- How much paver base do I need?
- How deep should paver base be?
- What is the difference between paver base and sand?
- Can I use sand instead of gravel for the base?
- Do I need landscape fabric under pavers?
- How many tons is a cubic yard of paver base?
- Do I really need to compact the base?
- Crusher run vs paver base vs road base: is there a difference?
- How much does paver base cost in 2026?
- Can I lay pavers over dirt or old concrete?
Multiply length by width in feet, multiply by the base depth in inches divided by 12, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Add about 10 percent for compaction, and multiply by 1.4 for tons, since most suppliers sell base by weight. A 1-inch sand bedding layer uses the same math. The calculator below runs all of it.
Paver Base Calculator
How much base gravel, sand, and money does your paver project need?
Tons assume 1.4 tons per cubic yard, the standard figure for crusher run and paver base; your supplier’s number may differ slightly, so confirm it when you order. Quantities already include your compaction allowance.
Paver base is the compacted layer of crushed stone that sits under pavers and carries the load. The pavers are just the wearing surface; the base is what keeps them from rocking, sinking, or growing weeds through the joints. Get the depth and the quantity right and a patio lasts decades. Skimp on either and you will be re-laying pavers within a few seasons. This guide walks through the exact math, the depth rules, and what base material should cost in 2026.
How to Use This Paver Base Calculator
- Enter length and width in feet. Measure the finished paver area, not the excavation; the excavation runs a few inches wider all around.
- Pick the base depth. Use 4 inches for patios and walkways, 6 inches for driveways, or enter a custom depth.
- Keep the sand bedding layer on unless you have a reason not to. One inch of coarse sand is the standard setting bed.
- Set the compaction allowance and an optional price per ton. Hit calculate for cubic yards, tons, sand, and cost.
What Each Input Means
- Length and width: The finished dimensions of the paved area in feet. For curved patios, measure the longest length and widest width; the slight overestimate is cheaper than a second delivery.
- Base depth: The compacted thickness of the crushed-stone layer, in inches. These are finished depths after compaction, which is why the calculator adds the compaction allowance on top.
- Sand bedding layer: A 1-inch layer of coarse concrete sand screeded over the compacted base. It is the cushion the pavers sit in, not a substitute for the base.
- Compaction allowance: Extra material to cover what the base loses when compacted. Ten percent is standard; heavy plate compaction on deep bases can take a little more.
- Price per ton: What your supplier charges per ton of base material. Used only for the cost estimate.
The Formula and Methodology
The calculator uses the same volume math every aggregate supplier uses:
- Area: length x width in feet (square feet).
- Base cubic feet: area x (base depth in inches / 12).
- Base cubic yards: cubic feet / 27, since one cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet.
- Compaction allowance: cubic yards x (1 + allowance / 100). Loose stone shrinks under the plate compactor, so you order more than the finished volume.
- Tons: cubic yards x 1.4. Suppliers sell base by weight, and 1.4 tons per cubic yard is the standard figure for crusher run and paver base.
- Sand bedding: area x (1 / 12) / 27, with the same compaction allowance applied.
Depth guidance comes from ICPI Tech Spec 2, the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute’s construction standard: a minimum 4-inch compacted base for patios and pedestrian areas over well-drained soil, and at least 6 inches for residential driveways, with 2 to 4 inches more on wet or weak soils. Bedding sand is specified as 1 inch of coarse concrete sand meeting ASTM C33. The 1.4 tons-per-yard factor sits in the middle of the 1.35 to 1.5 range published by aggregate suppliers for dense-graded crushed stone; always confirm your supplier’s figure when you order, since stone type and moisture move it around.
Base Depth by Application
Depths below are compacted thicknesses per ICPI Tech Spec 2. Go deeper on clay soil, poor drainage, or freeze-thaw ground.
| Application | Compacted base depth | Bedding sand |
|---|---|---|
| Patio, walkway (foot traffic) | 4 in minimum | 1 in |
| Residential driveway | 6 in minimum | 1 in |
| Driveway on clay or wet soil | 8 in or more | 1 in |
| Heavy vehicles, RV parking | 8 to 12 in | 1 in |
Base Materials Compared
These names overlap by region; what matters is crushed angular stone with fines that lock together when compacted.
| Material | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Crusher run (3/4 in minus) | Crushed stone from dust to 3/4 in, packs very hard | Driveway and patio bases; the default pick |
| Paver base | Bagged or bulk crusher run graded for pavers | Small patios where bags beat a truck delivery |
| Road base / dense-grade aggregate | Same dense-graded concept, regional name | Driveways and heavy-duty bases |
| #57 clean stone | Angular 3/4 to 1 in stone, no fines | Drainage layers, not paver bases (does not lock up) |
| Pea gravel | Rounded river stone | Never as a paver base; it shifts like ball bearings |
Tons per Cubic Yard Reference
| Material | Tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Crusher run / paver base | 1.4 (range 1.35 to 1.5) |
| Clean crushed stone (#57) | 1.4 |
| Pea gravel | 1.35 |
| Coarse concrete sand | 1.3 to 1.4 |
Worked Example: A 20 x 15 Patio
Say your patio is 20 feet long by 15 feet wide, with a 4-inch compacted base and a 1-inch sand bedding layer, using the standard 10% compaction allowance:
- Area: 20 x 15 = 300 square feet
- Base cubic feet: 300 x (4 / 12) = 100 cubic feet
- Base cubic yards: 100 / 27 = 3.70 cubic yards
- Add 10% for compaction: 3.70 x 1.10 = 4.07 cubic yards to order
- Tons: 4.07 x 1.4 = 5.70 tons
- Bedding sand: 300 x (1 / 12) / 27 = 0.93, plus 10% = 1.02 cubic yards
So you would order about 4.1 cubic yards (5.7 tons) of base and just over a yard of sand. At $35 per ton, the base runs about $200 before delivery. That matches the calculator output exactly; try it yourself with the numbers above.
