Paver Calculator
Count pavers for a patio, path, or driveway. Enter the area's length and width in feet, pick a paver size (4x8 in brick through 16x16 in slab), set a waste percentage, and get the number of pavers to order.
Example: with Area length (ft) 12 · Area width (ft) 10 · Paver size 4 x 8 in (Holland brick) · Waste factor (%) 10 → Pavers to buy: 594 pavers (waste included).
- Exact coverage count540 pavers exact
- Pavers per sq ft4.5 per sq ft
- Area120 sq ft
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
Pavers per sq ft = 144 ÷ (paver length × width in inches). The classic 4 x 8 in brick works out to exactly 4.5 per square foot.
From square feet to a paver order
The math is area ÷ paver face area, but doing it in per-square-foot terms keeps it checkable: a 4 x 8 in paver covers 32 sq in, and 144 ÷ 32 = 4.5 pavers per square foot. Multiply by your patio's square footage, add waste, round up. Suppliers sell by the piece, the band, or the pallet, so a clean count lets you compare quotes directly.
Waste matters more with pavers than with most materials because every edge that meets a curve or a border gets cut, and cut offcuts are rarely reusable. Ten percent covers straight-edged rectangles; go 15% for curves, circles, or diagonal (45°) herringbone layouts.
What the count assumes
Counts here assume pavers laid tight or with standard sand joints — joint width is small enough (1/8 in or so) that it is treated as zero, which errs slightly in your favor. Patterned layouts using two or more sizes (I-pattern, random ashlar) need each size counted from the pattern's repeat unit instead; manufacturers publish per-100-sq-ft mixes for their blends. And remember pallets: a typical 4 x 8 pallet carries roughly 480-500 bricks, so a 594-paver job is a pallet and change.
How it’s calculated
Pavers per sq ft = 144 ÷ (length × width of one paver in inches). Exact count = area (sq ft) × pavers per sq ft; order count = exact × (1 + waste%/100), rounded up. Joint gaps are ignored (standard sand joints ≈ 1/8 in).
Single-size grid or running-bond layouts only — multi-size patterns and thick mortar joints change per-square-foot coverage and need the manufacturer's pattern sheet.
Pavers per square foot by size
| Paver size | Face area | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 4 x 8 in | 32 sq in | 4.5 |
| 6 x 6 in | 36 sq in | 4.0 |
| 6 x 9 in | 54 sq in | 2.67 |
| 6 x 12 in | 72 sq in | 2.0 |
| 12 x 12 in | 144 sq in | 1.0 |
| 16 x 16 in | 256 sq in | 0.56 |
Computed as 144 ÷ face area in square inches; joints excluded.
Common mistakes
- Ordering off the exact count with no waste — every border cut, curve, and broken paver comes out of your margin.
- Ignoring the pattern: a 45° herringbone can waste 10-15% in edge cuts alone, double a simple running bond.
- Mixing dye lots by ordering twice; concrete paver color varies batch to batch, so buy the waste up front.
- Counting nominal sizes when the product is metric or modular — measure an actual paver; "6 x 9" products are sometimes 5.9 x 8.9 in.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how many pavers I need?
Pavers = patio area in sq ft × (144 ÷ paver face area in sq in), plus waste. For a 120 sq ft patio with 4 x 8 in pavers: 120 × 4.5 = 540, and 10% waste brings the order to 594.
How many 4x8 pavers per square foot?
Exactly 4.5, because each covers 32 of the 144 square inches in a square foot. A 100 sq ft path needs 450 before waste.
How much waste should I add for pavers?
10% for rectangular layouts, 15% for curves or diagonal patterns like 45° herringbone. Cuts at every edge are the main driver, so more perimeter per square foot means more waste.
Do joint gaps change the count?
Barely — standard sand joints run about 1/8 in, which is under 3% on small pavers and is normally ignored. Wide-joint designs (1/2 in or more with polymeric sand) should count the joint as part of each unit's footprint.
Does this work for driveways?
The counting works the same, but driveways need thicker pavers (2-3/8 in minimum, often 3-1/8 in), a deeper compacted base, and sometimes a different laying pattern for load — herringbone resists vehicle scrub best.