On this page
Paver math trips people up because you're really buying four different materials: the pavers themselves, the crushed gravel base, the bedding sand, and the joint sand, and each is measured differently. The calculator below handles all four at once. Enter your patio dimensions, pick a paver size and pattern, and you get a paver count with waste built in plus the base quantities in cubic yards.
Paver Calculator
168 sq ft patio · estimated paver + base material cost: $1,008 - $2,016 (materials only, not labor).
Pavers Per Square Foot (Every Common Size)
| Paver size | Sq ft per paver | Pavers per sq ft | Pavers per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4" x 8" (Holland) | 0.22 | 4.5 | 450 |
| 6" x 6" | 0.25 | 4.0 | 400 |
| 6" x 9" | 0.375 | 2.67 | 267 |
| 12" x 12" | 1.0 | 1.0 | 100 |
| 16" x 16" | 1.78 | 0.56 | 57 |
| 24" x 24" slab | 4.0 | 0.25 | 25 |
Counts are before waste. Nominal sizes; actual dimensions vary slightly by manufacturer, always confirm coverage per band/pallet with your supplier.
How Much Waste to Add (By Pattern)
| Pattern | Add | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stack bond / running bond | 5% | Cuts only at edges |
| Basketweave | 5-10% | Simple repeats, edge cuts |
| Herringbone (45° or 90°) | 10-15% | Diagonal cuts along every border |
| Curves / circle kits | 15%+ | Every border paver gets a saw cut |
| Multiple sizes (random pattern) | 10% | Pattern balancing leaves partial bands |
Herringbone is worth the extra cuts on driveways and high-traffic areas, the interlock resists shifting better than any other pattern. For a simple backyard patio, running bond keeps both waste and labor down. We compared the long-term durability side of this decision in paver vs. concrete in a freeze-thaw climate.
The Base Materials Math
The base is where DIY patios live or die, and it's also most of the digging. The standard patio spec is 4-6 inches of compacted angular gravel under exactly 1 inch of bedding sand:
- Base gravel: (sq ft × 6") ÷ 324 = cubic yards. Order crushed, angular stone with fines (CA6 / crusher run / road base), never rounded gravel, which won't lock up. Add ~10% for compaction loss.
- Bedding sand: (sq ft × 1") ÷ 324 = cubic yards of coarse concrete sand. One inch screeded, more sand does not fix a wavy base, it creates ruts.
- Polymeric sand: one 50 lb bag joints roughly 50-100 sq ft depending on paver size and joint width (small pavers = more joints = more sand).
Layer order, compaction lifts, fabric, and the mistakes that make patios heave in winter are covered in our full paver base guide. To price out the gravel itself, the gravel calculator converts these yardages to tons for ordering.
What a Paver Patio Costs
Materials for a typical patio run $6-$12 per square foot: pavers at $3-$8, base gravel and sand around $1-$2, and edge restraint plus polymeric sand making up the rest. Professionally installed, expect $18-$30 per square foot in 2026, excavation, disposal, base compaction, and skilled cutting are most of the difference. For a full local breakdown with example budgets by patio size, see our Will County paver patio cost guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pavers do I need for a 10x10 patio?
A 10x10 patio is 100 square feet. With standard 4x8 inch pavers (4.5 per square foot), you need about 450 pavers, plus waste: roughly 475 in a running bond pattern or about 505 for herringbone. With 12x12 pavers you'd need 105-115.
How many 4x8 pavers are in a square foot?
4.5. A 4x8 inch paver covers 32 square inches, and a square foot is 144 square inches, so 144 ÷ 32 = 4.5 pavers per square foot.
How much extra should I order for waste and cuts?
Add 5% for simple rectangular layouts in running or stack bond, 10-15% for herringbone or basketweave, and 15% or more for curved edges and circle kits. Also keep a few spares afterward, matching a discontinued paver color years later is nearly impossible.
What goes under pavers?
From the bottom up: compacted soil subgrade, optional geotextile fabric, 4-6 inches of compacted angular base gravel for a patio (8-12 inches for a driveway), then exactly 1 inch of screeded bedding sand, then the pavers, edge restraint, and polymeric sand in the joints.
How much does a paver patio cost installed?
Professionally installed paver patios typically run $18-$30 per square foot in 2026 depending on region, paver line, and site access. Materials alone are roughly $6-$12 per square foot if you're doing the labor yourself.
Want the Patio Without the Math?
Above the Lawn Services designs and installs paver patios and hardscaping across Manhattan, Joliet, New Lenox, Frankfort, and the surrounding Will County, IL area, with the base spec in writing on every quote. Call (815) 520-2558 or request a free estimate online.
Get a Free Estimate
