Calculate your materials
What you'll need to buy
- Bedding sandCoarse concrete/leveling sand, 1" layerShop
- Paver base / crushed stone4–6" compacted sub-baseShop
- Polymeric joint sandLocks joints and resists weeds and antsShop
- Paver edging + spikesHolds the field tight at the perimeterShop
- Landscape fabricSeparates base from native soilShop
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How the math works
A 100 sq ft patio needs a 1" sand bed: 100 × (1÷12) = 8.33 cu ft ≈ 0.31 cubic yards, or 17 × 0.5 cu ft bags. The 4" base is calculated separately.
Formula
Reference values
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bedding sand | ≈ 1.35 tons / yd³ |
| Paver base (crushed) | ≈ 1.4 tons / yd³ |
| Standard sand bed | 1" thick |
| Base layer | 4–6" compacted |
| 0.5 cu ft bag | covers 6 sq ft at 1" |
Step by step
- Measure the area length and width for square footage.
- Calculate the 1" sand bed: area × 1/12 ft for cubic feet.
- Add the base layer separately (4–6" compacted) as its own area.
- Convert to cubic yards or 0.5 cu ft bags, add waste for the pattern, and round up.
Waste allowance
Always add a waste factor: more for diagonal, herringbone, or irregular layouts and for trenches in rocky soil. It's cheaper to round up than to pay for a second delivery.
Bags vs. bulk
Bagged material is convenient for small jobs, but loose/bulk delivery is almost always cheaper per unit once you pass roughly 1–3 cubic yards. Compare the per-cubic-yard price before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
How much sand do I need under pavers?
Use a 1" bedding layer. For 100 sq ft that's about 8.3 cubic feet (0.31 cubic yards), or roughly 17 bags of 0.5 cu ft sand. Add 10–20% waste depending on the laying pattern.
How thick should paver base and sand be?
A typical patio uses 4–6" of compacted crushed-stone base plus a 1" leveling sand bed. Driveways use 6" or more of base. Calculate the base and sand layers separately.
How many bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it equals 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft sand. Above about 1 cubic yard, ordering bulk sand is much cheaper than bags.
Why add more waste for herringbone patterns?
Diagonal and herringbone layouts require more cuts at the edges, wasting material. Use 10% for straight running bond, 15% for diagonal, and 20% for herringbone.
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