How Many Bricks for a Patio?
Brick laid flat as paving is counted by the pavers per square foot - about 4.5 for a standard 4 × 8 in brick. Here is the figure by brick size, a table by patio size (12 × 12 included), the sand and gravel base, and a worked example.
By the Calculate My Reno Team / Published
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Brick laid flat as paving is counted differently from brick in a wall: it lies on its largest face, so you work in pavers per square foot of patio, and there is a gravel and sand base to plan underneath.
Skip the math
For a patio, the paver calculator is the right tool - enter the patio size and the paver size and it gives the paver count plus the gravel sub-base and bedding sand. This guide is the quick figures behind it.
The quick formula
pavers per sq ft = 144 ÷ (paver length × width, in inches)
patio pavers = ceil( patio area × pavers/sq ft × waste )
Sand-set pavers butt up with only a few millimetres of jointing sand between them, so the joint barely changes the count - you work straight off the paver’s flat face.
Brick pavers per square foot
| Paver (laid flat) | Face area | Pavers per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 8 in (standard brick) | 32 sq in | 4.5 |
| 6 × 6 in | 36 sq in | 4.0 |
| 6 × 9 in | 54 sq in | 2.7 |
| 8 × 8 in | 64 sq in | 2.25 |
| 12 × 12 in | 144 sq in | 1.0 |
Pavers by patio size
Standard 4 × 8 in brick pavers, 4.5 per sq ft, with 5% waste:
| Patio | Area | Brick pavers |
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 ft | 80 sq ft | 378 |
| 10 × 10 ft | 100 sq ft | 473 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 144 sq ft | 681 |
| 15 × 15 ft | 225 sq ft | 1,064 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 400 sq ft | 1,890 |
A herringbone or basketweave pattern needs more cuts at the edges, so lean toward 10% waste; a running bond with a soldier-course border wastes less.
Do not forget the base
A patio is only as good as what is under it:
- Gravel sub-base: a compacted layer, usually 4 to 6 in for a patio, more for a driveway.
- Bedding sand: about 1 in of sharp sand screeded flat to lay the pavers on.
- Jointing sand: swept into the joints at the end to lock the pavers together.
The paver calculator works the gravel and bedding sand volumes out from your patio area.
Worked example
A 12 × 12 ft patio in standard 4 × 8 in brick pavers, 5% waste:
- Area: 12 × 12 = 144 sq ft.
- Pavers: 144 × 4.5 = 648, × 1.05 waste = 681 pavers.
- Base: about 144 sq ft of 4 in gravel and 1 in bedding sand underneath.
For a fire pit in the middle of the patio, see how many bricks for a fire pit; for brick walls around it, how many bricks do I need.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks do I need for a patio?
Brick laid flat as paving is counted by area: about 4.5 standard 4 × 8 in brick pavers per square foot. So a 12 × 12 ft (144 sq ft) patio is about 650 pavers before waste, plus 5 to 10% for cuts. The figure changes with the paver size and the joint, so check the per-area table below or use the paver calculator.
How many bricks do I need for a 12x12 patio?
A 12 × 12 ft patio is 144 square feet, so at 4.5 brick pavers per square foot that is about 650 pavers, or roughly 700 with waste. Larger pavers need fewer - a 6 × 9 in paver is nearer 2.7 per square foot, about 390 for the same patio. Add a gravel base and bedding sand underneath.
How many brick pavers are in a square foot?
A standard 4 × 8 in brick paver is about 4.5 per square foot (144 sq in ÷ 32 sq in). A 6 × 6 in paver is 4 per square foot, a 6 × 9 in is about 2.7, and a 12 × 12 in slab is 1. The joint between sand-set pavers is only a few millimetres, so it barely changes the count.
What goes under a brick patio?
A brick patio is laid on a compacted gravel sub-base (usually 4 to 6 in for foot traffic) topped with about 1 in of bedding sand, with jointing sand swept into the gaps at the end. Plan the base volumes alongside the paver count - the paver calculator gives the gravel and bedding sand from your patio area.