How much sand and gravel do I need under pavers?
A paver patio sits on 4 inches of compacted crushed stone and 1 inch of bedding sand, so 200 square feet of pavers needs about 2.7 cubic yards (3.4 tons) of gravel and 0.65 cubic yards (0.9 tons, or 35 bags of 50 lb) of sand. Driveways take 6 to 8 inches of base. The tables give 100 to 500 square feet for both, with bags, and the metric patio in tonnes and bulk bags.
Patio or path: 4 inches of gravel and 1 inch of sand
Crushed stone at 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre with 10% extra, because the base loses volume under the plate compactor; sand at 1.6 t/m³ with 5%. Bags are the 50 lb size sold at hardware stores; above about half a yard, bulk delivery is cheaper and far less carrying.
| Paver area | Gravel (cu yd) | Gravel (tons) | Gravel bags (50 lb) | Sand (cu yd) | Sand (tons) | Sand bags (50 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 1.36 | 1.72 | 69 | 0.32 | 0.44 | 18 |
| 200 sq ft | 2.72 | 3.43 | 138 | 0.65 | 0.87 | 35 |
| 300 sq ft | 4.07 | 5.15 | 207 | 0.97 | 1.31 | 53 |
| 500 sq ft | 6.79 | 8.58 | 344 | 1.62 | 2.18 | 88 |
Driveway: 6 inches of gravel and 1 inch of sand
| Paver area | Gravel (cu yd) | Gravel (tons) | Sand (cu yd) | Sand (tons) | Sand bags (50 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 2.04 | 2.58 | 0.32 | 0.44 | 18 |
| 200 sq ft | 4.07 | 5.15 | 0.65 | 0.87 | 35 |
| 300 sq ft | 6.11 | 7.73 | 0.97 | 1.31 | 53 |
| 500 sq ft | 10.19 | 12.88 | 1.62 | 2.18 | 88 |
How the numbers are worked out
Each layer is area x depth. For 200 square feet, the gravel is 200 x 0.333 ft = 66.7 cubic feet, 2.47 cubic yards, 2.72 with 10%; the sand is 200 x 0.083 = 16.7 cubic feet, 0.62 cubic yards, 0.65 with 5%. Tons are cubic metres times the density. The gravel calculator runs either layer for any area, depth, density and bag size; run it twice, once per material.
The pavers themselves
Pavers are counted like tiles: area divided by the face of one paver plus its joint, plus 5 to 10% for cuts. The tile calculator does it for any paver size, and the bricks per square foot guide covers clay bricks laid flat.
Metric: 10 to 50 m² patios
100 mm of MOT type 1 or crushed stone and 40 mm of sharp sand; bulk bags hold about 850 kg.
| Patio | Gravel (m³) | Gravel (t) | Gravel bulk bags | Sand (m³) | Sand (t) | Sand bulk bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 m² | 1.1 | 1.65 | 2 | 0.42 | 0.67 | 1 |
| 20 m² | 2.2 | 3.3 | 4 | 0.84 | 1.34 | 2 |
| 30 m² | 3.3 | 4.95 | 6 | 1.26 | 2.02 | 3 |
| 50 m² | 5.5 | 8.25 | 10 | 2.1 | 3.36 | 4 |
Before you dig
- Excavate to the full depth: base plus sand plus the paver thickness, so the finished surface sits where you want it, with a fall of about 1/8 inch per foot away from the house.
- Compact the gravel in 2 inch lifts; a 4 inch base dumped and compacted once is soft in the middle.
- Edge restraint (plastic, concrete or steel) on every open side, or the sand walks out and the edge pavers spread.
- Same base under a gravel path or drive? See gravel for a driveway.
Frequently asked questions
- How much sand do I need under pavers?
- One inch of coarse bedding sand: 0.32 cubic yards or 18 bags of 50 lb per 100 square feet with 5% extra, 0.65 yards for 200. Screed it level and do not compact it before the pavers go down; the plate compactor settles the pavers into it afterwards.
- How much gravel do I need for a paver base?
- 4 inches for a patio or path: 1.36 cubic yards or 1.7 tons per 100 square feet with 10% for compaction. 6 inches for a driveway: 2.04 yards per 100 square feet, and 8 inches on clay or where trucks park.
- What kind of sand goes under pavers?
- Coarse, sharp concrete sand (washed, angular grains), not fine play sand or masonry sand, which shifts and washes out. Polymeric sand is only for the joints between the pavers, swept in after compaction; the bag states the coverage for a given joint width, so buy by the label.
- How much polymeric sand do I need for pavers?
- It depends on the joint width and paver size more than on the area: a 50 lb bag covers roughly 50 to 100 square feet of standard pavers with narrow joints and far less with wide joints or small setts. Use the coverage printed on the bag and buy one more than it says.
- Do I need gravel under pavers, or is sand enough?
- You need the gravel. Sand alone holds water, shifts and lets the pavers sink and tilt within a season. The compacted stone base carries the load and drains; the sand is only a thin screed to bed the pavers level. The only exception is a small stepping-stone path on very well-drained ground.
- How much base do I need for a paver driveway?
- 6 inches minimum, 8 on soft or clay ground, compacted in 2 to 3 inch lifts, plus the inch of sand. For a 500 square foot driveway at 6 inches that is 10.2 cubic yards, 12.9 tons, delivered in bulk.
More guides
- How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
Cubic metres, tonnes and bulk bags of gravel for typical driveway sizes at 50, 75 and 100 mm depth, with the imperial equivalents in cubic yards and tons.
- How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
A cubic yard of gravel weighs about 1.2 to 1.4 US tons; sand and topsoil differ. Pounds and tons per yard, yards per ton, and tonnes per cubic metre for each material.
- How much gravel for a shed base? 6x8 to 12x16 ft
Cubic yards, tons and bags of gravel for 6x8, 8x10, 10x12 and 12x16 ft shed bases at 4 and 6 inches, why the base runs past the shed, and metric sizes in tonnes.
- How much mulch do I need? Bags and cubic yards by area
Cubic yards and 2 or 3 cu ft bags of mulch for 100 to 1,000 sq ft at 2, 3 and 4 inches deep, how many bags make a yard, and metric beds in cubic metres and 50 L bags.
Last updated 2026-09-12. Figures are planning estimates from typical product data: check the yield, size or coverage printed on what you buy and round up.