Paver Sand Calculator

Project Dimensions

Units

Length (ft)

Width (ft)

Or Enter Area (ft²) If area is entered, length × width is ignored.

Paver and Joint Details

Paver Length (in)

Paver Width (in)

Joint Width (in)

Joint Depth (in)

Layer Depths

Base Layer Depth (in) If your base is not sand, set this to 0.

Bedding Sand Depth (in)

Waste Allowance (%)

Compaction Allowance (%)

Sand Density (kg/m³) Typical dry sand ~1600 kg/m³.

Results

Base Volume

2.1804 m³

Bedding Volume

0.5451 m³

Joint Fill Volume

0.0308 m³

Total Volume

2.7563 m³

Total

97.34 ft³

Total

3.605 yd³

Estimated Mass

4,410 kg

Estimated Mass

4.86 US tons

Example Data Table

Sample scenarios to sanity‑check outputs. Edit inputs above to match your project.

Scenario	Area	Layer Depths	Joint Specs	Total Volume (m³)	Notes
Patio 12×12 ft	144 ft²	Base 0 in, Bedding 1 in	Joint 1/8 in × 1.25 in	≈ 0.3925	Bedding only
Walkway 8×30 ft	240 ft²	Base 2 in, Bedding 1 in	Joint 3 mm × 30 mm	≈ 1.9624	Simple approximation
Driveway 4×6 m	24 m²	Base 0 cm, Bedding 3 cm	Joint 5 mm × 30 mm	≈ 0.8316	Metric example

Formula Used

Layer volumes are computed as Volume = Area × Depth for each layer (base, bedding, and joint fill). Depths and dimensions are converted to meters to unify calculations.

Joint fill volume uses a paving module approach. For each paver, the module size equals (paver length + joint width) × (paver width + joint width). The fraction of area occupied by joints is 1 − (paver area / module area). Joint volume = Area × joint fraction × joint depth.

Allowances for waste and compaction are multiplicative: Total = Raw × (1 + waste%) × (1 + compaction%).

Mass is estimated from density: Mass = Volume × Density. Adjust density to your local material.

Note: Many installations use crushed aggregate for the base rather than sand. If your base is not sand, set base depth to zero.

How to Use This Calculator

Select your measurement system and enter project dimensions or total area.
Provide paver size and joint width to estimate joint sand volume realistically.
Set layer depths. If your base is aggregate, set the base depth to zero.
Adjust waste and compaction allowances per supplier recommendations.
Set sand density if you need mass or tonnage estimates.
Click Calculate to update results instantly.
Download a CSV or PDF summary for ordering and job files.

FAQs

1) What depth of bedding sand is typical?

Many guidelines recommend about 1 inch (25 mm) of screeded bedding sand under pavers. Always follow manufacturer or local specs.

2) Do I include the compacted joint height?

Yes. Enter the intended joint depth after compaction. The calculator multiplies by joint area fraction to estimate fill volume.

3) My base is aggregate not sand. What should I do?

Set the base depth to zero so the tool does not include base sand in the total.

4) How accurate is the joint volume method?

It is a practical approximation using paver and joint dimensions. Patterns, edge gaps, and cuts can change joint volume slightly.

5) Can I use this for polymeric sand?

Yes. Volumes are similar, but always check the product bag coverage and follow the manufacturer instructions.

6) Why are waste and compaction included?

To account for spillage, surface irregularities, and densification during compaction. Adjust the percentages for your project and crew.

7) How do I convert volume to bags?

Divide the mass or volume by the bag specification on your product. For example, if a bag covers 0.02 m³, bags = total volume ÷ 0.02.