Detailed results and planning tools
View calculations, report and comparisons
Calculation breakdown
These values reflect the editable inputs and assumptions above.
| Quantity | Value |
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Calculation report
Includes formulas, entered assumptions, limitations and sources.
Compare scenarios
Keep up to three alternatives to compare measured values and assumptions.
Quick answer#
Plan aggregate base and bedding sand as separate material orders for a patio, walkway or paver driveway. The result updates as you edit inputs. Choose a contextual example to populate visible fields, then replace the example with your actual measurements or professional design values.
Formula and calculation method#
For each layer independently: finished volume = area × specified installed depth; order volume = finished volume × (1 + explicit allowance); order mass = order volume × entered bulk density.
US customary and metric inputs use one internal SI calculation path. Each displayed quantity is converted after the calculation. Presets only fill editable inputs; no undocumented material, performance or cost adjustment is made.
Worked example#
For a 16 ft × 12 ft patio with a 4 in base and 1 in bedding, base volume before allowance is 64 ft³ and bedding volume is 16 ft³. The masses depend on the entered densities.
Open the calculator above, select the matching example and review every dimension or rate before using the result. The PDF report includes your entered values and documented limits.
Selecting inputs and project assumptions#
The input units change together when you switch measurement systems. A project preset is a starting point, not an instruction to buy a product or select a construction assembly. Local materials, engineering plans and supplier quotations have priority over illustrative defaults.
Cost inputs, if available, use only the numbers you provide. The currency selector changes the label and does not fetch exchange rates or regional prices. The calculation report identifies its formula, input assumptions and sources.
Assumptions and limitations#
The calculator does not choose structural base depth or specify compaction. Drainage, edge restraint, subgrade, geotextile, paver thickness and joint sand are excluded. Supplier bulk densities and job drawings should control purchasing.
Use this result for preliminary planning. Measure the actual project, obtain the required design or specification, confirm available product sizes and tolerances, and verify purchases with the supplier or contractor. A calculation cannot inspect site conditions or guarantee a finished quantity.
Sources and methodology#
- CMHA paver construction — reference for the relevant method, standards or units; no source certifies these illustrative presets.
- CMHA base and bedding specification — reference for the relevant method, standards or units; no source certifies these illustrative presets.
- ASTM aggregate unit weight method — reference for the relevant method, standards or units; no source certifies these illustrative presets.
Sources support the stated method and context. Any editable preset or illustrated cost is an Efficienco example, not a quotation, standard-prescribed value or endorsement by the linked organization.