How to use the paver base calculator
- Enter the area. Pick a rectangle, a round area, or area and depth, and type the size of the patio, path or driveway.
- Set the base depth. Type the compacted depth of the gravel base, or use the quick buttons: 4 inches for a patio or path, 6 inches for a driveway.
- Read the gravel and the sand. The result shows the tons and cubic yards of base gravel, and the bedding sand for a 1 inch layer over the same area.
What is a paver base calculator?
A paver base calculator is a tool that estimates the material under a paver patio, path or driveway. Pavers sit on two layers: a compacted gravel base, and a thin layer of bedding sand on top of it. The calculator multiplies the area by the depth of each layer and gives the gravel and the sand in cubic yards and tons.
Features
- Tons and cubic yards of gravel base for a rectangle, a round area, or an area and depth
- Quick depth buttons for a patio and for a driveway, from a named source
- Bedding sand for a 1 inch layer over the same area
- Seven gravel weights from a named source and a field for your supplier's figure
- Weight in pounds and metric tonnes, and the area covered
- A cost from your own price per ton or per cubic yard
- A live 3D preview, a PDF of the estimate and a WhatsApp share button
What you can use it for
- The base under a paver patio or walkway
- The base under a paver driveway
- Bedding sand for a new paver job
- Re-laying old pavers on a new base
How deep the paver base should be
The depths below are from the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association's Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavements (PAV-TEC-002-22). They are thicknesses after compaction, over well-drained soil.
| Use | Minimum base thickness |
|---|---|
| Patios and pedestrian areas | 4 inches |
| Residential driveways | 6 inches |
| Residential streets | 8 to 10 inches |
The same document says that in colder climates, or on soil that stays wet or is weak, the base must be thicker, and that an engineer should design the base for streets. It also says the bedding sand is spread to a nominal 1 inch before the pavers are compacted.
How the base and the sand are calculated
Base gravel in cubic yards = area (sq ft) × base depth (ft) ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard.
Bedding sand in cubic yards = area (sq ft) × 1 in ÷ 12 ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × 1.4.
Worked example: a 12 ft by 10 ft patio
- Area: 12 × 10 = 120 square feet.
- Base, 4 inches deep: 120 × 0.333 = 40 cubic feet = 1.48 cubic yards.
- Base weight at 1.85 tons per cubic yard: 1.48 × 1.85 = 2.74 tons.
- Bedding sand, 1 inch: 120 ÷ 12 = 10 cubic feet = 0.37 cubic yards, which is 0.52 tons.
These are the numbers the calculator shows when the page opens. The base depth is the finished, compacted depth.
What the calculator includes
- The base usually extends past the edge of the pavers. Enter the size of the base, not only the paved area, if yours does.
- Polymeric sand is not included here. The paver calculator counts it from the coverage printed on your bag, and lists the coverage that four makers publish.
- The sand weight is for loose sand, from the Minnesota Stormwater Manual. Wet sand is heavier.
- Each dimension can be up to 10,000 in its unit, an area up to 1,000,000, and your own figure up to 5 tons per cubic yard.
Is it private?
Yes. The calculation and the PDF are made in your browser. The numbers you type are not sent to our server and are not saved.
Tips for an accurate estimate
- Choose the base depth for the use: a driveway needs a deeper base than a patio.
- Extend the base a little beyond the edge of the pavers so the edge restraint sits on firm ground.
- Compact the base in layers before the bedding sand goes down.
- Screed the bedding sand to an even layer; do not use it to fill low spots in the base.
- Order the base stone and the bedding sand at the same time.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
- How much paver base do I need?
- Multiply the area by the depth of the base. A 12 ft by 10 ft patio with a 4 inch base needs 40 cubic feet, which is 1.48 cubic yards or 2.74 tons of compacted gravel.
- How deep should the base be under pavers?
- The Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association gives a minimum of 4 inches after compaction for patios and pedestrian areas and 6 inches for residential driveways, over well-drained soil. Cold climates and weak soil need more.
- How much sand do I need under pavers?
- The bedding sand is a nominal 1 inch layer. For 120 square feet that is 10 cubic feet, which is 0.37 cubic yards or about half a ton.
- How thick should the sand be under pavers?
- The Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association says bedding sand is spread and screeded to an uncompacted nominal thickness of 1 inch.
- Does the calculator include polymeric sand?
- No. The paver calculator counts the bags from the coverage printed on your bag, and its page lists the coverage four makers publish for narrow and wide joints.
- How many tons of base are in a cubic yard?
- The Washington State DOT Design Manual gives 1.85 tons per cubic yard for gravel base compacted in place. Your supplier's material can differ.
Sources
Every figure this calculator uses comes from the published sources below. The formulas are on this page, so any result can be checked by hand.
- Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association, PAV-TEC-002-22, Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavements. Base depth of 4 in for patios and 6 in for driveways, and a 1 in bedding sand layer.
- Washington State Department of Transportation, Design Manual M 22-01, Exhibits 620-1 and 620-2. Dry weights in tons per cubic yard of gravel, crushed stone, ballast, sand and hot mix asphalt.
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Stormwater Manual. Loose sand: 1.4 tons per cubic yard.