Free paver calculator: enter your patio dimensions and paver size to instantly find out how many pavers you need, plus the gravel sub-base and bedding sand required to lay them. Add paver, base and sand prices for a full material or installed cost estimate. Works in metres/millimetres and feet/inches.
Enter the prices you are quoted - leave any blank to skip it. This covers pavers, the gravel sub-base, bedding sand and jointing sand; excavation, edging and labour are extra.
Paved area
208.0 sq ft
Gravel sub-base
2.57 yd³
Bedding sand
0.64 yd³
Jointing sand
157 lb · 4 bags
A paved area is three layers: pavers, set on a bed of sand, over a compacted gravel sub-base. The calculator sizes all three from your area:
paver footprint = (paver length + joint) × (paver width + joint)
pavers = ceil( area ÷ paver footprint × wastage )
sub-base = area × sub-base depth
bedding sand = area × bedding depth
jointing sand = joint share of area × paver thickness → weight → bags
Each paver is counted with one joint gap added on each side, so the joints are built into the number. The joints take the share of the area the paver faces leave behind, so the calculator fills that strip to the full paver depth to estimate the jointing sand - shown as a weight and a suggested bag count. Paving an L-shape or a patio plus a path? Add an area for each and the pavers pool into one order - an offcut from one edge can start the next run. Each area can be a rectangle, a circle (enter its diameter), or a right-angled triangle (enter the two legs), so curved and angled patios get a true area instead of a boxed-in guess. All math runs in exact metric internally, so switching units never changes the answer.
The quantities above are what set the price, so this calculator estimates cost from your numbers rather than a national average that drifts out of date. In the Cost estimate section, pick how you are pricing the job:
paver cost = paver count (incl. wastage) × price each
sub-base = sub-base volume × price per m³/yd³
bedding sand = bedding volume × price per m³/yd³
installed = paved area × installed rate per m²/sq ft
The estimate covers only what scales with the paved area. Excavation, soil disposal, edging restraints and labour aren’t included, because they vary far too much by job - and a driveway needs a deeper base and thicker pavers than a patio. Leave any price blank to skip it; a partial list still totals. Cost figures are indicative - set each price to a real quote for your area.
This example follows the unit system you pick in the calculator above.
A 16 × 13 ft patio in 8 × 4 in pavers (2 in thick) with a ⅛ in joint, 10% wastage, over a 4 in sub-base and 1 in of bedding sand:
| Layer | Patio / path | Driveway |
|---|---|---|
| Pavers | 1.5-2 in thick | 2.5-3 in thick |
| Bedding sand | 1-1.5 in | 1-2 in |
| Gravel sub-base | 4 in | 6-8 in |
In the United States, pavers are usually laid over a compacted crushed-stone (dense-graded aggregate) base, with the bedding sand screeded on top. Match the sub-base depth in the calculator above to your job - deeper under a driveway than a patio.
For base depths, edge restraint and bedding detail that meet local spec, see the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA, formerly ICPI) paving tech specs.
Divide the area you are paving by the size of one paver plus its joint, then add wastage for cuts. A 16 × 13 ft patio in 8 × 4 in pavers with a ⅛ in joint and 10% wastage needs about 984 pavers. Enter your area and paver size above for the exact count.
Allow 4 in of compacted gravel sub-base under a patio or path, and 6-8 in under a driveway that takes vehicles. The calculator multiplies your paved area by the sub-base depth to give the volume - a 200 sq ft patio at 4 in needs about 2.5 yd³. Order a little extra, as it compacts down.
Pavers are laid on a screeded layer of sharp sand, usually 1-1.5 in thick. For a 200 sq ft patio at 1 in that is about 0.6 yd³ of sand. Set the bedding depth in the calculator to match how you are screeding; this is the laying course, separate from the jointing sand that fills the gaps.
The gaps between pavers are filled afterwards with kiln-dried or polymeric jointing sand, brushed in and compacted. The calculator estimates how much you need: it works out the joint volume from your joint width and paver thickness, converts it to a weight, and divides by your bag size to suggest how many bags to buy. Set the paver thickness and bag size (a 50 lb bag is typical) to match what you are using - tighter joints and thinner pavers need less.
Add about 5% for a simple running-bond or stack layout, 10% for offset or basketweave patterns, and 10-15% for herringbone or any 45-degree diagonal, where the perimeter cuts are more frequent. Round circles and curves waste more again. Pick the layout above and the calculator adds the matching allowance.
It depends on the paver size: about 4.5 standard 8 × 4 in bricks per square foot, 1 of a 12 × 12 in slab, or roughly 0.6 of a 16 × 16 in slab. Those are nominal before joints and wastage - enter your exact paver size above for the real count.
Any of them. Set the paver length and width above to match your paver - an 8 × 4 in brick or Holland block, a 16 × 16 in or 12 × 12 in concrete slab, a clay brick or a natural stone flag. The math is the same for concrete, brick and block pavers; only the dimensions change. For retaining wall blocks, note those are counted by wall face area, not floor area.
Paving cost is driven by the area, the paver you pick and the depth of base, so the most accurate estimate uses your own prices rather than a baked-in average. In the cost section, enter your price per paver, your gravel sub-base and bedding sand per cubic yard, and your jointing sand per bag - the calculator multiplies each by the quantity it already worked out and itemises the total. Or switch to an installed rate per square foot to price an installer. A driveway costs more than a patio of the same area because it needs a deeper base and thicker, vehicle-rated pavers. Excavation, edging and labour are extra; see the cost guide below for the full breakdown.
It depends entirely on the paver and your region, which is why this calculator asks for your numbers instead of guessing. As a rough order of magnitude, concrete pavers often run a dollar or two each, gravel sub-base and sharp sand are sold per cubic yard (or by the ton / bulk bag), and jointing sand by the bag. Enter the prices you are quoted in the cost section and the calculator gives a material total and a cost per square foot you can compare against an installed quote.
Turn a patio area and paver size into a paver count, per m² or per sq ft.
Read guide→Size the bedding (leveling) sand and the jointing or polymeric sand for pavers.
Read guide→Estimate paver cost from the material list plus labor - patio or driveway.
Read guide→Concrete, brick and stone pavers, common sizes, and the laying patterns.
Read guide→Volume and bags of gravel for driveways, paths and drainage at any depth.
Open calculator→Cubic volume and bags of concrete for slabs, footings, pads and posts.
Open calculator→How many tiles, boxes, adhesive and grout to buy for a floor or wall, with wastage and cost built in.
Open calculator→Bricks or blocks, plus mortar and sand, from your wall sizes and unit size.
Open calculator→Blocks, caps and gravel base for a retaining wall, from your wall and block sizes.
Open calculator→Pool volume in US gallons, imperial gallons, litres and cubic metres.
Open calculator→How many interlocking deck or patio tiles, packs and cost, with wastage built in.
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