Patio area
0 sq ft
Materials by layer
| Layer | Cu yd | Tons | Bags |
|---|
Bedding-sand bags assume ~0.5 cu ft (50 lb) bags; joint-sand bags assume ~75 sq ft coverage per bag. Bulk delivery is cheaper for the base.
Your patio
Building a paver base
A long-lasting paver patio is built in layers: excavate, add and compact a crushed-stone base (4 inches for patios and walkways, 6 for driveways), screed about 1 inch of bedding sand, lay the pavers, then sweep polymeric joint sand into the gaps and compact. This calculator sizes each layer separately so you can order base by the yard or ton and sand by the bag. For raw volume conversions, use the cubic yards calculator; for driveways of loose stone, see the gravel calculator.
Use it as a paver sand calculator for the bedding layer, a polymeric sand calculator for the joints, or a base calculator for the crushed stone underneath. For the bedding layer, coarse concrete sand for pavers is the right choice, while polymeric sand for pavers goes in the joints. If you are choosing the best polymeric sand for pavers, match the bag’s coverage rating to your joint width and paver size — wider joints and flagstone use far more sand per bag.
Frequently asked questions
How much paver base and sand do I need?
A paver patio has two layers under the pavers: a compacted crushed-stone base (usually 4-6 inches for walkways and patios) and about 1 inch of bedding sand. Multiply your patio area by each layer’s depth in feet and divide by 27 for cubic yards. This calculator does both layers plus the polymeric joint sand.
How thick should a paver base be?
For pedestrian patios and walkways, 4 inches of compacted crushed base is standard; use 6 inches for driveways or soft/clay soils. Add about 1 inch of bedding (concrete/paver) sand on top of the base, screeded flat, before laying the pavers.
How much sand do I need for pavers?
Plan on about 1 inch of bedding sand under the pavers. One inch over 100 square feet is about 8.3 cubic feet, or roughly seventeen 50 lb bags (each ~0.5 cu ft) — though bulk sand is cheaper for larger patios. Add polymeric sand separately for the joints.
How much polymeric sand do I need?
Polymeric joint sand coverage depends on paver size and joint width. As a rough guide, a 50 lb bag covers about 75 square feet of standard pavers with narrow joints, or as little as 25-30 sq ft for large joints or flagstone. Check the bag for its rating.
What kind of sand goes under pavers?
Use coarse, washed concrete/paver sand (sometimes called bedding or all-purpose sand) for the 1-inch leveling layer — not play sand or mason sand. For the joints between pavers, use polymeric sand, which hardens to lock the pavers and resist weeds.