Calculate how many pavers you need for a patio, walkway, or driveway, plus gravel, sand, and project cost, with this paver calculator.
Paver Formula
The calculator works in two modes. To find how many pavers you need, it divides the project area by the area of one paver and adds a waste allowance:
P = (A / a) * (1 + W)
To find how much area a known number of pavers will cover, it multiplies the count by the paver area for gross coverage, then divides by the waste allowance for a practical installed area:
C = N * a A_practical = C / (1 + W)
The area of a single paver from its face dimensions in inches is:
a = (Lp * Wp) / 144
- P = number of pavers to order (rounded up to a whole paver)
- A = project area in square feet
- a = face area of one paver in square feet
- W = waste allowance as a decimal (a 10% allowance is 0.10)
- C = gross coverage of the pavers on hand in square feet
- N = number of pavers available
- Lp, Wp = paver length and width in inches
The project area comes from your dimensions. For a rectangle it is length times width; for a circle it is pi times diameter squared divided by 4; or you can enter a known total area directly. The waste allowance covers cuts, breakage, and pattern losses, so the order count is always rounded up. If you enter a pack or pallet size, the order is rounded up again to whole packs. When you turn on base-material options, the calculator also estimates compacted gravel and bedding sand by volume (area times depth) and the number of joint-sand bags from the coverage you give per bag.
Pavers and Waste by Project Type
The first table shows how many pavers cover one square foot for common sizes, which is the figure the calculator divides by. The second shows the waste allowance to expect for different layouts.
| Paver size | Face area | Pavers per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 4 x 8 in | 0.222 sq ft | 4.5 |
| 6 x 6 in | 0.25 sq ft | 4.0 |
| 6 x 9 in | 0.375 sq ft | 2.67 |
| 8 x 8 in | 0.444 sq ft | 2.25 |
| 12 x 12 in | 1.0 sq ft | 1.0 |
| Layout | Suggested waste allowance |
|---|---|
| Straight or running bond, square area | 5% to 10% |
| Diagonal, herringbone, curves, or borders | 10% to 20% |
Example Problems
Example 1. You are paving a 20 ft by 12 ft patio with 4 x 8 in pavers and a 10% waste allowance. The area is 20 x 12 = 240 sq ft. One paver covers 4 x 8 / 144 = 0.222 sq ft, so the bare count is 240 / 0.222 = 1,080 pavers. Adding 10% gives 1,080 x 1.10 = 1,188 pavers to order.
Example 2. You have 500 pavers of 6 x 6 in on hand and want a practical area at a 15% waste allowance. Each paver covers 0.25 sq ft, so gross coverage is 500 x 0.25 = 125 sq ft. Dividing by 1.15 gives about 109 sq ft of patio you can reliably finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much waste should I add? Use 5% to 10% for a straight pattern on a simple rectangle. Increase it to 10% to 20% when you have a diagonal or herringbone layout, curves, borders, or many cuts. The extra pavers cover breakage and let you replace a damaged unit later without a color mismatch.
Do I need to enter a sand or gravel depth? Only if you want a base-material estimate. Turn on the advanced options and the calculator estimates compacted gravel and bedding sand from the area and the depths you set, plus joint-sand bags from the coverage per bag. A typical patio uses about 4 in of compacted gravel and 1 in of bedding sand, but confirm the depth your site and traffic load require.
Why does the order round up to whole packs? Pavers are usually sold by the pack or pallet, not the single unit. If you enter a pack size, the calculator rounds the required count up to the next full pack so the order quantity matches what you can actually buy.
