Softonic

Paver Calculator

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Laying a patio or walkway always comes down to one nervous question: how many pavers do I actually buy? Guess low and the project stalls while you chase a matching batch; guess high and leftover stone clutters the garage. This calculator takes the size of your space and the size of a single paver, adds a waste margin for cuts and breakage, and returns the exact number of pavers to order. It works for brick, concrete and natural-stone pavers of any rectangular size.

How to calculate pavers

  1. 1

    Measure the area

    Enter the length and width of the patio or walkway in feet. For an L-shaped space, split it into rectangles and add the results together.

  2. 2

    Enter the paver size

    Type the length and width of one paver in inches. Check the actual product dimensions, not the nominal name.

  3. 3

    Add waste and read the count

    Set a waste percentage for cuts and breakage, then read the total pavers needed, the patio area and pavers per square foot.

The formula

Counting pavers is area divided by the size of one paver, with the units lined up and a waste margin on top:

  1. Patio area = length (ft) × width (ft) → square feet
  2. Paver area = (paver length in × paver width in) ÷ 144 → square feet per paver
  3. Pavers = ⌈ patio area × (1 + waste% ÷ 100) ÷ paver area ⌉
  4. Pavers per sq ft = 1 ÷ paver area

The ÷ 144 converts square inches to square feet (12 × 12). The result is always rounded up to a whole paver, because you cannot buy a fraction of one. The waste percentage covers the pavers you cut to fit edges and curves, plus the occasional cracked piece.

Worked example

Say you are paving a patio 12 ft long and 10 ft wide, using 12 in × 6 in pavers, with a 10% waste margin:

  • Patio area = 12 × 10 = 120 sq ft
  • Paver area = (12 × 6) ÷ 144 = 0.5 sq ft per paver
  • With waste = 120 × 1.10 = 132 sq ft to cover
  • Pavers = 132 ÷ 0.5 = 264 pavers
  • Pavers per sq ft = 1 ÷ 0.5 = 2

So you would order 264 pavers to be safe.

Quick reference

Patio (ft) Paver size Waste Pavers needed
10 × 10 12 × 12 in 10% 110
12 × 10 12 × 6 in 10% 264
15 × 12 8 × 4 in 10% 1,188
20 × 16 12 × 12 in 5% 336

Common pitfalls

  • Inches vs. feet. The patio is measured in feet; the paver in inches. Mixing the two throws the count off by a factor of 12.
  • Skipping waste. Even a simple square layout needs cuts at the edges. A 5–10% margin is normal; intricate patterns or diagonal layouts can need 15%.
  • Nominal vs. actual size. A “6 × 6” paver may measure slightly under once spacing is added. Use the real dimensions for tight projects.
  • Odd shapes. Circles, curves and triangles are not rectangles. Break the area into simple shapes, total them, then calculate.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the paver size. A 12 × 12 in paver covers 1 sq ft, so you need 1 per square foot. A 12 × 6 in paver covers half a square foot, so you need 2 per square foot. The calculator works this out from the dimensions you enter.

For a straight, rectangular layout, 5% is usually enough. For diagonal patterns, curves or circular features that need lots of cuts, allow 10–15% to be safe.

No. This tool counts the pavers themselves. For the base layers, use a gravel calculator for the sub-base and add a sand setting bed on top before laying.

No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser as you type. None of your dimensions or results are uploaded, saved or shared.

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