6 Common Paver Base Mistakes
- Using sand as the base. Sand is the bedding, not the foundation. A sand-only base shifts under load and washes out; the structural layer must be compacted crushed stone.
- Skipping compaction in lifts. Dumping 6 inches at once and compacting only the top leaves the bottom loose. Compact in lifts of 4 inches or less so the whole depth gets dense.
- Forgetting the compaction allowance. A compacted 4-inch base takes more than 4 inches of loose stone. Order the extra 10% or the truck leaves you short.
- Using rounded gravel. Pea gravel and river rock never lock together. Only angular crushed stone with fines makes a base that stays put.
- Ignoring drainage and slope. The base must pitch away from structures, about 1 inch of fall per 8 feet. A flat base ponds water under the pavers and heaves in winter.
- Skimping on depth for driveways. Four inches under a car is a patio spec, not a driveway spec. Vehicles need at least 6 compacted inches, more on soft soil.
2026 Paver Base Cost Guide
These are typical US ranges, not quotes; aggregate prices move with region, quarry distance, and fuel costs.
- Bulk crusher run / paver base: $25 to $50 per ton at the quarry or landscape supply yard.
- Delivery: $50 to $150 per truckload on top of the material, depending on distance. Small orders feel this the most.
- Bagged paver base (50 lb bag): $4 to $6 at home centers. Fine for a small walkway; ruinous for a patio, since a ton needs 40 bags.
- Coarse concrete sand, bulk: $30 to $50 per ton. A yard of bedding sand for the example patio runs well under $75 in most markets.
- The breakeven: past about a ton, bulk beats bags by a wide margin, even after the delivery fee. Forty-plus bags is also a miserable car trip.
Paver Base Calculator FAQs
Multiply length by width in feet, multiply by the base depth in inches divided by 12, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then add 10% for compaction. A 20×15 patio with a 4-inch base needs about 4.1 cubic yards, or 5.7 tons. The calculator above does the whole sequence, including the sand bedding layer.
At least 4 inches of compacted base for patios and walkways, and at least 6 inches for residential driveways, per ICPI Tech Spec 2. Those are minimums over well-drained soil; clay, poor drainage, or freeze-thaw ground calls for 2 to 4 inches more. The 1-inch sand bedding layer sits on top and is not counted in the base depth.
Paver base is crushed angular stone with fines that locks together under compaction and carries the load. Sand is the 1-inch bedding layer screeded over the compacted base; it cushions the pavers and lets you fine-tune their height. One is structural, the other is a setting bed, and neither does the other’s job.
No. A sand-only base shifts under foot traffic, washes out in rain, and cannot spread vehicle loads. Pavers laid on deep sand rock and settle within a season or two. The structural layer must be compacted crushed stone; sand belongs only in the thin bedding course on top.
It is strongly recommended on clay or soft soils. A woven geotextile between the subgrade and the base stops fine soil from migrating up into the stone, which is what slowly ruins a base from below. On clean, well-drained sandy soil you can skip it, but the fabric is cheap insurance everywhere else.
About 1.4 tons. Dense-graded crushed stone runs 1.35 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard depending on the stone type and moisture, and 1.4 is the standard figure suppliers use for estimates. Confirm your supplier’s number when you order, since it is what your tonnage and your bill are calculated from.
Yes, and in lifts. Spread and compact the stone in layers no thicker than 4 inches so the compactor’s energy reaches the bottom of each layer. A base compacted only on top stays loose underneath and settles later, taking the pavers with it. Rent a plate compactor for the day; it is the cheapest insurance on the whole project.
Mostly the name. All three are dense-graded crushed stone with fines, sold under regional names, and any of them makes a proper paver base. Bagged products labeled “paver base” are just crusher run in a bag at a premium price. What you want to avoid is clean stone with no fines (#57) or rounded pea gravel, neither of which compacts into a base.
Bulk crusher run typically runs $25 to $50 per ton, plus $50 to $150 for delivery depending on distance. A 20×15 patio needing 5.7 tons lands around $200 to $350 in material before delivery at typical 2026 US prices. Bagged base at $4 to $6 per 50-pound bag only makes sense for tiny jobs.
Not over bare dirt; excavate and build the proper base first, or the pavers will sink unevenly. Over sound old concrete you can lay pavers on a thin sand or mortar bed, as long as the slab drains well and is not cracked or heaving. A failing slab makes a failing paver job, so be honest about its condition.