Paver Patio Cost Calculator
— How Much Do You Need?

A paver patio is an outdoor living surface built from individual paving units laid over a prepared aggregate base. The pavers themselves can be made from concrete, natural stone, brick, or porcelain, and they come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors. What makes a paver patio different from a poured concrete slab is that it is modular. Each piece is independent, so if one shifts, settles, or cracks over time, you can lift and replace just that one piece without tearing out the whole surface. The foundation beneath the pavers is just as important as the surface you see. A properly built paver patio rests on a compacted layer of crushed stone or gravel base, topped with a thin layer of coarse bedding sand. That layered system is what keeps the surface stable, level, and well-drained over the long term. Hello Gravel supplies the bulk aggregate materials, the gravel base and the sand, that make that foundation possible.

A paver patio depends on two layers of aggregate to function correctly. The first is a compacted gravel base, usually crushed stone or a dense-graded crusher run, that sits beneath everything and gives the surface its structural strength and drainage. Without a solid base, pavers will shift, sink, and become uneven no matter how carefully they are laid on top. The second layer is a bed of coarse sand, typically about one inch thick, that sits directly below the pavers. This sand layer lets you fine-tune the level of each paver during installation and cushions them slightly as they settle. Together, these two layers form the working foundation of any paver patio that holds up over time. Hello Gravel delivers both the crushed stone base material and the bedding sand by the truckload, so you can get everything you need for the foundation through one order.

For a standard residential paver patio that will see foot traffic, a compacted gravel base of four to six inches is the most common recommendation. Four inches is generally adequate for a well-drained site with firm native soil. If your yard has soft, clay-heavy, or poorly draining soil, six inches gives you more stability and better long-term results. If you are building in a colder climate where the ground freezes and thaws repeatedly through the winter, going to six inches or slightly deeper helps reduce frost heaving, which is the phenomenon where ground movement pushes pavers out of alignment over time. On top of the compacted gravel base, plan for about one inch of coarse bedding sand. That brings your total excavation depth to roughly five to seven inches before the pavers go in, depending on which base depth you choose. When you use the Hello Gravel calculator, enter your patio dimensions and your target base depth to get an accurate material estimate for your specific project.

A 20x20 paver patio covers 400 square feet, and here is a practical way to think about the quantities at common base depths. At a four-inch compacted gravel base depth, a 400 square foot patio requires roughly six to eight tons of crushed stone. At a six-inch depth, that estimate climbs to around nine to twelve tons. These are real-world working figures that account for compaction, which reduces the loose volume of the material as it is packed down into place. For the bedding sand layer at one inch deep across 400 square feet, plan on approximately two tons of coarse sand. Keep in mind that these figures are starting points. The exact amount you need depends on your soil conditions, how much excavation you do, and how well the material compacts in your specific situation. For a precise number tailored to your own dimensions, use the Hello Gravel online calculator. It takes the guesswork out of ordering so you get what you need without running short or over-ordering.

The two most widely used options for a paver patio base are crusher run and clean crushed stone, and both have real strengths depending on your situation. Crusher run, sometimes called road base or dense-graded aggregate, is a mix of crushed stone pieces and fine stone dust. Because of those fines, it binds tightly when compacted and creates a very firm, locked-in surface. Many professional paver installers prefer it for the base layer because it is so stable and resistant to shifting. Clean crushed stone, such as 3/4 inch crushed stone, is another strong option. It drains extremely well because water passes freely through the angular gaps between the pieces. Some builders favor it in areas where drainage is a primary concern or where a more permeable base system is desired. Either material can work well for a residential paver patio. If you are not sure which one suits your soil type, drainage situation, or local climate, reach out to the Hello Gravel team before you order. Describing your project takes only a few minutes, and the team can help you choose the right material with confidence.