Paving & Walls
Paver Calculator
Measure the length and width of the area in feet, enter the face size of one paver in inches, and pick a laying pattern. You get the paver count with cut waste included, plus the feet of edge restraint for the border.
Worked example
- Area = 16 x 12 = 192 sq ft.
- One 8 x 4 in paver covers 32 sq in, so 144 / 32 = 4.50 pavers per sq ft.
- 192 x 4.50 = 864, plus 10% for cuts = 951 pavers.
Common sizes at a glance
| Size | Pavers | Edge restraint |
|---|---|---|
| 10 x 10 ft, 8 x 4 in | 473 | 40 lin ft |
| 12 x 16 ft, 8 x 4 in | 951 | 56 lin ft |
| 12 x 12 ft, 12 x 12 in | 152 | 48 lin ft |
| 20 x 20 ft, 6 x 6 in | 1,680 | 80 lin ft |
| 10 x 30 ft path, 8 x 4 in | 1,485 | 80 lin ft |
Measure the finished surface, not the dig
Take your length and width from the edges where the pavers will stop, not from the edge of the excavation. The dig is usually wider so the gravel base can extend past the pavers, but that extra width gets gravel, not pavers.
For an L-shaped or curved patio, split it into rectangles, run each one, and add the counts. A curve that bulges out can be treated as the rectangle that contains it; the extra pavers cover the cuts you will make along the arc.
Why the paver size matters more than you think
Small pavers mean many more pieces for the same area. An 8 x 4 in brick-size paver works out to 4.50 per square foot, while a 12 x 12 in slab is exactly one. That is why a 12 x 12 ft patio needs only 152 of the large ones but a 10 x 10 ft patio already takes 473 of the small ones.
Use the face size printed on the pallet tag or product sheet. Some pavers have built-in spacer nubs, and the listed size may be the nominal lay size. If the tag gives a count per square foot, compare it with our number before you order.
Pattern and waste
A running bond or stack bond along straight edges leaves few cuts. Herringbone at 45 degrees and curved borders mean a cut piece at nearly every edge, so a higher waste allowance is wise. The worked example adds 10% to go from 864 pavers to 951.
- Straight edges with a simple bond: lower waste setting
- Herringbone, diagonal layouts or curves: higher waste setting
- Keep a few spare pavers for future repairs, since later batches can differ in color
Edge restraint and what comes next
The edge restraint figure is the perimeter of the area, the length of plastic or metal edging that keeps the border from creeping. Sides that butt against a house wall or a concrete step may not need it, so subtract those runs.
Pavers sit on a compacted gravel base and a thin layer of bedding sand. Size those with the paver base and sand calculator, and if you want a budget for the whole job, the paver patio cost calculator adds your prices and labor time.
Questions
How many pavers are in a square foot?
Divide 144 by the face area of one paver in square inches. An 8 x 4 in paver gives 4.50 per square foot, a 6 x 6 in paver gives 4, and a 12 x 12 in paver gives 1.
Should I buy whole pallets?
Pavers are often sold by the pallet or by the piece. Round the count up to what the yard sells, and keep leftovers for repairs, since color can vary between production runs.
Does the calculator include a border row?
No. If you plan a soldier course of a different paver along the edge, measure that strip on its own and subtract its width from the field area.
How this works: formulas and typical values are listed on our method page; every data source and its license is on sources.
Last reviewed November 2026.