Calculate gravel base, sand bedding, pavers, and estimated costs for your patio project.
Cross-section showing paver layers (not to scale)
| Material | Qty | Unit | Est. Cost |
|---|
Enter your patio's length and width in feet, then specify the gravel base depth (typically 4–6 inches) and sand bedding depth (usually 1 inch). Input your paver dimensions, joint spacing, and a waste factor for cuts. Optionally add material prices to get a full cost estimate. Hit Calculate Materials to see quantities for gravel, sand, and pavers.
A properly built paver patio depends on getting the base layers right. Under-engineer the gravel base and you'll see pavers shift, sink, and crack within a few seasons — especially in freeze-thaw climates like the Midwest or Northeast. Over-order materials and you've wasted hundreds of dollars on gravel that has to be hauled away.
For a typical 20×15 ft patio (300 sq ft) with a 6-inch gravel base and 1-inch sand bed, you're looking at roughly 7–9 tons of gravel and 1.5 tons of sand. At $30–$40/ton for delivered stone, that's $200–$360 just for base materials — before a single paver goes down. Knowing this upfront lets you budget accurately, compare contractor quotes, and order the right number of bags or bulk loads.
Contractors often recommend a 10% waste factor for straight layouts and 15–20% for diagonal or complex patterns. This calculator includes that adjustment so your paver count is realistic, not optimistic.
The calculator uses standard material estimation formulas used by landscape contractors:
The 1.4 conversion for gravel and 1.35 for sand account for material density when bulk-ordering by ton. Always confirm with your supplier as density can vary by region and product type.
For most residential patios in temperate climates, a 4–6 inch compacted gravel base is standard. In colder regions with significant frost penetration (zones 5 and colder), use 6–8 inches. Driveways and areas with vehicle traffic need 8–12 inches minimum.
Always use coarse, sharp concrete sand (also called leveling sand) — not fine play sand or mason sand. Fine sand compacts poorly under pavers and can wash out, causing settling. Coarse sand creates a stable, drainable bedding layer that locks pavers in place.
It depends on paver size. A standard 4×8 inch brick with 1/4-inch joints needs about 4.5 pavers/sq ft. A 12×12 inch paver with 1/4-inch joints needs about 0.94 pavers/sq ft. This calculator computes the exact figure based on your inputs.
Yes, placing landscape fabric between the native soil and gravel base is highly recommended. It prevents soil from migrating into the gravel (which causes settling) while allowing water to drain through. It does not significantly affect material calculations but adds roughly $0.10–$0.25 per sq ft to material costs.