How the calculator works
A paver installation is a sandwich: compacted gravel base on the bottom, a thin screeded layer of bedding sand, then the pavers. This tool sizes the two lower layers:
Cubic yards = area × (depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27, converted to tons at 1.4 tons/yd³ for crushed gravel and 1.35 for sand.
Worked example: a 200 sq ft patio with a 4″ base and 1″ of sand needs 200 × 0.333 ÷ 27 = 2.47 yd³ of gravel (≈3.5 tons) and 0.62 yd³ of sand (≈0.8 tons).
Getting the layers right
- Base material: use crushed stone with fines, sold as ¾″ minus, crusher run, road base, or Class 5 depending on your region. Round gravel won't compact.
- Compact in lifts: a plate compactor can only compact about 2″ at a time. A 4″ base means two passes of spreading and compacting.
- Sand is bedding, not fill: exactly 1″ of concrete sand, screeded flat, and never used to fix low spots in the base. Extra sand migrates and pavers settle unevenly.
- Excavation depth: base + sand + paver thickness. A typical 2⅜″ paver on a 4″ base means digging about 7½″ below finished height.
Ton vs yard ordering
Suppliers sell bulk aggregate by the ton or the yard, and this tool gives both. If a quote is by the yard, remember a loaded yard of crushed gravel weighs about 2,800 lb: half-ton pickups handle a third of a yard safely, not more.