Sawhorse Calc

Paver sand calculator

Enter the size of your patio or path. You get the bags or yards of sand for the bedding layer, in feet or metres.

Area to fill

Lengths in feet. You can also type 12' 6" or 6 in.Lengths in metres.

Depth and material

The weight and bag size are typical figures. Type your supplier's if you have them.

Cost (optional)

0.41 cubic yards

Cubic feet
11.0
Tons
0.55
Bags
22

How to work it out

  1. Measure the patio or path. Add a separate area for each section.
  2. Keep the depth at about an inch for the bedding layer.
  3. Keep some extra for screeding and edges. The calculator starts with 10%.
  4. Work out the crushed stone base separately. This calculator covers the sand layer only.

How deep to go

JobTypical depth
Bedding layer under paversAbout 1 in
Crushed stone base underneath4 to 6 in, from the crushed stone calculator

These are common starting points. Your site, climate and supplier may call for something different.

What one cubic yard covers

DepthArea covered
1 in324 sq ft
2 in162 sq ft
3 in108 sq ft
4 in81 sq ft
6 in54 sq ft

Bedding sand and joint sand

Bedding sand goes under the pavers and is screeded flat. Joint sand, often polymeric sand, is swept into the gaps afterwards and is bought separately. The amount of joint sand depends on the paver size and gap width, so check the bag's coverage.

Common questions

How much paver sand do I need per square foot?

At 1 inch deep, each square foot needs 1/12 of a cubic foot. 100 sq ft needs about 8.3 cubic feet, or 17 bags of 0.5 cubic feet.

How thick should the sand under pavers be?

About an inch is common for the bedding layer. Much thicker can let the pavers shift.

Can I use play sand under pavers?

Fine play sand is not usually recommended. Coarse concrete or paver sand drains and packs better. Ask your supplier for sand meant for pavers.

Doing this job for a customer? Turn your numbers into a free written estimate on QuoteToPaid.

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