Yardstickly

Paver calculator

How many pavers for a patio or path, and how much base stone and bedding sand to order.

Measure in

Decimals work everywhere. On a keyboard you can also type 10' 6" or 3 1/2.

Areas to cover

Area 1

ft
ft
ft
sq ft

Split L-shaped or odd-shaped spaces into rectangles and circles.

Pavers
in
in
in

Many pavers have spacer nibs that set this.

%
Base and sand
in

Typical for patios and paths. Driveways need more.

in
%

Loose stone and sand settle when compacted.

Add prices for a cost estimate

How it works

Each paver takes up its own size plus half a joint on every side, so we divide the area by (length + joint) × (width + joint), then add an allowance for the pavers you'll cut at the edges. The base and sand are the area × their depth, plus extra because loose stone and sand settle when you compact them. Weights use about 1.6 tonnes per cubic metre, which you can change.

Cross-section of a paver patioPavers sit on a thin bed of sand over a deeper compacted crushed-stone base. paver sand ≈ 1 in / 30 mm compacted base≈ 4–6 in(100–150 mm) paver + joint
Count pavers by their size plus one joint; work out sand and base as area × depth, plus extra for compaction.

Worked example

A 12 × 10 ft patio in 4 × 8 in pavers with ⅛ in joints, laid in running bond:

A metric example: a 4 × 3 m patio in 200 × 100 mm block pavers laid herringbone, with 3 mm joints, takes 632 pavers including 10% for cuts, 1.44 m³ of sub-base (about 2.3 tonnes) and 0.43 m³ of sand.

How deep should the base be?

For footpaths and patios, a compacted base of about 4–6 in (100–150 mm) of crushed stone under 1 in (25–30 mm) of bedding sand is common. Driveways and soft or clay soils need a deeper base. Paver makers publish base depths for each product and use, so check theirs before you dig.

Which pattern wastes most?

Stack bond, running bond and basketweave leave straight edges, so cuts are few: about 5% is usually enough. Herringbone and other angled patterns need a cut on almost every edge paver: allow 10% or more. Curved edges add cuts too. Keep a few spare pavers for repairs, since colours change between batches.

Common questions

How many pavers per square foot?

For 4 × 8 in pavers, about 4.5 per sq ft without joints and about 4.3 with ⅛ in joints. Larger pavers need fewer: divide 144 by the paver's area in square inches.

How many pavers per square metre?

200 × 100 mm block pavers come to 50 per m² without joints, or about 48 with 3 mm joints. Add your allowance for cuts.

How much sand do I need under pavers?

For a 1 in (25 mm) bed, about 0.1 cu yd per 30 sq ft, or 0.025 m³ per m², plus extra for compaction. Joint sand is separate and much less.

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