Paver planning guide

How Many Pavers Do I Need?

Quick answer: divide your project area by the face area of one paver, then add extra for cuts and breakage. For example, a 12 × 12 ft patio using 12 × 12 in pavers needs 144 pavers before waste, or about 159 pavers with 10% extra.

Calculate your exact paver project

Enter your patio or walkway dimensions and paver size to calculate pavers, base gravel and bedding sand together.

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Pavers needed by project area

This planning chart adds 10% and rounds up to whole pavers. Use the actual dimensions supplied by your paver manufacturer when ordering.

Project area8×4 in12×12 in12×18 in16×16 in18×18 in24×24 in
50 ft²2485637312514
100 ft²49611174624928
144 ft²713159106907140
150 ft²743165111937442
200 ft²9912211471249856
250 ft²123827518415512369
300 ft²148633022118614783
400 ft²1981441294248196111
500 ft²2475550367310245138

Counts include 10% extra. Multi-size patterns, borders, curves and manufacturer-specific dimensions can change the takeoff.

Paver formula

Pavers needed = project area ÷ paver face area. When working in feet and inches, convert the paver face area to square feet first: length in inches × width in inches ÷ 144. Multiply the resulting paver count by 1.10 for a 10% allowance, then round up.

Circular paver calculator formula

For a circular patio, calculate the area first: circle area = π × radius². If you measured diameter, divide it by 2 to get the radius. Then divide the circle area by the face area of one paver and add a cutting allowance.

Example: a 12 ft diameter circle has a 6 ft radius and an area of about 113.1 ft². With 12 × 12 in pavers, that is about 114 pavers before extra material, or about 125 pavers with 10% extra. Curved edges can create more waste than a rectangular layout, so the actual allowance may need to be higher.

Common patio examples

ProjectAreaPaver sizeExact field countWith 10% extra
10 × 10 patio100 ft²12×12 in100111
12 × 12 patio144 ft²12×12 in144159
10 × 20 patio200 ft²12×12 in200221
15 × 20 patio300 ft²12×12 in300330

Don't stop at the paver count

A paver project also needs a prepared aggregate base and a bedding layer. The appropriate depths depend on the application, site conditions, product system and local practices. Instead of estimating each material independently, use the Paver Calculator for the complete takeoff.

Calculate paver base gravel

If you already know your compacted base depth, the Paver Base Calculator converts project area and depth into cubic yards, approximate tons and bag equivalents.

Calculate bedding sand

Use the Paver Sand Calculator when you need bedding-sand volume from area and planned depth.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate how many pavers I need?

Multiply the project length by width to get square feet, divide by the face area of one paver, then round up and add an allowance for cuts, breakage and layout. The table on this page uses 10% extra.

How do I calculate pavers for a circular patio?

Find the circle area with π times radius squared, divide that square footage by the face area of one paver, then add extra for cuts. Circular layouts usually create more edge cuts than a simple rectangle.

How many 12 × 12 pavers do I need for a 12 × 12 patio?

A 12 × 12 ft patio is 144 square feet. One 12 × 12 in paver covers 1 square foot, so the exact field count is 144. With 10% extra, plan for about 159 pavers.

How much paver base and sand do I need?

Base and bedding-sand quantities depend on project area and the compacted depths you plan to use. Use the PlanDIYBuild Paver Calculator to calculate pavers, base gravel and bedding sand together.

Plan the whole project

For related gravel, sand, mulch and landscape-material tools, visit the Landscaping Planning Hub.

PlanDIYBuild reference

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