How much paver base do I need?
Base gravel is area × depth, plus 12% for compaction, at 110 lb per cu ft. For a 12×12 ft patio that is 2.96 US tons at a 4 in base and 4.44 tons at 6 in.
Paver Base and Sand Calculator: Gravel, Bedding and Joint Sand
Enter the size of your patio or walkway and the depth of the gravel base. The calculator returns tons of compacted base gravel, tons and bags of bedding sand and bags of polymeric joint sand, together with the pavers themselves and the edging.
1. Material Grade & Project Dimensions
Area: 192.0 sq ft (17.84 m²)
2. Material Takeoff, Blueprint & Cost
Total Pavers Needed (incl. cut waste)
934 Pavers
192.0 sq ft (17.8 m²) · +8% Waste
Compacted Gravel Base (6")
5.91 US tons
3.98 cu yd (+12% compaction)
Bedding Sand Layer (1")
0.88 US tons
or 36 × 50-lb bags
Polymeric Joint Sand (50 lb)
3 bags
Covers ~65 sq ft per 50-lb bag
Perimeter Edging & Spikes
56 lin ft
38 anchoring spikes (@ 18" spacing)
Patio Material Breakdown: Pavers + Sub-Base
$5.54 / sq ft
934 Paver Stones / Slabs
$635
Crushed Stone Base + Bedding & Polymeric Sand
$428
Estimated Total Material Cost
$1,063
Show Step-by-Step Formula & Takeoff Math
Patio Net Area = 192.00 sq ft (17.84 m²)
Pavers (+8% waste) = 934 units
Gravel Base (6" deep × 1.12 compaction) = 3.98 cu yd (5.91 US tons)
Base, bedding sand and joint sand
A paver patio is three layers under the stones: compacted gravel base, a 1 in screeded bedding sand layer and polymeric sand swept into the joints. The calculator finds the area from your zones, multiplies it by the layer depth and adds an allowance, then converts the volume to tons. It adds 12% to the base for compaction and 10% to the sand, and weighs the gravel at 110 lb per cu ft and the sand at 100 lb per cu ft.
Example: a 16×12 ft patio with a 6 in base is 3.98 cu yd or 5.91 US tons of gravel. The 1 in sand layer is 0.88 tons, which is 36 bags of 50 lb, and the joints take 3 bags of polymeric sand (one 50-lb bag per 65 sq ft). The paver count, 934 4×8 in bricks, is in the same results.
Foot-traffic patios and walkways usually get a 4 to 6 in base. For a driveway raise the base to 8 in or more; type the depth into the Gravel Base Depth field and the tons update at once. Bedding sand should stay at about 1 in, because a thicker layer settles unevenly.
Base gravel, bedding sand and polymeric sand by patio size
| Patio | Base at 4 in | Base at 6 in | Bedding sand (1 in) | Polymeric sand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10×10 ft | 2.05 tons | 3.08 tons | 0.46 tons · 19 bags | 2 bags |
| 12×12 ft | 2.96 tons | 4.44 tons | 0.66 tons · 27 bags | 3 bags |
| 12×16 ft | 3.94 tons | 5.91 tons | 0.88 tons · 36 bags | 3 bags |
| 16×20 ft | 6.57 tons | 9.86 tons | 1.47 tons · 59 bags | 5 bags |
| 20×30 ft | 12.32 tons | 18.48 tons | 2.75 tons · 111 bags | 10 bags |
Frequently Asked Questions & Field Guide
How much sand goes under pavers?
One inch of coarse bedding sand. The calculator adds 10% and gives 0.66 US tons for a 12×12 ft patio, which is 27 bags of 50 lb. Staying close to 1 in matters more than the exact tonnage: thicker bedding sand settles.
How much polymeric sand do I need for a patio?
Plan one 50-lb bag per 65 sq ft of pavers, rounded up. That is 3 bags for a 12×12 ft patio and 10 bags for 20×30 ft. Joint width and paver size change the real coverage, so treat it as an estimate.
How deep should the base be for a paver driveway?
Use a deeper base than for a patio. The preset sets 8 in, which for 40×12 ft comes to 19.7 US tons of base gravel. Check the local guidance for the soil and the loads.