How many pavers per square foot?

Divide 144 by the paver's length × width in inches. An 8 × 4 in brick is 4.5 per square foot; a 12 × 12 is one; a 16 × 16 slab is 0.56.

How much base under pavers?

Four inches of compacted crushed stone for a patio or walkway, six to eight for a driveway, more in freezing climates with clay soil. Then one inch of coarse bedding sand, screeded, never more.

How much polymeric sand?

About one 50 lb bag per 75 sq ft with narrow joints, or per 30–40 sq ft with wide joints or thick pavers. Sweep in dry, then water exactly as the bag says.

Paver calculator

Form 32 · Materials estimateFigures checked 2026-09-04

US customary

Measurements

Length(ft)

Width(ft)

Areas this size

What you need

Quantity · Amount

01Area to pave16 × 12 ft192 sq ft
02Pavers at 8 × 4 in205 sq ft including 7 % cuts, $4 per sq ft925$822
03Crushed stone base, 4 in$45 per cu yd2.37 cu yd$107
04Bedding sand, 1 in$45 per cu yd0.59 cu yd$27
05Polymeric joint sandone 50 lb bag per 75 sq ft of narrow joints3 bags$90

Total, materials$1,045

Compact the base in 2 in lifts; it settles about 20 %, so order the stone by the finished depth and expect to add a little.
Edge restraint and spikes are extra: about one 8 ft length per 8 ft of open edge.

The material

Paver length(in)Common: 8 × 4 in brick, 12 × 12, 16 × 16 slab

Paver width(in)

Cutting allowance(%)Straight edges 5 %; curves or herringbone 10–15 %

Base depth(in)Patio 4 in; driveway 6–8 in of compacted crushed stone

Prices — put in what you were quoted

Paver price($ per sq ft)Concrete pavers $2–7 per sq ft; clay and stone more

Crushed stone($ per cu yd)

Bedding sand($ per cu yd)

Polymeric sand($ per bag)A 50 lb bag fills about 75 sq ft of narrow joints

Total, materials925 pavers$1,045

Where these figures come from

Base 4 in patio / 6–8 in driveway and 1 in bedding sand: the standard ICPI-style residential build-up.
Polymeric sand coverage from the bag's own chart (varies with joint width).
Prices are typical US retail figures at the date on this sheet.

Type the area and the size of the paver you picked. The sheet counts pavers with a cutting allowance, then adds the layers under them: a compacted crushed-stone base (4 in for a patio, 6–8 in for a driveway), one inch of bedding sand, and joint sand on top.

Worked examples

Patio 12 × 16 ft with 8 × 4 in brick: 925 — pavers at 8 × 4 in, about $1,045 in materials.
Walkway 3 × 40 ft, 12 × 12 pavers: 129 — pavers at 12 × 12 in, about $657 in materials.

How it is worked out

Pavers = area × (1 + cuts) ÷ (paver length × width ÷ 144), rounded up. Base = area × base depth (ft) ÷ 27 cubic yards. Bedding sand = area × 1 in ÷ 27. Joint sand = area ÷ 75 sq ft per bag.

The figures behind it

Base 4 in patio / 6–8 in driveway and 1 in bedding sand: the standard ICPI-style residential build-up.
Polymeric sand coverage from the bag's own chart (varies with joint width).
Prices are typical US retail figures at the date on this sheet.

Every figure here is an estimate. Materials vary with moisture, compaction and product; order a little extra and confirm quantities with your supplier.

Questions people ask

How many pavers per square foot?: Divide 144 by the paver's length × width in inches. An 8 × 4 in brick is 4.5 per square foot; a 12 × 12 is one; a 16 × 16 slab is 0.56.
How much base under pavers?: Four inches of compacted crushed stone for a patio or walkway, six to eight for a driveway, more in freezing climates with clay soil. Then one inch of coarse bedding sand, screeded, never more.
How much polymeric sand?: About one 50 lb bag per 75 sq ft with narrow joints, or per 30–40 sq ft with wide joints or thick pavers. Sweep in dry, then water exactly as the bag says.

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