Paver patio calculator
For a rectangular patio or walkway on a compacted gravel base and a sand setting bed. Enter the paver size printed on the pallet tag.
Materials takeoff
Paver Patio Calculator · https://estimahome.com/paver-calculator/
Patio length: 12 ftPatio width: 12 ftPaver length: 8 inPaver width: 4 in
- Area
- 144 sq ft
- Pavers
- 681
- Base gravel
- 2.04 cu yd
- Bedding sand
- 12 cu ft
| No. | Item | Qty | Unit | Unit cost | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pavers, 8 × 4 in | 681 | ea | $0.75 | $510.75 |
| 2 | Crushed stone base | 2.5 | cu yd | $55.00 | $137.50 |
| 3 | Paver sand, 0.5 cu ft | 24 | bag | $6.00 | $144.00 |
- Subtotal
- $792.25
- Likely range
- $673.41 – $911.09
- Excavate base depth + sand depth + paver thickness below finished grade.
- Not included: edge restraint, landscape fabric, polymeric joint sand, plate compactor rental.
Buy these materials
Base gravel is listed in the takeoff; order it in bulk from a landscape yard.
- 681 pavers (8 × 4 in)Amazon search for pavers (8 × 4 in) (opens in new tab)
- 24 bags of paver sandAmazon search for bags of paver sand (opens in new tab)
Links open a store search for each item. Check sizes and grades against your plan.
Quick reference
- 8 × 4 in pavers run 4.5 per square foot; a 144 sq ft patio needs 681 with 5% waste.
- A 4 in gravel base under 144 sq ft is 1.78 cu yd before compaction.
- One inch of bedding sand covers 12 sq ft per cubic foot.
How it's calculated
⌈x⌉ means round up to the next whole unit; ⌊x⌋ means round down. Every quantity you buy is rounded up.
Area = length × widthPavers = ⌈ area × 144 ÷ (paver L × paver W) × (1 + waste ÷ 100) ⌉Base (cu yd) = area × base depth ÷ 12 × (1 + compaction ÷ 100) ÷ 27, ordered to the next ½ ydSand bags = ⌈ area × sand depth ÷ 12 ÷ bag size ⌉Cost = Σ (quantity × unit price); range = cost × (1 ± range % ÷ 100)
Worked example
A 12 × 12 ft patio is 144 sq ft. Each 8 × 4 in paver covers 32 sq in, so 144 × 144 ÷ 32 plus 5% waste is 681 pavers. A 4 in base with 15% extra for compaction is 2.04 cu yd; order 2.5 cu yd. 1 in of bedding sand is 12 cu ft, or 24 bags at 0.5 cu ft. Materials at the default prices: $792.25.
Questions
How deep should a paver base be?
4 to 6 in of compacted crushed stone for patios and walks, 8 to 12 in for driveways, more on clay soil. Compact in 2 in lifts.
Why order extra gravel for compaction?
Loose crushed stone settles when compacted. Ordering 15 to 20% more than the finished volume keeps you from running short.
How many pavers per square foot?
Divide 144 by the paver area in square inches. A 4 × 8 in paver is 32 sq in, so 4.5 per square foot.
Cite: “Paver Patio Calculator.” EstimaHome, https://estimahome.com/paver-calculator/. Updated 2026-10-20. Formulas in machine-readable form: /api/calculators.json.