# Paver Calculator: Pavers, Base, and Bedding Sand

Canonical URL: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/paver-calculator/
Plain text: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/paver-calculator/llms.txt
Publisher: SimplyWise, Inc. (https://www.simplywise.com)
Published: September 23, 2026
Updated: October 27, 2026
Category: Project Cost Guides
Summary: Paver calculator: turn a patio, walkway, or driveway into a paver count, base gravel in cubic yards and tons, and bedding sand in yards and bags.

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## Paver Calculator: Pavers, Base, and Bedding Sand

Set the area and the paver size. Count, base gravel, and bedding sand update as you type.

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### Pavers, base gravel, and bedding sand

Area entry

Length (ft)

Width (ft)

Paver size (nominal, inches)

Nominal sizes published by Belgard, September 14, 2026.

Paver length (in)

Paver width (in)

Joint spacing (in)

Waste factor

Five for a plain rectangle, ten for a cut pattern.

Base depth (in)

Your local spec sets the real depth.

Bedding sand depth (in) One inch nominal, plus or minus 3/16 in.

1,083 pavers at 4 x 8 in, waste included

Area covered240 sq ft

Base gravel2.96 cu yd (5.48 tons)

Bedding sand0.74 cu yd (40 bags at 50 lb)

Each paver covers0.23 sq ft each at a 0.125 in joint

Tons use 3,700 lb per compacted cubic yard, the Washington State DOT figure read September 14, 2026. Bags assume 0.5 cubic feet per 50 lb bag, the top of the EPA range; confirm the yield on your bag. No material prices: none cleared our sourcing bar.

Patio area (sq ft)

Labor $ per sq ft

Materials $ per sq ft

$0 before markup

Labor$0

Materials$0

Defaults: a SimplyWise Cost Estimator run, October 13, 2026, a 20 by 12 ft paver patio: $3,120.00 labor, $1,599.50 materials.

At a glance

1. Pavers = area divided by one paver plus its joint, times waste, rounded UP.
2. One 4 by 8 in paver at a 1/8 in joint covers 0.23 sq ft. A 240 sq ft patio takes 1,083.
3. Base gravel = area times depth in feet, divided by 27. Tons = yards times 1.85.
4. Waste is 5 percent on a rectangle, 10 percent once the pattern cuts.

## How the paver calculator works

A paver calculator divides area by paver plus joint: 240 sq ft of 4 by 8s takes 1,083. A 4 by 8 in paver with a 1/8 in joint measures 4.125 by 8.125 in, or 0.23 sq ft.

Divide the area by that, multiply by the waste factor, then round UP. Rounding down leaves the last row short, on a dye lot you cannot match.

## Paver calculator worked example: a 20 by 12 ft patio

Twenty by twelve is 240 sq ft. At 0.23 sq ft a unit the bare field is just over 1,031 pavers. Add 5 percent for cuts and you order 1,083.

The base is 80 cubic feet, or 2.96 cubic yards. At 1.85 tons a compacted yard that is 5.48 tons.

The sand is 20 cubic feet, or 0.74 cubic yards. At half a cubic foot to a 50 lb bag that is 40 bags.

## Paver calculator sizes and what they cover

Nominal faces published by Belgard, joint added at 1/8 in.

| Nominal size | Covers each | Per 100 sq ft | Pattern |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4 x 8 in | 0.23 sq ft | 430 | Running bond |
| 6 x 6 in | 0.26 sq ft | 384 | Grid, borders |
| 6 x 9 in | 0.39 sq ft | 258 | Cobble blend |
| 8 x 8 in | 0.46 sq ft | 219 | Large grid |
| 12 x 24 in | 2.03 sq ft | 50 | Plank slab |

A 12 by 24 in slab covers almost nine times a 4 by 8 in brick.

## How deep the base and the sand go

Base depth is set by what drives on it; your local specification rules. The paver calculator’s 4, 6 and 8 in presets are entry points, not advice. Hampton Roads sets layers of 4 in maximum, compacted to 95 percent density.

