Pavers & Hardscape · Free tool
Paver calculator
Enter your area and paver size to get the number of pavers you need, plus the aggregate base, bedding sand, and polymeric joint sand quantities for that field. Base depths follow AE's Arizona install standard: 2–3 inches of compacted ABC under patios and walkways, 4–6 inches under driveways, a 1-inch bedding sand course on every job, and polymeric sand in every joint.
Your area
Your material quantities
Area
400 sq ft
Pavers (2.67 per sq ft, 10% waste added)
1,174 units
Aggregate base — 2–3" compacted ABC (AE standard for patios)
4–6 tons
(2.8–4.3 cubic yards, compaction allowance included)
Bedding sand — 1" screeded course
1.8 tons (1.4 cubic yards)
Polymeric joint sand (50 lb bags, joint width dependent)
4–10 bags
Quantity planning only, not a material order or a quote. Actual quantities depend on measured area, layout, cut waste, compaction, existing grade, and the approved plan. Confirm final quantities with your supplier or with AE before ordering.
How the numbers are calculated
- Pavers: 144 ÷ the unit's face area in square inches gives pavers per square foot, multiplied by your area and the waste allowance, then rounded up to a whole unit.
- Aggregate base: area × depth ÷ 27 for cubic yards, plus a 15% allowance for compaction and overdig, converted at roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard of ABC.
- Bedding sand: a consistent 1-inch course with a 10% screeding allowance, converted at roughly 1.35 tons per cubic yard.
- Polymeric joint sand: one 50 lb bag per 100 sq ft at the tight-joint end and per 40 sq ft at the wide-joint end. Thicker units and wider joints land near the high number.
- Quarter minus is not on this list. AE does not use quarter minus under pavers; it is a turf base material. See our base-material guide for why.
Frequently asked questions
- How many pavers do I need per square foot?
- Divide 144 by the paver's face area in square inches. A 6x9 paver covers 54 square inches, so it takes about 2.7 pavers per square foot. A 12x12 paver takes 1 per square foot, and a 4x8 takes about 4.5. Add 5–10% for straight cuts and 10–15% when the field has curves, diagonals, or a soldier-course border.
- How much base do I need under pavers in Arizona?
- AE's standard is 2–3 inches of compacted aggregate base course (ABC) under patios and walkways and 4–6 inches under driveways, with additional ABC where build-up or heavier traffic calls for it. Every install then gets a 1-inch bedding sand course and polymeric joint sand. Quarter minus is never used under pavers on an AE job — it is a turf base material.
- How much does a ton of ABC base cover?
- Compacted ABC weighs roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard in the Valley. One cubic yard covers about 108 square feet at 3 inches deep or 54 square feet at 6 inches deep, so a 3-inch patio base runs roughly one ton per 75–80 square feet. Suppliers sell by the ton, so this calculator converts volume to tonnage for you and adds a compaction allowance.
- How much bedding sand and polymeric sand will I need?
- Bedding sand is a consistent 1-inch screeded course — about one cubic yard per 320 square feet, roughly 1.35 tons. Polymeric joint sand coverage depends on joint width and paver thickness: plan one 50 lb bag per 75–100 square feet for tight-jointed standard pavers, and one bag per 30–50 square feet for wider joints, thicker driveway pavers, or flagstone-style layouts.
- Why does the calculator add waste?
- Every real field loses material to cuts at walls, curves, drains, and borders, and to broken units in handling. Five percent is the floor on a simple rectangle. Ten to fifteen percent is realistic on curved patios, diagonal patterns, and pool decks. Ordering short mid-install means a second delivery fee and a real risk that the second pallet is a different production run with a visible color shift.
- Do these quantities work for a driveway?
- Set the project type to driveway and the calculator uses 4–6 inches of ABC instead of 2–3. Driveways also need paver units rated for vehicle loads and a concrete edge restraint rather than spike-down plastic. Base depth on a specific driveway still depends on the soil, the measured subgrade, and the approved detail.