates the bags.
How much waste for a curved or irregular patio?
More than for a square one, because every paver along a curve is cut and many offcuts cannot be reused. A common rule of thumb is 10% for straight edges and 15% or more for curves, circles and herringbone; measure a curved area as the rectangle that encloses it, or split it into rectangles and circles.
Sources
- Do’s and Don’ts of Paver Installation: Base Preparation, Unilock.
Used for: Base depth of 4–6 in for walkways and 8–12 in for driveways.