CalcCoverageHow many pavers do I need?
Pavers are counted by coverage: patio area divided by the face area of one paver, plus waste for the cuts around the edge — every patio edge is a row of part-pavers, and herringbone patterns cut far more than running bond. Underneath, the patio is a sandwich: compacted crushed-stone base, a 1-inch screeded bedding layer of coarse sand, then the pavers.
Pavers = area (with waste) ÷ paver face area · Base volume = area × base depth
Example: a 10 × 10 ft patio with 4 × 8 in brick pavers: each paver covers 0.222 sq ft, so 100 sq ft needs 450 pavers — 495 with 10% waste. Underneath goes 1.23 cubic yards (1.73 tons) of base gravel at 4 inches, 0.31 cubic yards of bedding sand at 1 inch, and 40 ft of edge restraint around the perimeter.
The layers, in order
| Layer | Material | Typical depth |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Crushed stone (road base / crusher run) | 4 in patios & paths, 6 in+ driveways |
| Bedding | Washed concrete sand, screeded, not compacted first | 1 in |
| Surface | Pavers, tight joints | — |
| Joints | Fine or polymeric sand swept in after laying | Fills the gaps |
Base and sand figures here are exact volumes for the area you enter — bulk yards round up to the half yard anyway, which quietly covers the spillage. The waste allowance applies to the pavers, where the cutting actually happens. Edge restraints matter more than they look: without them the outside pavers creep outward and the joints open up.