Paver count, gravel base, sand and edging for a paver patio or walkway.
Estimates are planning aids, not an engineered design. Confirm spans, footings and setbacks against your local code and permit before buying.
⚠ Call 811 before you dig. Slope the finished surface about 1/4 inch per foot away from the house so water drains off, and compact the base in 2-inch lifts — skipping this is the top cause of sunken, uneven pavers.
| Pavers & Block | $421–$569 |
| Soil & Fill | $136–$184 |
| Membrane & Fabric | $94–$127 |
| Edging & Restraints | $83–$112 |
| Total | $733–$991 |
Excludes tools, delivery, tax and permit fees. Labor not included — this is a DIY materials estimate.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pavers — 6"×9" Holland120 sq ft · running pattern | 352 × pavers |
| Paver base gravel (3/4" minus)6" compacted · ≈ 3.1 tons | 2.22 × cu yd |
| Bedding sand (coarse / concrete sand)1" screeded setting bed | 0.37 × cu yd |
| Polymeric joint sandswept into the joints, then misted to set | 2 × bags |
| Geotextile fabric (separation)between subgrade and base | 2 × 4×100 roll |
| Paver edge restrainton every open edge — keeps pavers from spreading | 6 × 8 ft |
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Edging spikes (10 in)~1 per foot of edging | 48 × ea |
About this planner
Enter your patio's size and paver and the Paver Patio Builder works out the whole job: exactly how many pavers you need, the compacted gravel base in cubic yards, the bedding sand, polymeric joint sand, edge restraint and spikes — plus the tools, a cost range and a realistic build time. It's the fastest way to price a paver patio before you buy.
Pick from common paver sizes, choose a running-bond or herringbone pattern, and the paver count and waste adjust automatically. Open advanced options for base depth, bedding thickness, separation fabric and waste.
Step by step
A high-level walkthrough of the build. Pair it with your plan above and always confirm spans, footings and setbacks against your local code.
Mark the patio with paint and string, call 811, then dig out for your paver thickness plus the base and sand — usually 7–9 inches total. Set a slope of about 1/4 inch per foot away from the house from the very start.
Roll out geotextile fabric over the subgrade, then add the gravel base in 2-inch lifts, compacting each lift with a plate compactor. A thick, well-compacted base is what keeps the patio from settling.
Set two screed rails to your slope, spread coarse sand between them, and screed it flat with a board to a consistent 1-inch bed. Don't walk on it once it's screeded.
Start from a straight edge or corner and work outward in your pattern, setting each paver straight down into the sand with a small gap. Keep lines true with a string and check the field as you go.
Mark and cut the perimeter and any herringbone edge pieces with a masonry saw for clean, tight borders. Dry-fit before you commit the cuts.
Install edge restraint tight against the pavers on every open side and spike it into the base about every foot. This is what holds the whole patio together.
Run the plate compactor over the pavers (with a mat if you have one) to seat them into the sand. Sweep polymeric joint sand into the joints, compact again, top up, then mist it to set.
Equip the job
Hand-picked categories that match the shopping list above. Links open a current selection so you can compare brands and prices.
Keep planning
Answers
Divide your patio's square footage by the area of one paver, then add 5–10% for cuts and breakage. For example, 6×9 'Holland' pavers cover about 0.375 sq ft each, so a 120 sq ft patio needs roughly 320 pavers plus waste. This calculator does the math for your exact size and paver, and bumps the count for herringbone patterns, which need more diagonal cuts.
For a walk-on patio, 4–6 inches of compacted gravel base over the subgrade is typical, plus about a 1-inch sand setting bed. Go deeper — 8 inches or more — for poor or clay soils, cold climates with frost heave, or anything that will carry vehicles. The base is the single most important part of the job, so don't skimp on depth or compaction.
Yes. Edge restraint spiked into the base around the perimeter is what stops the pavers from spreading and the joints from opening up over time — patios fail at the edges first. Polymeric sand swept into the joints and misted to set locks the field together, resists weeds and ants, and keeps the joints from washing out in the rain.
Plan about a quarter inch of fall per foot — roughly 1–2% — running away from your house or any structure, so water sheds off the surface instead of pooling or draining toward the foundation. Set that slope into the compacted base and carry it through the sand bed and pavers. Build the slope in from the start; you can't fix drainage after the pavers are down.