Paver Patio Materials Calculator
Turn your patio dimensions into a shopping list: pavers, base gravel, bedding sand, joint sand and edging, with editable prices. Compare bagged and bulk base and sand before ordering.
Patio materials and cost calculator
Bagged vs bulk base and bedding sand
| Purchase option | Quantities | Delivered cost |
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Your patio shopping list
| Material | Buy | Cost |
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Use Print / PDF below to save this list, or Copy link with inputs to keep your dimensions and prices.
Check the paver quantity on a quote
Separate cutting allowance from whole-pack rounding. Use the product's labeled coverage per pack or pallet, including every size in a mixed pattern.
| Quantity | Result |
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Ask whether extra packs cover borders, spare material, separate areas or a minimum order. Confirm that existing material matches the product and pattern. Print / PDF and CSV below include this breakdown.
How many pavers for a 12 × 16 patio?
A 12 × 16 ft patio covers 192 sq ft. With an installed 4 × 8 in module, there are 4.5 pavers per square foot: 864 before cuts, or 951 pieces with 10% extra. For mixed-size patterns, use the supplier's coverage per pattern pack rather than treating every piece as the same size.
Calculate the paver base separately
The base extends beyond the paved area. With a 6 in extension on each side, a 12 × 16 ft patio needs a 13 × 17 ft base, covering 221 sq ft. At 6 in compacted depth, that is 4.09 yd³. An entered 15% loose-volume allowance gives 4.71 yd³; ordering in quarter-yard increments rounds it to 4.75 yd³. Use your supplier's compaction allowance.
Bedding sand and joint sand are different orders
Bedding sand is a layer beneath the pavers. One inch under 192 sq ft is 0.59 yd³; with 10% extra and quarter-yard ordering, buy 0.75 yd³. Joint sand fills the spaces between pavers. With an example coverage of 70 sq ft per bag and 10% allowance, 211.2 ÷ 70 rounds up to 4 bags. Product coverage varies with joint width, depth and paver size.
What the material budget includes
The default example uses $0.80 per paver, $55/yd³ base, $60/yd³ bedding sand, $40 per joint-sand bag, $2/ft edging and $75 delivery. Rounded purchases total $1,414.05. These are editable example prices. Labor, excavation, disposal, fabric, drainage work and tax can be added to your own project budget.
Check the installation plan before ordering
Belgard describes a compacted aggregate base, bedding layer, pavers and jointing material. Base depth depends on soil and use. The dimensions here estimate materials for a rectangular patio; use the manufacturer's installation plan for your site and product. Confirm drainage slope, access and required excavation separately.
For supplier tons and different aggregate densities, use the gravel calculator. Compare a poured surface with the concrete pad calculator, or plan an adjacent wall with the retaining wall calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is bagged or bulk paver base cheaper?
Enter each product coverage, bag price, bulk price and delivery charge in the comparison. Bags are rounded up from required loose volume; bulk orders use the selected order increment. The comparison includes base and bedding sand only.
How many pavers do I need per square foot?
Divide 144 by the installed module length times width in inches. A 4 × 8 in module needs 4.5 pieces per square foot before cutting allowance.
How much base gravel goes under a patio?
Multiply the expanded base area by compacted depth, convert to cubic yards, then apply the supplier-specific loose-volume allowance. Round once to the supplier order increment.
Can I use the same number for bedding and joint sand?
No. Bedding sand is calculated from layer volume. Joint sand uses product coverage per bag for your joint dimensions.
Can I save the patio shopping list?
Use Print / PDF to save the calculated list. Copy link with inputs preserves the dimensions, allowances and prices in the link.
Does the calculator include installation labor?
The total covers the listed material purchases plus your entered delivery and other allowance. Add the quoted installation and site-work costs to build a full project budget.
Why does a paver quote include more material than my patio area?
Cutting allowance and whole-pack ordering can both add material. The quantity checker separates these, subtracts usable matching material already owned and compares the required packs with the quoted packs. Ask about borders, spares and minimum orders when the counts differ.
Calculation basis: Use product coverage, supplier prices and the base depth and drainage details specified for your installation.
Citing this page? FigureMill, “Paver Patio Materials Calculator” (last reviewed November 6, 2026). Rectangular patio quantities with separate compacted base, loose ordering volume, bedding sand and product-specific joint-sand coverage. https://figuremill.com/materials/paver-patio-calculator
Related: Gravel calculator · Concrete pad calculator · Retaining wall calculator · All material calculators