Calculate the perfect gravel foundation for your patio, walkway, or driveway paver installation
Adding a buffer is recommended to account for material compaction, waste, and unexpected site conditions.
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Paver base is a layer of compactable gravel or crushed stone that forms the foundation beneath paver stones, bricks, or concrete slabs. It provides stability, prevents settling, and allows for proper drainage in your patio, walkway, or driveway projects.
A proper paver base is crucial for the longevity and stability of your hardscape project. Without an adequate base, pavers can shift, sink, or become uneven over time, especially in areas with freeze-thaw cycles or heavy rainfall.
Properly estimating materials for your paver project involves calculating both the gravel base layer and the sand bedding layer:
Our calculator handles all these steps automatically, including the buffer for waste and compaction.
To calculate cubic yards of base material:
For example, a 200 sq ft patio with a 6-inch deep base would need: 200 × (6 ÷ 12) = 100 cubic feet = 3.7 cubic yards of base material.
For metric calculations:
For example, a 20 m² patio with a 15 cm deep base would need: 20 × (15 ÷ 100) = 3 cubic meters of base material.
The required depth of your paver base depends on several factors:
| Project Type | Gravel Base | Sand Layer |
|---|---|---|
| Walkway/Patio (pedestrian) | 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) | 1 inch (2.5 cm) |
| Driveway (light vehicles) | 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) | 1 inch (2.5 cm) |
| Heavy traffic areas | 12+ inches (30+ cm) | 1 inch (2.5 cm) |
Important factors that may require deeper base:
For a typical 12' × 12' (144 sq ft) patio with recommended depths:
For larger projects, it's generally more economical to order materials by the cubic yard or ton rather than buying individual bags. Most suppliers sell gravel and sand by the half or full cubic yard.
Remember that compacted materials will take up less space than loose materials. The 10-20% buffer in our calculator accounts for this compaction as well as spillage and waste.
The calculator uses the following formulas:
For imperial measurements, we convert inches to feet for depth (divide by 12) before calculating volume. For metric, we convert centimeters to meters (divide by 100).
For a 12' × 12' patio with a 4" deep gravel base and 1" sand layer:
Adding a 10-20% buffer is essential because: 1) Material compacts during installation, reducing volume, 2) Some material is lost during handling and spreading, 3) Site conditions may require slightly more material in certain areas, and 4) It's better to have slightly too much material than to run short in the middle of your project.
The most commonly used material is 3/4" crushed stone or gravel (also called #57 stone). This material compacts well while still allowing for proper drainage. For the top layer directly under the pavers, use a finer material like stone dust or coarse sand.
The weight depends on the material density. For standard gravel (105 lb/cu ft), 1 cubic yard equals approximately 1.42 tons. For crushed stone, it's about 1.35 tons per cubic yard. For sand (90 lb/cu ft), 1 cubic yard equals about 1.22 tons. Our calculator automatically converts between volume and weight based on the selected material density.
For small projects under 20 sq ft, bags may be convenient. For anything larger, bulk materials are more cost-effective. A typical 50 lb bag of gravel covers about 0.5 cubic feet. For a 144 sq ft patio with 4" gravel base, you'd need about 111 bags versus just 1.8 cubic yards of bulk material.
Geotextile fabric is recommended for areas with poor drainage or clay soil. It prevents the gravel base from mixing with the soil below while still allowing water to drain. This extends the life of your paver installation and helps prevent settling and shifting.