Paver Calculator — How Many Pavers Do I Need?
Calculate how many pavers you need for a patio, walkway or driveway, plus bedding sand and compacted base material. Enter the area and your paver size to get a complete material list with cutting waste included.
Free to try — no sign-up
Plan the whole job — not just this calculation
Save results to a project: budget and shopping list build themselves, and the whole plan exports as a PDF. Draw your floor plan and room sizes pre-fill the calculators.
How the paver count is calculated
- 1Area = length × width (m² or sq ft)
- 2Paver count: area ÷ paver face area, with 5–10% waste for cuts and breakage
- 3Bedding sand: area × 30 mm (≈ 1 in) depth of sharp sand
- 4Base: area × 100–150 mm compacted crushed stone (expands ~30% loose)
- 5Jointing sand: take coverage from the jointing-product data sheet as a separate allowance
- 6Round all quantities up; order base and sand by the tonne
Worked example
Patio: 12 × 10 ft (3.66 × 3.05 m = 11.2 m²). Pavers 300×300 mm (12×12 in), 100 mm compacted base.
131 pavers (124 base count × 1.05 waste, rounded up). Bedding sand: 0.34 m³ (≈ 500 kg). Base: 1.45 m³ loose ≈ 2.0 tonnes of crushed stone.
Frequently asked questions
How many pavers do I need for 100 sq ft?
For 12×12 in (300×300 mm) pavers: 100 sq ft = 9.29 m² ÷ 0.09 m² per paver × 1.05 waste ≈ 109 pavers. Smaller 6×9 in pavers: approximately 280. Use the calculator for your exact paver size.
How deep should the base be under pavers?
Pedestrian patios and paths: 100 mm (4 in) of compacted crushed stone. Driveways: 150 mm (6 in) minimum. Add 30 mm of bedding sand on top of the base in both cases.
Can I lay pavers directly on dirt?
Not for any permanent installation — soil settlement causes sinking, cracking and trip hazards. Even a garden path needs at least 75 mm of compacted base material.
What sand goes under pavers?
Sharp (coarse) concrete sand for the 30 mm bedding layer — never building or play sand, which holds moisture. Kiln-dried fine sand or polymeric sand goes in the joints after laying.
How much waste should I add for pavers?
5% for straight-bond layouts on rectangular areas. 10% for herringbone, circles or areas with many cut edges. Broken pavers in transit are common — the spare stock is rarely wasted.