Measurement & project guide
Three different materials belong in three different quantities
Base aggregate supports the paving, bedding material seats the units, and joint sand fills between them. Estimate the first two as separate layers, then use the joint-sand worksheet on this same page.
- A Paved footprint
- B Base aggregate
- C Bedding layer
Before you calculate
- Footprint
- Measure paved area. If the base must extend beyond the paving, estimate that extra footprint explicitly.
- Layer specification
- Get compacted base depth and bedding thickness from the approved system detail for the soil, traffic and drainage conditions.
- Product quantities
- Ask for the correct aggregate grading, bedding product and jointing product, with their own density or yield data.
Read the result before using it
- Base order
- Volume and weight for the structural aggregate layer only, with its own allowance.
- Bedding order
- A separate volume and weight. Increasing base thickness does not increase the bedding layer.
- Joint-sand order
- A separate whole-bag estimate from product coverage or actual joint geometry; never add it to bedding volume.
Check before ordering or handing over
- Confirm excavation, drainage, edge restraints and base extensions on a section drawing.
- Check whether quoted aggregate density is loose or compacted.
- Read the jointing product's application limits and arrange suitable weather and site conditions.
Specialist worksheet
Joint sand: product coverage or joint geometry
Estimate joint fill separately from bedding sand. Prefer the exact product's coverage range; use geometry only when a reliable installed yield is available.
Product instructions govern joint width, fill depth, compaction, cleaning, activation and weather limits. A bag count does not establish compatibility with your paving system.
Detailed results and planning tools
View calculations, report and comparisons
Calculation breakdown
These values reflect the editable inputs and assumptions above.
| Quantity | Value |
|---|
Calculation report
Includes formulas, entered assumptions, limitations and sources.
Compare scenarios
Keep up to three alternatives to compare measured values and assumptions.
Quick answer#
Estimate the aggregate base and the bedding sand as two separate layers. They cover the same footprint but can have different depths, densities, allowances and supplier prices.
Paving units and jointing material are separate purchases. If you need sand between the pavers, use the Polymeric Sand Calculator rather than adding that quantity to the bedding course.
Formula and calculation method#
For each layer, calculate finished volume = paved area × specified depth. In US units, square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324 gives cubic yards. Apply the layer's allowance, then multiply by its entered bulk density to estimate weight.
Do not combine base and bedding volumes before choosing density. Two cubic yards of aggregate plus half a yard of sand cannot be converted accurately using one arbitrary density for the entire order.
Worked example#
A 16 ft × 12 ft patio covers 192 ft². An illustrative 4 in aggregate base is 64 ft³, or 2.370 yd³. A separate 1 in bedding layer is 16 ft³, or 0.593 yd³. These depths explain the arithmetic and are not a design recommendation for your site.
With a chosen 5% allowance on each layer, the order volumes become 2.489 yd³ of base and 0.622 yd³ of bedding sand. At example densities of 110 and 100 lb/ft³ respectively, that is 3.696 short tons of base and 0.840 short tons of sand. Replacing either density changes that material's weight without changing the other layer.
Selecting inputs and project assumptions#
Use a measured net footprint for curves, cutouts and planted areas. Keep the footprint consistent between layers unless the project detail calls for a wider base; in that case, estimate the wider base area explicitly.
Confirm whether a supplier's density describes loose delivery or compacted material. The allowance control does not measure compaction and does not establish a required base depth. Drainage, soil, traffic and the selected paver system must inform the design before ordering.
Ask for the aggregate and bedding products by their specified descriptions. Do not substitute joint sand for bedding sand merely because both are sold as sand.
Assumptions and limitations#
This tool does not design the pavement assembly, choose geotextile, determine edge restraints or evaluate drainage. It excludes paving stones and polymeric joint sand. Cost uses the rates and additional charges you enter; verify delivery minimums for the two materials separately.
Sources and methodology#
- CMHA paver construction — segmental-pavement construction guidance.
- CMHA base and bedding specification — base and bedding specification context.
- ASTM aggregate unit weight method — aggregate bulk-density measurement.
Bedding sand and joint sand are not interchangeable#
The bedding course is a layer beneath paving units. Joint sand fills the gaps between them. A patio's entire area can therefore have a 1 in illustrative bedding layer while only a small fraction of its plan area consists of joints. Adding joint depth to the bedding layer counts material in the wrong location.
Use the separate joint-sand worksheet on this page for bag ordering. Product coverage mode is normally the more direct choice when the manufacturer publishes a range for the actual paver and joint conditions. For 300 ft², a chosen 5% allowance and stated coverage of 65–85 ft² per bag, the adjusted area is 315 ft². The bag range is round up(315 ÷ 85) = 4 to round up(315 ÷ 65) = 5. The conservative end is five bags under those assumptions.
Calculate joint geometry only with a real bag yield#
For rectangular pavers laid on a regular grid, the worksheet compares the paver face area with its repeating module including the joint. The estimated joint fraction is 1 − (paver length × paver width) ÷ ((paver length + joint width) × (paver width + joint width)). Multiply that fraction by area, joint fill depth and the explicit allowance, then divide by installed yield per bag.
This idealized model does not describe every bond, edge, spacer, chamfer or variable-width natural-stone joint. A bag's mass is not an installed volume yield. If no reliable yield is available, use the exact product's coverage data instead of inventing one.
For Gator Supersand G2, consult the current product instructions for the permitted application, joint geometry, compaction, cleaning and activation process. Do not assume one manufacturer's coverage or activation steps apply to every jointing product. Bedding, base and joint material each require their own specification.
Frequently asked questions
Does paver base include bedding sand?
Yes. It calculates aggregate base and bedding sand as two separate layers and purchase quantities.
Are the patio and driveway depths code requirements?
No. Preset depths are editable examples; use the project specification and appropriate site design.
Does the calculator apply hidden compaction?
No. Enter finished compacted layer depths and one explicit order allowance.
Can I enter an irregular area?
Yes. Select Measured area and enter the total footprint.
How are tons derived?
Each layer’s order volume is multiplied by its own entered bulk density and converted to US short tons or metric tonnes.
Are paving stones and joint sand included?
No. The material quantities cover only the base and bedding layers.
Can I calculate polymeric joint sand on this page?
Yes. Use the joint-sand worksheet for the selected product's coverage range, or enter joint geometry and a reliable installed bag yield. Joint fill is separate from bedding sand beneath the paving.