Paver Base and Bedding Sand Calculator
Enter the size of the patio and the depth of the base and the bedding sand and get the paver base in tons and the sand in bags or tons, each rounded up once on its own.
A ready-made setup of the Paver Calculator.
Estimates for planning, not professional advice. Read the full notice.
The drawing did not open. Length and width are still here.
Patio: shape and size
Skip the drawingDrag a round corner to move it. The small hollow diamond on a side is its curve handle: drag it across the side to curve the side (it is not a corner). To add a corner (a new point), tap the side itself, then choose Add a point here. Tapping a corner or a side opens its actions. Drag empty space to move the view; pinch, or Ctrl and the mouse wheel, to zoom. The keys are listed under Keys.
Keys
- Tab
- next corner; each says how far it is from corner 1
- Arrow keys on a corner
- move it one square; ten with Shift; 1/16 in with Alt
- Delete or Backspace
- remove the corner; its two sides join in one straight side
- + on a corner
- add a corner halfway along the next side
- Arrow keys on the drawing
- move the view; farther with Shift
- + and - on the drawing
- zoom in and out
- 0 on the drawing
- show the whole shape
- Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on a Mac)
- undo, except inside a typed field (it keeps its own)
- Ctrl+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Y
- redo
- Escape while dragging
- put it back where it was
- Enter on a corner or side
- go to its actions
- Escape in the actions
- close them and go back to the drawing
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- Area
- 144 ft²
- Perimeter
- 48 ft
- Cut-out edges
No area until the shape is fixed.
Estimate for planning, from what you entered and the product data shown. Check product labels and your supplier before you buy.
Shape: Rectangle Change
Sides
Corners
Cut-outs
Feet and inches, like 12' 6"
Example: a paver patio
4 tons to order (3.6 tons exact)
- Base, cubic yards in place 1.78 yd³
- Base, cubic yards loose 2.84 yd³
- Base, tons at the supplier's step 4 tons
- Base, tons at the low end of the expansion range (27%), for comparison 3 tons
- Bedding sand, cubic yards 0.44 yd³
Your project
Enter a size to see your total.
Each product is rounded up once for the whole project, so the total can be less than the items bought alone added together. A line counted from a cut layout (sheets, boards or tiles laid out piece by piece) is counted for each item and added.
Shopping list
| Item | Size | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Base course by the ton | 1 ton | 4 tons |
| Bedding sand by the bag | 0.5 ft³ bag | 24 |
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Worked example: a paver patio
Show the working
- Base: volume in place 144 ft² × 4 in = 48 ft³
- Base: loose volume, with its own expansion 48 ft³ + 60 % expansion = 2.84 yd³
- Base: tons at the weight 2.844444 yd³ × 1.25 ton/yd³ = 3.6 tons
- Base: round up once, to the ton step 3.6 tons = 4 tons
- Bedding sand: volume, loose with no expansion 144 ft² × 1 in = 12 ft³
- Bedding sand: divide by the bag size, round up once 12 ft³ ÷ 0.5 ft³ = 24 × 0.5 ft³ bags
Assumptions
The figures behind the example. Sourced figures link to their source below; a default is a starting value to check against your label or supplier.
