What Goes Into a Paver Patio
A paver patio is five materials, not one: pavers, a compacted crushed-stone base, a bedding sand screed, polymeric joint sand, and edge restraint around the perimeter. Ordering only the pavers is the most common first-timer mistake — the base and bedding are what keep the patio flat and drained for decades, and the edge restraint is what stops it from spreading. This list sizes all five from the one measurement you already know.
Each line links back to its standalone calculator so you can adjust any single number — a thicker base for soft soil, a different paver size, or a wider joint. The paver count comes from the Paver Calculator, the base from the Gravel Calculator, and the bedding sand from the Sand Calculator.
The Standard Patio Build-Up
- Base: 4 inches of compacted crushed stone (¾-inch minus / paver base) for a pedestrian patio; 6 inches for driveways or soft, poorly-draining soil. Compact in 2-inch lifts.
- Bedding sand: a 1-inch screed of coarse concrete/paver sand — never mason or play sand, which is too fine and holds water.
- Pavers: set tight on the screed and vibrate-plate them in. The calculator adds 10% waste for cuts around the edges.
- Polymeric sand: swept into the joints, then compacted and misted so it hardens and locks the field together while staying permeable.
- Edge restraint: plastic or metal edging spiked around the perimeter, hidden under the soil or turf line.
Export Your List
Use the buttons above the article to copy the list, download a PDF, or email it to yourself. When supplier links are configured, the "Send this list to Home Depot" section opens a live, in-stock search for every line item — one click per material.
Related
- Paver Patio Installation Guide — step-by-step build
- Paver Calculator — just the paver count
- Paver prices by state — budget the pavers
- All project materials lists
Written by Daniel McCarney — AceCalc