How Many Pavers Do You Need?
Get pavers, pallets, base gravel, bedding sand, and polymeric sand in one order. Enter your patio, walkway, or driveway size — rectangles, circles, and curved areas all work.
Last updated: September 29, 2026
Starts at 4 in base · 8% waste · running bond.
Pallet planning uses 480 pavers per pallet. You can change it in Advanced settings.
Paver Order Summary
700
pavers to order
2 pallets · 1.78 cu yd base · 0.44 cu yd sand
- Pavers before waste
- 648 pavers
- Extra for 8% waste
- +52 pavers
- Base gravel
- 1.78 cu yd · 2.49 tons
- Bedding sand
- 0.44 cu yd
- Polymeric sand
- 4 bags
- Project area
- 144 sq ft
Patio defaults: Running bond, 4 in base, 1 in bedding sand, 8% waste. Base stone is a theoretical volume and does not include a compaction allowance — add 10-20% if your supplier recommends it. This is a planning estimate for ordering, not a manufacturer-specific pallet or joint-sand quote.
Paver Order Examples
| Project | Setup | Pavers to Order | Pallets | Base Gravel | Bedding Sand | Polymeric Sand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 × 12 ft patio | 4" × 8" pavers · running bond · 4" base · 8% waste | 700 pavers | 2 pallets | 1.78 cu yd | 0.44 cu yd | 4 bags |
| 20 × 20 ft driveway | 4" × 8" pavers · herringbone · 6" base · 12% waste | 2,016 pavers | 5 pallets | 7.41 cu yd | 1.23 cu yd | 12 bags |
| 80 sq ft curved patio | 6" × 6" pavers · basketweave · 4" base · 9% waste | 349 pavers | 1 pallet | 0.99 cu yd | 0.25 cu yd | 3 bags |
What Changes the Paver Order
| Trigger | What Moves First | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern and edge cuts | Waste climbs first | Running bond and stack bond stay close to the base waste rule. Herringbone and basketweave patterns need a little more, and curved edges add the most perimeter cuts. |
| Project type | Base material climbs first | A patio usually holds a 4-inch compacted base, while a driveway usually moves to 6 inches before the order is realistic. |
| Footprint and shape | Paver count climbs first | Rectangle, circle, and irregular areas all end up as square footage, so measure the shape first, then read the unit count from the coverage table below. |
| Past one pallet | Logistics rise first | Once the order reaches multiple pallets, plan delivery, unloading, and staging before the pavers arrive on site. |
Paver Size and Coverage Guide
| Paver Size | Coverage per Paver | Pavers per sq ft | Typical Pallet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4" × 8" brick paver | 0.22 sq ft | 4.5 pavers | 480 pavers |
| 6" × 6" square paver | 0.25 sq ft | 4.0 pavers | 400 pavers |
| 8" × 8" square paver | 0.44 sq ft | 2.25 pavers | 224 pavers |
| 12" × 12" slab paver | 1.00 sq ft | 1 paver | 100 pavers |
Coverage uses the paver face size only. Pallet quantities vary by manufacturer and thickness, so confirm the pallet count with your supplier before you order.
How We Calculate
Pavers = ceil(Area ÷ Paver Area × (1 + Waste%))
Example Calculation:
- Patio: 12 × 12 ft = 144 sq ft
- One 4 × 8 paver: 32 sq in ÷ 144 = 0.22 sq ft
- Base count: 144 ÷ 0.22 = 648 pavers
- With 8% waste: 648 × 1.08 = 700 pavers
- Base gravel: Area × base depth (in) ÷ 324
- Bedding sand: Area × bedding depth (in) ÷ 324
- Base gravel weight: cubic yards × 1.4 tons per cubic yard
- Polymeric sand: one bag per 40 sq ft of laid area, including waste
Frequently Asked Questions
A 12 × 12 patio is 144 sq ft. With 4 × 8 brick pavers, that usually lands near 648 pavers before waste and about 700 pavers after an 8% planning buffer.
Use the project area with the base depth and bedding depth. A common patio rule is 4 inches of compacted gravel plus 1 inch of bedding sand. Driveways usually move closer to a 6-inch base.
Straight layouts often stay around 7% to 8%. Herringbone, diagonal layouts, and curved edges usually need more. If the edge cuts are doing the real work, a low waste rule is usually too tight.
It depends on the paver size. A standard 4 × 8 brick pallet is often planned around 480 pavers, while larger slab sizes cover fewer units per pallet.
Material cost depends on how you price the pavers, but the full order also includes gravel, bedding sand, and polymeric sand. Larger footprints and stronger patterns move the total up quickly.
Split the area into simple rectangles or enter the total square footage directly, then divide by the area of one paver and add waste. Curved edges and cut corners are why irregular layouts usually need a higher waste allowance than a straight rectangular patio.