The Hampton Roads regional standard fixes the setting bed at 1 in, plus or minus 3/16 in. It does not correct grade, and thicker sand ruts.

## Turn the takeoff into a signed quote

The paver calculator gives quantities. The customer wants a number. SimplyWise Cost Estimator (https://www.simplywise.com/cost-estimator) turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Pricing is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, about $20/mo on annual, with a 7-day free trial.

## Waste factor: 5 percent or 10

A rectangle in a running bond cuts only the two ends, so 5 percent carries it. A 45 degree herringbone cuts every perimeter paver on a diagonal, so use 10 percent. Curves and blended colors belong at 10 too.

## Order the patio in this sequence

1. Measure the finished field Count comes off the finished surface. The dig runs wider, because the base extends past the restraint.
2. Fix the paver size first Size drives count, pattern and cut waste at once.
3. Convert base to tons Quarries sell by the ton. Bring yards for the dig and tons for the order.
4. Buy in one delivery Dye lots shift between runs. Ordering the waste up front beats matching a pallet later.

## Keep reading

- Construction Calculators: the full set (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/construction-calculators/)
- Concrete Slab Cost Calculator (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/concrete-slab-cost-calculator/)
- Mulch Calculator (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/mulch-calculator/)
- Retaining Wall Calculator (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/retaining-wall-calculator/)

## Sources

### Paver dimensions

- Belgard, Holland Stone (https://www.belgard.com/product/holland-stone/) (4 x 8 in; 2026-09-14).
- Belgard, Dimensions Single Unit (https://www.belgard.com/product/dimensions-single-unit/) (6 x 6, 6 x 9, 6 x 12, 12 x 24 in; 2026-09-14).
- Belgard, Catalina Slate (https://www.belgard.com/product/catalina-slate/) (4 x 8 and 8 x 8 in; 2026-09-14).

### Base and bedding

- Hampton Roads Regional Construction Standards, Section 521 Pavers (https://www.hrpdcva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4972/Section-521---Pavers-PDF) (sand bed 1 in, plus or minus 3/16 in; base in 4 in layers at 95 percent density; 2026-09-14).
- Washington State DOT Design Manual M 22-01.23, Exhibit 620-1 (https://wsdot.wa.gov/publications/manuals/fulltext/m22-01/620.pdf) (crushed surfacing base course, compacted, 3,700 lb or 1.85 tons per cubic yard; 2026-09-14).
- Wisconsin DOT Facilities Development Manual 19-5, Table 3.1 (https://wisconsindot.gov/rdwy/fdm/fd-19-05.pdf) (second source: dense base aggregate, 1.75 to 2.1 tons per cubic yard; 2026-09-14).
- U.S. EPA Standard Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-03/documents/conversions.pdf) (moist sand, 100 to 110 lb per cubic foot, so a 50 lb bag holds 0.45 to 0.5 cubic feet; 2026-09-14).

### Product

- SimplyWise Cost Estimator, App Store (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simplywise-cost-estimator/id6670619664) (4.8 rating; 2026-09-09).

## Common questions on paver quantities

### Counting pavers

**How many pavers do I need for a 10 by 12 patio?**

That is 120 sq ft. A 4 by 8 in paver at a 1/8 in joint covers 0.23 sq ft. The field is 516 pavers, and 5 percent waste takes the order to 542.

**How many 4 by 8 pavers are in 100 square feet?**

About 430 at a 1/8 in joint, before waste. With no joint it is 450. The joint is the difference.

**What waste factor should I use for pavers?**

Five percent for a plain rectangle in a running bond. Ten percent for herringbone, curves, or any perimeter cut on a diagonal.

### Base and sand

**How much gravel do I need under pavers?**

Area times base depth in feet, divided by 27. A 240 sq ft patio at 4 in deep needs 2.96 cubic yards, or 5.48 tons.

**How thick should the sand under pavers be?**

One inch nominal, plus or minus 3/16 in, per the Hampton Roads regional paver standard. It is not there to correct grade.

**Can SimplyWise price a paver patio from a photo?**

Yes. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, with material and labor line items. Free to try, $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr.

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