Paver Calculator

Calculate the number of pavers needed for a patio or walkway, including waste allowance and material cost.

Results

Visualization

How It Works

This calculator determines how many pavers you need by dividing your total area by the coverage area of each paver (including the gap for sand joints), then adds a 10% waste allowance for cuts and breakage.

The Formula

Pavers Needed = ceil( (Length x Width) / ((PaverL + Gap) x (PaverW + Gap) / 144) ) x 1.10

Variables

  • Length — Total area length in feet
  • Width — Total area width in feet
  • PaverL — Individual paver length in inches
  • PaverW — Individual paver width in inches
  • Gap — Joint spacing between pavers in inches
  • 1.10 — 10% waste factor for cuts and breakage

Example

A 12 ft x 10 ft patio using 8" x 4" pavers with 1/4" gaps: area = 120 sq ft, each paver covers ~0.194 sq ft, so you need about 618 pavers. With 10% waste, order 680 pavers.

Tips

  • Buy all pavers from the same production lot to ensure consistent color.
  • For diagonal or herringbone patterns, increase your waste factor to 15% instead of 10%.
  • Always prepare a compacted gravel base (4-6 inches) beneath your pavers for drainage.
  • Polymeric sand in the joints prevents weed growth and ant hills.
  • Check local building codes -- some areas require permits for patios over a certain size.