Paver base calculator for New Mexico
The compacted layer below the pavers helps keep a patio level in five years. Use this calculator to size it by the ton.
Enter your project dimensions
A paver surface costs several times more per square foot than its stone foundation, but trouble usually begins in that lower layer. Use this calculator to estimate compacted crusher run or a similar blend at 1.5 tons per cubic yard: 4 inches for walking areas and 6-8 for cars. The +10% compaction allowance is selected by default. Keep bedding sand separate at a strict 1-inch layer, using its own calculator.
Base sizing
- Find the paved area in feet, then carry the base 6 inches beyond each open paver edge. This gives the edge restraint solid support.
- Use 4 inches of compacted material for walkways and patios. Allow 6 for clay soil or driveways, and use 8 beneath driveways on soft ground.
- Take cubic feet ÷ 27 for yards, then x 1.5 for tons. Leave the +10% allowance on.
Excavation depth = base + 1" bedding + paver thickness − reveal
Project depth and coverage
| Project | Compacted base depth | 1 ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| Walkway or garden path | 4 inches | ≈ 54 sq ft |
| Patio or seating area | 4-6 inches | ≈ 43 sq ft |
| Driveway with cars | 6-8 inches | ≈ 31 sq ft |
| Clay or soft subgrade | add 2 inches + fabric | n/a |
Excavation layers from lawn to finished paver
Figure the excavation by adding the layer depths. For a standard patio, use 4 inches of base, 1 inch of bedding sand, and a 2 3/8 inch paver finished even with the lawn. That comes to a 7.5-inch dig, adjusted for however much reveal you leave above grade. Put that depth on a stake and check it as the hole is dug. Going too deep means removing extra soil, then paying for more stone to restore the level. Run the Dirt Calculator backward to estimate the yards coming out of the hole.
Base installation practices
- Use a plate compactor on 2-inch lifts, with a light mist on each layer. Base compacts more tightly when damp than when dry.
- Give the compacted base a 2-3% slope away from the house. Bedding sand and pavers will follow that grade.
- Place edge restraint over the compacted base rather than lawn soil. The 6-inch overhang supports the restraint.
- Where clay is present, put woven geotextile below the base. It keeps stone from gradually sinking into the subgrade through wet seasons.
- Base depth cannot be replaced with a deeper sand layer. Sand shifts, and that shortcut can create a wavy patio.
Re-laying old pavers: check the base
When re-laying a patio, the existing base may be reusable. Take up the pavers, remove the old bedding sand, and check the base. If it is still level, firm, and draining, install a fresh 1-inch bedding layer; the stone requirement drops to a tenth of a new installation. Remove the base if there are low spots, soft areas, or standing water. In monsoon runoff, those issues need correction before the pavers go back.
Example: a 16 x 12 patio
For 192 square feet of paving, add the 6-inch overhang along three open sides and use 210 as the base footprint. With 4 inches compacted, 210 x 0.333 = 70 cubic feet = 2.6 cubic yards, or about 3.9 tons and 4.3 with the allowance. Order 4.5 tons of crusher run and 0.9 tons of bedding sand from the Paver Sand Calculator in one free delivery. Schedule the drop after excavation, since a stone pile left on a lawn for two weeks leaves a dead rectangle.
Questions on base depth, digging and tonnage
How can I calculate my paver base quantity?
Will 2 inches of paver base work?
What base depth is needed for pavers?
How far down should I dig for pavers?
For paver base, crusher run or screenings?
Can pavers be installed without base material?
Other calculators
A stable base supports the finished pavers.
Order crusher run and screenings by the ton with bedding sand, in free delivery.