Paver calculator
Patio dimensions to paver count — plus the base gravel and bedding sand underneath, sized to the industry installation spec.
Base and sand layers per ICPI Tech Spec 10: 4–6″ compacted base for walks and patios, 6–8″ for driveways, bedding sand a nominal 1″. Base volume is the compacted target — loose material compacts down, so order a margin.
The system under the pavers
A paver surface is a three-layer system, and the spec comes from the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (Tech Spec 10): compacted soil subgrade, a compacted aggregate base — minimum 4–6 inches for walks and patios, 6–8 inches for residential driveways — then a nominal 1 inch of bedding sand (concrete sand per ASTM C33, never mason sand or stone dust), and finally the pavers with sand-swept joints, typically 1/16–3/16 inch apart.
The gravel and topsoil calculators share this site’s density data if your supplier quotes base material by the ton (crushed stone runs ~1.35–1.5 tons per cubic yard). Edge restraints and drainage matter as much as the layers — for driveways and anything structural, follow the full ICPI guidance or a professional’s spec.