Paver Base Depth Calculator
This paver base depth calculator figures out exactly how much crushed-stone base and bedding sand you need under a patio, walkway, or driveway — including the extra material that compaction eats. Enter your area and base depth, and get compacted volume, loose cubic yards to order, estimated tonnage, and bag counts instantly.
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4″ is the standard for foot traffic; use 6″ for driveways or heavy loads.
Loose crushed stone shrinks ~20–25% when compacted, so you order extra. 25% is the safer default.
The sand bed goes on top of the compacted base — it is not part of the base depth.
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How to use this calculator
Measure your paved area in square feet, or enter the length and width and let the calculator work out the area. A 200 sq ft patio, for example, could be 20 ft by 10 ft.
Pick your compacted base depth: 4 inches for patios and walkways that only carry foot traffic, 6 inches for driveways or anywhere vehicles park. Then choose a compaction allowance — 25% is the safe default that most landscapers order with. Leave the bedding sand box checked to include the standard 1-inch sand layer that goes between the compacted base and the pavers.
The results update instantly as you type. The headline number is the loose cubic yards to order from your supplier, since you buy material loose but finish it compacted.
How it works
The math starts with compacted volume: area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 gives cubic feet, divided by 27 gives cubic yards. For the sample 200 sq ft patio with a 4-inch base: 200 × (4 ÷ 12) = 66.67 cu ft = 2.47 cu yd compacted.
Compaction shrinks loose crushed stone by roughly 20–25%, so the order quantity is the compacted volume multiplied by 1.25 (at the default 25%): 2.47 × 1.25 ≈ 3.1 cu yd of loose material. Tons are estimated at 1.45 tons per cubic yard of crushed stone — real density varies between about 1.4 and 1.5 tons per yard depending on the quarry and moisture, so treat tonnage as an estimate, not an exact figure.
Bag counts assume 0.5 cu ft bags and round up, since you can't buy a fraction of a bag. The 1-inch bedding sand is calculated separately at area × 1/12 inches of sand, because it is not compacted the same way and shouldn't be mixed into the base order.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should the base be under pavers?
Use 4 inches of compacted crushed stone base for patios and walkways, and 6 inches for driveways or heavy loads. The 1-inch bedding sand layer sits on top of the base and is not counted as part of the base depth.
Why do I need to order extra material for compaction?
Loose crushed stone shrinks about 20-25% when you compact it, so you must buy more than the finished compacted volume. For example, a 200 sq ft patio with a 4-inch base needs 2.47 cubic yards compacted, which means ordering about 3.1 cubic yards of loose material with a 25% compaction allowance.
How many tons of crushed stone do I need for a paver base?
Multiply the loose cubic yards by roughly 1.45 tons per cubic yard for crushed stone. This is an estimate because density varies by quarry and moisture; for example, 3.1 loose cubic yards works out to about 4.5 tons.
Can I use sand instead of gravel for a paver base?
No. A thick sand base shifts and washes out, which leads to settling and uneven pavers. Use compacted crushed stone for the structural base and limit sand to a 1-inch bedding layer on top.
How much base do I need for 200 square feet of pavers?
For a 4-inch compacted base: 200 x (4/12) = 66.67 cubic feet = 2.47 cubic yards compacted. With a 25% compaction allowance, order about 3.1 cubic yards of loose crushed stone, roughly 4.5 tons, plus about 0.62 cubic yards of bedding sand if you add the 1-inch sand layer.