How Much Gravel and Sand for a Paver Patio Base

A paver patio base is two layers — measure them separately

A paver installation has two distinct material layers below the pavers: a compacted crushed-stone base and a thin bedding course, usually sand. They are different materials with different densities and prices, so measure and order each one on its own rather than as a single 'base' number.

This guide measures the volume of each layer. It does not tell you how thick either layer should be, what stone to use, or how to build the patio — those are set by your project plan or the paver manufacturer's installation instructions.

Measure to the excavation footprint, not the paver field

The base and bedding are dug and laid wider than the finished pavers so the edges stay supported. Your plan sets how far the excavation extends beyond the pavers on each side; add that margin to the paver length and width to get the excavation footprint, and measure both layers over that larger footprint.

For example, if the paver field is 12 ft × 10 ft and your plan extends the base 6 inches (0.5 ft) beyond every edge, the excavation footprint is (12 + 0.5 + 0.5) × (10 + 0.5 + 0.5) = 13 ft × 11 ft = 143 square feet. Use 143 square feet — not 120 — as the area for both layers.

Every depth is a plan or manufacturer input

Base depth, bedding depth, and the over-dig margin are all inputs you take from your plan, engineer, or paver manufacturer. This guide uses example figures only to show the arithmetic; it recommends no depth.

Crushed stone is compacted in layers, so the loose material you order is more than the finished compacted thickness. The gravel calculator's wastage allowance covers that — set it to the figure your supplier or plan gives for compaction and spreading loss.

• Base depth — from your plan or engineer.
• Bedding-course depth — from the paver manufacturer's installation instructions.
• Over-dig margin beyond the pavers — from your plan.
• Compaction and wastage allowance — from your supplier or plan.

Base-layer volume: footprint × base depth

The base volume is the excavation footprint area multiplied by the base depth. Convert the depth from inches to feet (divide by 12) before multiplying, then divide by 27 for cubic yards.

Using the 143-square-foot footprint above with an example 6-inch (0.5 ft) base: 143 × 0.5 = 71.5 cubic feet = 71.5 ÷ 27 ≈ 2.65 cubic yards of crushed stone, before the compaction allowance.

Bedding-sand volume: footprint × bedding depth

Bedding sand is laid as a thin, uniform course over the compacted base. Measure its volume the same way: footprint area × bedding depth in feet, then ÷ 27 for cubic yards.

With the same 143-square-foot footprint and an example 1-inch (1 ÷ 12 = 0.0833 ft) bedding course: 143 × 0.0833 ≈ 11.9 cubic feet ≈ 0.44 cubic yards of sand. Screeding the sand to a consistent depth keeps it thin and even — take the depth from your paver manufacturer, not from this page.

Order base and bedding as separate materials

Crushed stone and sand have different densities, so the same volume weighs a different amount and the gravel calculator converts each to tons using its own density. Run the base and the bedding as two separate calculations, each with the supplier's density for that material, and keep them as two line items on your order.

See the cubic-yards-to-tons guide for how the density you enter turns each volume into a weight the supplier can quote against.

Worked example: 12 ft × 10 ft paver patio

Paver field 12 ft × 10 ft. The plan extends the base 6 inches beyond every edge and specifies a 6-inch compacted base; the paver manufacturer specifies a 1-inch bedding course. Every depth here is the plan's figure, shown to demonstrate the method.

Excavation footprint: 13 ft × 11 ft = 143 square feet.

Base: 143 × (6 ÷ 12) = 71.5 cubic feet ≈ 2.65 cubic yards of crushed stone, before the compaction allowance.

Bedding: 143 × (1 ÷ 12) ≈ 11.9 cubic feet ≈ 0.44 cubic yards of sand.

Order the two materials separately, add each layer's compaction and wastage allowance in the calculator, and enter your supplier's price for a cost estimate.

Field worksheet

Record these before ordering, and keep the base and bedding on separate lines.

• Paver field length and width (ft).
• Over-dig margin beyond the pavers from your plan (ft), added to both dimensions.
• Excavation footprint length × width (ft) and area (sq ft).
• Base depth from your plan (in), converted to feet.
• Bedding-course depth from the paver manufacturer (in), converted to feet.
• Base volume and bedding volume calculated separately (cu ft and cu yd).
• Compaction and wastage allowance for each layer, from your supplier or plan.
• Stone gradation and sand type confirmed against your plan or manufacturer.
• Supplier density for each material entered in the calculator, and prices entered for a cost estimate.

Same project

Related measurement guides

• Gravel cubic yards to tons: ordering by weight →
• How much gravel for a French drain →
• Gravel base under a concrete slab →
• How to measure a gravel driveway →

Sources and limits

Check the project-specific details

• ASTM D448 / AASHTO M43 aggregate size numbers — Standard classification of coarse-aggregate sizes (for example No. 57 stone) your base specification may reference; confirm the gradation on your plan.
• NIST Handbook 44 unit definitions — Exact foot, cubic-foot, and cubic-yard definitions used in the volume conversions.

Review status: Formulas and conversions covered by automated tests; measurement practice pending human trade review.

This guide supports planning only. It does not specify structural design, code compliance, or a supplier quotation.