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Paver Base & Sand Calculator

Estimate the gravel base and bedding sand volume needed under a paver patio or walkway.

  • Answers as you type
  • Every formula cited
  • Calculated in your browser
SettingsSettings for this calculationUS
Market
Imperial · sales tax
The length of the paved area.

Measure the overall patio or walkway length.

Tools needed: Tape measure

The width of the paved area.

Measure perpendicular to the length.

Tools needed: Tape measure

4-6 in (10-15 cm) is standard for a patio; use the higher end for driveways or heavier loads.

A deeper base improves drainage and reduces settling over time.

1 in (2.5 cm) is standard for the leveling sand layer directly under the pavers.

Too thick a sand layer can cause pavers to shift or settle unevenly.

Estimated paver base & sand needed

1.605 yd³ (gravel base)

High confidence
Patio area
130 sq ft
Bedding sand needed
0.4 yd³
Then change the inputs to see how far the answer moves.

Show calculation logic

How this was calculated

Formula source(s)

  • A typical paver installation uses a 4-6 in compacted gravel base plus a 1 in bedding sand layer beneath the pavers

Inputs used

Patio Length
13 ft
Patio Width
10 ft
Gravel Base Depth
4 in
Bedding Sand Depth
1 in

Intermediate steps

Patio area
130 sq ft
Bedding sand needed
0.4 yd³
Final result1.6 yd³ (gravel base)

What this calculation does not cover

  • The volume covers the paver footprint only — length × width at the depth you enter. A compacted base is normally carried past the paver edge on every side so the edge restraint has something to sit on, and that perimeter band is not counted here.
  • Both figures are finished, in-place depths. Crushed base and bedding sand are delivered loose and lose volume as they are compacted and screeded, so the quantity to order is higher than the number shown. No waste, over-dig or shrinkage allowance is applied.
  • Only the two layers you enter are counted. Geotextile separation fabric, an open-graded drainage course, edge restraint and the jointing sand that goes between the pavers all sit outside the figure — as does the paver thickness, so this is not your excavation depth.
  • The calculation applies whatever depth you type; it does not test whether that depth suits the subgrade, the frost depth or the load. Soft clay, organic or filled ground, poor drainage and anything carrying vehicles are pavement design decisions made from the soil and the traffic, not from these dimensions.
  • The area is treated as one rectangle at a single uniform depth. Curved, L-shaped or multi-level layouts have to be split into rectangles and run separately, and any local thickening — a deeper base under a step, a soft spot dug out and backfilled — is not in the total.

Estimated cost — your price

This site holds no price list for this material — local prices vary too much to publish honestly. Enter your supplier's price and the result is costed with it.

bedding sand 1 inbedding sand 2.54 cmgravel base 4 ingravel base 10.16 cmsubgrade5 in12.7 cm

Part of bigger jobs

This trade is one line of a job takeoff. Run the whole job and every other trade comes back with it, off the same measurements.

Or plan the space itself: measure it once, doors and windows included, and this figure comes back worked out on that space, with what goes with it.

Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Presented in US customary units and US trade terminology. Where a formula follows a published standard, that standard and its edition are cited beside it on this page; where none governs, the page says so. Local amendments override model codes — verify against the code in force where you build.

Sources checked 2026-09-02 · in the site-wide review of 2026-09-06 · v1.0.1

Regulatory standards & verification citations1
  1. A typical paver installation uses a 4-6 in compacted gravel base plus a 1 in bedding sand layer beneath the pavers
Cite this page

Your workspace

Most jobs need more than one number. Add the calculators you need next and they open right here, underneath this one — your figures stay on screen and nothing is lost to a page change.

Tools and safety for this job

To lay paving and lay and compact the hardcore. Generic types, no brands, no prices.

Protection this work requires

  • Cutting or grinding concrete, masonry, screed, tile or fibre-cement board releases respirable silica: cut wet or extract at the tool, and wear a P2/N95 respirator at minimum — a nuisance dust mask does not filter it.
  • Saws, grinders and breakers run above 85 dB, where hearing damage accumulates and does not recover: defenders or plugs for every cut, not just the long ones.
  • Breakers and grinders cause permanent nerve damage: limit continuous trigger time, keep hands warm, and stop if fingers tingle or blanch.
  • Boards, blocks and bagged material cause most lasting back injuries on small sites: two people or a lifter for full sheets, and never a bag on one shoulder up a ladder.
Show the 9 tools this job needs

Essential

  • Plate compactor

  • Rubber mallet

  • Shovel and spade

  • Spirit level

  • String line and pins

  • Wheelbarrow

Recommended

  • Block splitter

  • Laser level

Optional

  • Angle grinder

Also needed as materials: cutting and diamond discs.

what each landscaping tool is for and what each groundwork tool is for, and the spec that decides which to buy where one does.

Now that you have the number

These guides cover the work this quantity is for — the first ones run this calculator inside the section that raises the question.

Called something else where you work? Paving flags, slabs and pavers · Hardstanding and paved area — the term in each market, how close the equivalence really is, and the standard that governs it.

Still deciding? Pedestal Pavers vs Bedded Pavers — the factors that actually differ, with no invented prices.

Worked example: Paver patio — step 4 of 10

Already gone wrong? My paving or driveway has sunk in places

The data behind it: Production rates by operation

How to calculate paver base & sand in 5 steps

  1. Patio LengthThe length of the paved area.
  2. Patio WidthThe width of the paved area.
  3. Gravel Base Depth4-6 in (10-15 cm) is standard for a patio; use the higher end for driveways or heavier loads.
  4. Bedding Sand Depth1 in (2.5 cm) is standard for the leveling sand layer directly under the pavers.
  5. Read the resultThe tool computes the result from those figures and shows the formula, its sources, and a confidence rating alongside it.

Estimated paver base & sand needed by patio length

Page defaults, not your figures above.

Patio Lengthyd³ (gravel base)
10 ft1.22
15 ft1.82
20 ft2.43
25 ft3.04

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip the gravel base for a small patio?
It's not recommended — even small patios settle unevenly without a compacted base, especially in soil that holds water or freezes.
Is bedding sand the same as polymeric jointing sand?
No — bedding sand goes underneath the pavers as a leveling layer (calculated here), while jointing sand fills the gaps between pavers after they're laid, which is a separate, much smaller quantity.
Should the gravel base be compacted?
Yes — compacting the gravel in layers (not all at once) is important for a stable, long-lasting base. Uncompacted gravel settles unevenly under load.
Preliminary estimate, not certified engineering. This tool produces an indicative quantity calculation for planning purposes only — it is not a certified structural analysis, a guaranteed material takeoff, or a substitute for building department approval. Always verify measurements on-site and have a licensed contractor or structural engineer review any load-bearing, code-sensitive, or safety-critical work before purchasing materials or starting construction. Spotted an arithmetic or standards error? Report it to contact@craftquantities.com with your inputs — a confirmed fix gets a permanent check of its own, so the same mistake cannot come back.