Loan Paver Estimator
A patio is four materials wearing one name. This estimator counts the pavers by size, then the invisible three underneath and between: gravel base by depth, bedding sand, and the jointing sand that locks it all together.
Patterns matter: running bond cuts little, herringbone cuts at every edge — stay at 10% for straight patterns, go 15% for herringbone or curves. The bedding layer is the standard 1 in of concrete sand; jointing sand is figured at one 50-lb bag per 25 sq ft for standard-width joints.
How it works
Pavers per patio = area ÷ paver face area, plus waste: a 4×8 paver covers 0.222 sq ft, so 4.5 pavers pave each square foot. The base is area × base depth in yards, converted at 1.40 tons per yard for crushed stone. Bedding sand is fixed at the trade-standard 1-in layer (same 1.40 density). Jointing sand is the one everyone forgets: about one 50-lb bag per 25 sq ft of finished patio for standard joints — wide-joint slab patios use more per foot of joint, narrow brick patterns less per bag but there are far more joints.
Formula & worked example
Formula: Pavers = patio area ÷ paver face area (4×8 in = 0.222 sq ft, 6×6 = 0.25, 6×9 = 0.375, 12×12 = 1.0), plus waste. Base gravel = area × base depth in yards × 1.40 tons. Bedding sand = a fixed 1-in layer at the same density. Jointing sand = 1 bag (50 lb) per 25 sq ft.
Worked example: A 12 × 10 ft patio in 4×8 pavers: 120 ÷ 0.222 = 540 pavers, 594 with 10% for cuts; base gravel 1.48 yd (2.07 tons) at 4 in deep; bedding sand 0.52 tons; 5 bags of jointing sand.
When to use this
- Planning a patio or walkway and ordering pavers, base and sands in one list.
- Checking a landscape quote's paver count and base depth against your own area.
- Choosing a paver size — the count changes dramatically, the area doesn't.
- A repair or extension where matching the original paver size matters.
How to use it, step by step
- Measure the patio or walkway area (rectangles; circles at 0.785 × the square).
- Pick the paver size you are laying — note the count per sq ft it implies.
- Choose base depth: 4 in for feet, 6 in for vehicles or clay.
- Set waste by pattern: 10% straight, 15% herringbone or diagonal.
- Order edge restraint and a spare bundle with the pavers.
What the inputs mean
| Input | What it is | Typical values |
|---|---|---|
| Patio dimensions | Finished paved area | Patios 10 × 12 to 16 × 20 ft |
| Paver size | Face size; sets pavers per sq ft | 4×8 classic, 6×9 popular |
| Base depth | Compacted crushed-stone thickness | 4 in patios, 6 in drives |
| Waste % | Edge cuts and breakage | 10% straight, 15% herringbone |
Another worked example
A larger terrace: 16 × 14 ft in 6×9 pavers at 10% waste and a 6-in base for poor soil. Pavers: 224 ÷ 0.375 × 1.1 = 658. Base: 4.15 yards, 5.81 tons. Bedding sand 0.97 tons, and 9 bags of jointing sand for the wider slab joints.
Frequently asked questions
How many 4×8 pavers do I need for a 12 × 10 ft patio?
120 sq ft ÷ 0.222 sq ft per paver = 540 pavers, and 594 with a 10% cutting allowance. Underneath: 1.48 yards (2.07 tons) of base gravel at 4 in, about half a ton of bedding sand, and 5 bags of jointing sand.
How deep should the gravel base be?
Four inches of compacted crushed stone for patios and walkways in decent soil; six inches for driveways, clay soil, or anywhere vehicles will cross. Compaction is in lifts — a 6-in base placed and compacted all at once performs like a 4-in base.
How much jointing sand does a patio take?
Plan on one 50-lb bag per 25 sq ft for common paver patterns. The default 120 sq ft patio takes 5 bags. Polymeric sand follows the same coverage but costs several times more per bag — and buys weed and washout resistance.
Why 10% waste on pavers?
Edges. Every patio perimeter cuts pavers, and a running-bond edge alternates half-pavers. Diagonal and herringbone patterns cut both edges and the corners — 15% is the honest figure there. Leftover whole pavers are spares for the inevitable cracked one in year three.
Can I lay pavers on sand alone, no gravel?
On sand alone the patio will move — the gravel base is what spreads load and drains water. Skipping it is the single most common cause of the wavy, settled patio everyone has seen. The base is the cheapest layer; do not economise there.
🏖️ Just need the sand layer?
Bedding or jointing a repair? The Sand Estimator sizes any sand layer by area, depth and sand type.
How many pavers are on a pallet?
Roughly 480–540 of the 4×8 brick size (about 108–120 sq ft per pallet). The default patio (594 pavers, 120 sq ft) is a pallet and a bit — ask the yard whether the overage ships as a partial band or loose units.
Can I reuse the excavated soil as base?
No — topsoil and clay are exactly what the gravel base exists to replace. Excavated soil goes to beds and grading (the Topsoil Estimator sizes where it can land); the patio gets compacted crushed stone with fines, which locks rather than shifts.