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Base gravel and bedding sand for a paver patio, walkway, or driveway.
With these inputs:
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Base gravel needed | 3.75 yd³ |
| Bedding sand | 0.65 yd³ |
| Base weight | 5.63 tons |
| Estimated cost | $146 – $265 |
| Paved area | 192 sq ft |
| Excavated base area (with overhang) | 221 sq ft |
| Base depth | 5 in compacted |
| Base gravel | 3.75 yd³ / 5.63 tons |
| Bedding sand | 0.65 yd³ / 0.88 tons |
| Total excavation depth | 6 in plus paver thickness |
| Base material | Crusher Run / #411 (base) |
| Estimated material cost | $146 – $265 |
Compact the base in 2-inch lifts, not all at once — a plate compactor cannot densify more than about 2 to 3 inches of stone per pass. Screed the sand, but never compact it before laying pavers.
Pavers are only as good as what sits under them. This calculator sizes the compacted crusher-run base and the bedding sand course separately, using the depth that matches your traffic load, and includes the extra base width that should extend past the paver edge.
Four inches of compacted base for walkways, five to six inches for patios, and ten to twelve inches for driveways. Add one inch of bedding sand on top of the base in every case.
Crusher run (also sold as #411, QP, or dense-grade aggregate). It contains fines that lock together under compaction, which is exactly what you want in a base — unlike washed stone, which stays loose.
Six inches on every side. The edge of a paver field is where failure starts, and the extra base width supports the edge restraint.
Need the whole roof at once? The free roofing calculator works out roof area, squares, shingle bundles, underlayment, drip edge, ridge cap and installed cost from one set of measurements.