How to use it
- Choose the Units and measure the Paved area.
- Enter the Paver length and Paver width of the pavers you buy, and the Joint between pavers you plan.
- Enter the Depth of base and the Waste allowance.
- Read Pavers to order and Base volume.
How the pavers are counted
Each paver takes up its length and width plus the joint, so the joint is added to both its length and its width. A square metre therefore holds as many pavers as fit into it with their joints.
The count is rounded up after the waste is added. The base volume is the area times the depth, so it is a volume of compacted material.
pavers per m² = 1 000 000 ÷ [(length + joint) × (width + joint)], sizes in mm
pavers to order = area × pavers per m² × (1 + waste), rounded up
base volume = area × depthWhat the count does not include
- The laying pattern. A herringbone or other bond, and the edge rows, can need more cut pavers than the area suggests; the waste allowance covers them.
- The make-up of the base, which may have more than one layer, and any sand bed or edging. Each of these needs its own count.
- Loose material. The base volume uses the compacted depth, and the volume you buy depends on how your supplier measures it.
Worked example: 20 m² of 200 × 100 mm pavers, 3 mm joints, a 100 mm base and 5 % waste
One paver with its joints covers 203 × 103 mm, so 1,000,000 ÷ (203 × 103) = 47.8263 pavers fit in each square metre.
20 × 47.8263 = 956.526; with 5 % waste that is 1,004.35, rounded up to 1,005 pavers. The base is 20 × 0.100 = 2.00 m³.
| Result | |
|---|---|
| Pavers to order (5 % waste) | 1,005 |
| Paved area | 20.00 m² |
| Base volume | 2.00 m³ |
Frequently asked questions
How many pavers do I need for a patio?
Enter the patio's area and the size of one paver with its joint. The tool multiplies the area by the pavers per square metre, adds the waste and rounds up. A 20 m² patio of 200 × 100 mm pavers with 3 mm joints needs 1,005 pavers with 5 % waste.
Why is the joint added to the paver size?
The joint is the gap that sand or mortar fills between two pavers. Each paver takes up its length and width plus that gap, so the count uses the size with the joint added to both.
How deep should the base be?
The tool uses the depth you enter and does not recommend one. Ask your installer or the paving supplier for the depth for your ground and use, then enter it.
Is the base volume the amount of loose material to buy?
No. The base volume is the compacted depth times the area. Each supplier measures loose material in its own way, and compaction changes the volume, so ask the supplier before you order.
Does the tool store what I enter?
No. The count runs in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to us or stored.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Thursday, November 12, 2026.