How Much Gravel for Paver Base? 2026 Calculator + Depth Chart

Getting the paver base right is the single biggest factor in whether your patio looks crisp in ten years or sinks, heaves, and pops grout joints by next spring. The base does 90% of the work — the pavers are just the wear surface. This guide gives you exactly how much gravel to order for a paver base by square footage, the correct depth for patios versus driveways, the simple formula contractors use, and the bedding sand layer most calculators forget.

Quick answer — how much gravel for a paver base?

• Paver walkway or patio (foot traffic) — 4 inches of compacted gravel base
• Paver driveway (cars) — 8 inches of compacted gravel base
• Paver driveway (trucks / RV) — 10 to 12 inches of compacted gravel base
• Cold climates with freeze-thaw — add 2 inches to each number above
• Plus 1 inch of bedding sand (concrete sand or ASTM C33) on top of the gravel

Tons of paver base gravel = (Square feet × Depth inches) ÷ 80

The constant 80 comes from the density of compacted crushed-stone paver base — roughly 2,700 lb per cubic yard, with a 15% compaction allowance baked in so you do not come up short. For loose cubic yards, divide square feet × depth by 324 instead.

Paver base gravel per 100 square feet

• 4" base (patios, walkways) — 1.24 cubic yards / 1.67 tons of crushed stone
• 6" base (light vehicles, cold climates) — 1.85 cubic yards / 2.50 tons
• 8" base (driveways) — 2.47 cubic yards / 3.33 tons
• 10" base (heavy vehicles, clay soils) — 3.09 cubic yards / 4.17 tons
• 12" base (trucks, frost-prone soils) — 3.70 cubic yards / 5.00 tons
• Plus 1" bedding sand — 0.31 cubic yard / 0.42 ton per 100 sq ft

What kind of gravel goes under pavers?

Use a crushed angular aggregate — never round pea gravel or river rock. Angular stones lock together when compacted; round stones roll and shift, and your pavers move with them. Ask your local quarry for one of these by name:

• 3/4" minus (also called Class 5, crusher run, or QP) — the contractor default
• #411 limestone — dense-graded, compacts to a tight surface
• DGA / Dense Grade Aggregate — same idea, different regional name
• Road base / Type 1 MOT (UK) — equivalent in international markets

These products contain stone dust mixed with chips up to 3/4". The dust fills voids during compaction and locks the stones into a rigid mat that drains but does not deform.

The 4-inch rule for patios — and when to break it

Four inches of compacted base is the published Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) minimum for pedestrian areas in stable soils. Add 2 inches for every one of these conditions on your site:

• Clay or expansive soil (it holds water and heaves)
• Northern climate with hard freezes (frost line below 24")
• Anywhere a vehicle might cross — even a riding mower
• Poor drainage or low-lying yard area

Why 8 inches for driveways is not optional

A car tire delivers 30+ psi to a small contact patch. A 4-inch base spreads that load too narrowly and the soil below punches up — you get ruts at the wheel tracks within a season. Eight inches of compacted base spreads the load wide enough that the underlying subgrade barely feels it.

Don't forget the bedding sand layer

On top of the compacted gravel, pavers sit in a 1-inch screeded layer of coarse, washed concrete sand (ASTM C33). It is the only layer that should not be compacted before laying — you screed it flat, set the pavers, then compact the whole field together. One inch is firm; thicker invites ruts.

• 1" bedding sand per 100 sq ft — 0.31 cubic yard / 0.42 ton / about 17 bags (0.5 cu ft)
• Never substitute play sand or mason sand — too fine, holds water
• Polymeric sand goes in the joints between pavers, not under them

Step-by-step: ordering gravel for a paver project

1. Measure length × width of the paved area in feet.
2. Pick depth from the chart (4" patio, 8" driveway, +2" for clay or freeze).
3. Multiply: square feet × depth in inches, divide by 80 = tons of base.
4. Add 1" of concrete sand: square feet × 1 ÷ 80 = tons of bedding sand.
5. Add 10% to both numbers for waste, overdig, and compaction loss.
6. Order the gravel and sand from the same yard for one delivery fee.

How much does paver base gravel cost in 2026?

• Crushed stone base — $18 to $35 per ton bulk at the quarry
• Concrete bedding sand — $25 to $45 per ton bulk
• Delivery — $80 to $200 per load (10–20 tons), within 20 miles
• Bagged paver base (0.5 cu ft) — $5 to $7 per bag at home centers

Bulk is roughly one-quarter the price of bagged once you pass about 1.5 tons. For a 200 sq ft patio (about 3.3 tons of base), bulk plus delivery runs $145–$275, while the equivalent in bags is $660+.

Common mistakes that waste gravel — or wreck the patio

• Skipping compaction. Loose 6" of gravel compacts to about 5" — order the compacted depth, then compact in 2" lifts with a plate compactor.
• Using pea gravel as the base. It shifts forever; only as a top dressing or for drainage.
• Excavating too shallow. The hole has to fit base depth + 1" sand + paver thickness (usually 2 3/8").
• Forgetting the slope. Pitch 1/4" per foot away from the house — order the same amount; you are just tilting the base.
• No geotextile on clay. A non-woven fabric between subsoil and gravel keeps mud from pumping up into your base after the first heavy rain.

FAQ — paver base questions people ask

Can I use crushed concrete instead of new stone?

Yes — recycled crushed concrete (RCA) compacts well and is often 30–50% cheaper. Ask for 3/4" minus RCA. It looks gray instead of tan but performs the same once buried.

Do I need landscape fabric under paver base?

On stable, sandy soils, no. On clay, silty, or wet soils, yes — use non-woven geotextile (not the thin weed barrier from a garden center). It keeps soil and base from mixing.

How thick should the sand layer be under pavers?

1 inch screeded flat. Never thicker — thick sand layers rut. Never thinner — you cannot screed it level. Use coarse concrete sand, not mason or play sand.

Can I lay pavers directly on dirt?

Only for temporary or decorative stepping stones. Any walkway or patio you want to last needs the compacted gravel base — dirt swells, shrinks, and freezes, and your pavers will follow.

How much extra gravel should I order?

Add 10% for compaction and overdig on small projects, 15% on driveways or sloped sites. It is always cheaper to send a few wheelbarrows back than to pay a second delivery fee.

Bottom line

For a paver patio or walkway, plan on 1.67 tons of 3/4"-minus crushed stone per 100 square feet at 4 inches compacted, plus 0.42 ton of concrete sand for the 1-inch bedding layer. For a driveway, double those base numbers. Run your exact dimensions through the calculator below to get tons, cubic yards, bags, and an estimated delivered cost in one shot.