How Many Pavers per Square Foot? Chart and Base Guide
Divide 144 by the paver's area in square inches. A standard 4 × 8 in brick paver covers 32 sq in, so there are 4.5 per square foot, or about 4.3 once you allow for ⅛ in joints. In metric, 200 × 100 mm blocks come to 50 per m², or about 48 with 3 mm joints.
Pavers per square foot
| Paver size | No joint | With ⅛ in joint | Buy per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 4 in | 4.5 | 4.3 | 452 |
| 6 × 6 in | 4 | 3.84 | 404 |
| 9 × 6 in | 2.67 | 2.58 | 271 |
| 12 × 12 in | 1 | 0.98 | 103 |
| 16 × 16 in | 0.56 | 0.55 | 59 |
| 24 × 12 in | 0.5 | 0.49 | 52 |
| Paver size | No joint | With 3 mm joint | Buy per 10 m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 × 100 mm | 50 | 47.8 | 503 |
| 200 × 200 mm | 25 | 24.3 | 255 |
| 300 × 300 mm | 11.1 | 10.9 | 115 |
| 400 × 400 mm | 6.2 | 6.2 | 65 |
| 600 × 300 mm | 5.6 | 5.5 | 58 |
| 600 × 600 mm | 2.8 | 2.8 | 29 |
Worked example: a 12 × 12 ft patio
- Area: 144 sq ft.
- Each 4 × 8 in paver plus a ⅛ in joint takes 4.125 × 8.125 = 33.5 sq in, so 144 sq ft holds 619 pavers.
- Add 5% for cuts in running bond: buy 650.
- Base: 4 in of crushed stone with 20% extra for compaction is 2.13 cu yd, about 2.9 tons.
- Bedding sand: 1 in, with the same allowance, is 0.53 cu yd.
How deep is the base?
Nicolock, a paver maker, recommends 4–6 in of compacted base for patios and walkways, and 8–12 in for driveways and parking areas. A bedding layer of sand, commonly about 1 in (25–30 mm), goes on top. Follow the base depth in your paver maker's guide for your soil and use.
Allowance for cuts
Straight patterns such as running bond and basketweave need about 5% extra. Herringbone and other angled patterns need a cut on nearly every edge paver, so allow 10% or more. Curved edges and lots of corners push it higher.
Common mistakes
- Using the nominal size. Many pavers sold as "4 × 8" are slightly smaller so the joint makes up the rest. Measure one.
- Ignoring compaction. Loose stone and sand shrink when compacted. Order 15–25% more than the finished volume.
- Running short on one batch. Colours vary between production runs, so buy all your pavers at once and keep a few spare.