| Assumption | Value | Details and changes |
|---|---|---|
| Base course weight | 1.25 ton/yd³[1] | |
| Default New Mexico EMNRD's factor for base course. | ||
| Sand weight | 1.45 ton/yd³[1] | |
| Default New Mexico EMNRD's factor for sand. It does not say wet or dry, loose or compacted; USBR says moist loose sand weighs much less than dry compacted sand. | ||
| Landscape waste or overage | 0% | |
| Default No silent overage. Check your label or supplier. | ||
| Supplier's smallest ton step | 1 ton | |
| Default Suppliers sell by the ton in steps. Check your label or supplier. | ||
| Base expansion, top of WisDOT's range (the low end is lower: it is shown beside the order) | 60%[2] | |
| WisDOT's research found expansion factors for 29 Wisconsin aggregates of 27 to 60 percent (graded base materials, not decorative stone). | ||
| Sand bag size | 0.5 ft³ | |
| Default Bag sizes are on the label. Check your label or supplier. | ||
| Paver base depth, CMHA | 4 in[3] | |
| CMHA: a compacted base of at least 4 in under sidewalks, patios and pedestrian areas and at least 6 in under residential driveways over well-drained soils, with bedding sand screeded to an uncompacted nominal 1 in. | ||
Feet and inches, like 12' 6"
Paver base and sand by patio size
Tons of base and bags of bedding sand for four patio sizes at the starting depths
| Patio size | Base, tons | Sand, bags of 0.5 ft³ |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ft × 10 ft | 3 tons | 17 bags |
| 12 ft × 12 ft | 4 tons | 24 bags |
| 16 ft × 16 ft | 7 tons | 43 bags |
| 20 ft × 20 ft | 10 tons | 67 bags |
Each row is worked out on its own. The base is expanded to loose material and the bedding sand is loose already. Expansion is counted at the top of WisDOT's range (60%), so the order never under-buys; the low end of the range (27%) is shown beside it.
Questions
How much paver base do I need for a twelve by twelve patio?
The patio table gives base tons and sand bags for four sizes, including that one, and the calculator does the same for your own size and depths.
Is two inches of base enough under pavers?
CMHA prints minimum compacted base thicknesses for patios and for driveways, quoted in the assumptions with the source. The calculator uses the depth you type and does not judge it.
How much sand goes under pavers?
CMHA describes bedding sand screeded to a nominal thickness, quoted with its source. Enter your bedding depth and the calculator gives the sand in bags or tons.
Sources (3)
-
Conversion Factors for Construction Materials and Common Minerals (opens in new tab), New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, undated one-page table, adapted from BLM H-3890-1 Handbook for Mineral Examiners.
Code or government.
“To convert cubic yards to short tons, multiply the commodity production cubic yardage by the conversion factors listed below. ... Base course 1.25 ... Fill Dirt 0.8 ... Gravel ¼" – 2" 1.42 ... Sand 1.45 ... Top Soil 0.8”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 1) -
Weight-Volume Relationships and Conversion Factors for Soils and Aggregates of Wisconsin (WisDOT ID G22-05 / 0092-22-05) (opens in new tab), Wisconsin Department of Transportation (Michigan State University and University of Wisconsin-Madison), December 2023, executive summary.
Code or government.
“Conversion factors for aggregates ranged between 1.50 and 1.98 and expansion factors ranged between 27% and 60%.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 2) -
PAV-TEC-002, Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavements (opens in new tab), Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association, PAV-TEC-002-22, revised 2022 (web edition).
Standards or industry body.
“Sidewalks, patios and pedestrian areas should have a minimum base thickness (after compaction) of 4 in. (100 mm) over well-drained soils. Residential driveways on well-drained soils should be at least 6 in. (150 mm) thick.”
“Bedding sand should be spread and screeded to an uncompacted nominal 1 in. (25 mm) thickness.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 3)
These are summaries of what the sources say, not professional advice. Codes and product data change. Check with your building department and the product label about your own project.
Sources
- [1] New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Conversion Factors for Construction Materials and Common Minerals. Checked November 12, 2026. https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/mmd/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/ConvFctrs.pdf
- [2] Wisconsin Department of Transportation (Michigan State University and University of Wisconsin-Madison), Weight-Volume Relationships and Conversion Factors for Soils and Aggregates of Wisconsin (WisDOT ID G22-05 / 0092-22-05). Checked November 12, 2026. https://wisconsindot.gov/documents2/research/0092-22-05-final-report.pdf
- [3] Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association, PAV-TEC-002, Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavements. Checked November 12, 2026. https://www.cmha.org/resource/pav-tec-002/