Brick Paver Calculator
A brick paver calculator divides area by 0.222 sq ft per 4 × 8 in paver (about 4.5 per sq ft). A 20 × 10 ft patio needs 901 pavers, or 991 with 10% extra.
How many brick pavers you need
A brick paver calculator divides the area you want to pave by the face area of one paver. A standard 4 × 8 in brick paver covers 0.222 sq ft, so you need about 4.5 per square foot. Pavers = area (sq ft) ÷ 0.222, rounded up. A 20 × 10 ft patio is 200 sq ft and takes 901 pavers, or 991 with the 10% allowance ticked.
The price field is per paver. The cost line multiplies the whole-paver count by that price.
Why 4.5 pavers per square foot
Four inches by eight inches is 32 square inches. A square foot is 144 square inches, and 144 ÷ 32 = 4.5. Many brick pavers are actually made a fraction under 4 × 8 so that a narrow sand joint brings each one back to the full module. That is why the 4 × 8 figure is the one to plan with.
If you buy a metric paver or a different module, swap in its face area. The math stays the same.
Worked examples
Example 1: Backyard patio, 20 × 10 ft, $0.80 per paver
- Area: 20 × 10 = 200 sq ft
- Pavers: 200 ÷ 0.222 = 900.9, rounded up to 901 pavers
- With 10% extra: 900.9 × 1.10 = 991.0, rounded up to 991 pavers
- Cost with allowance: 991 × $0.80 = $792.80 ($720.80 without it)
Example 2: Garden walkway, 30 × 4 ft, $0.80 per paver
- Area: 30 × 4 = 120 sq ft
- Pavers: 120 ÷ 0.222 = 540.5, rounded up to 541 pavers
- With 10% extra: 595 pavers, costing $476.00
A walkway this narrow has a cut at almost every edge course, so the full 10% allowance is worth taking.
Waste allowance by laying pattern
| Pattern | Typical extra | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Running bond (straight) | ~5% | Cuts only at the ends of rows |
| Stack bond | ~5% | Same as running bond |
| Basketweave | 5–10% | Pairs must fit the border evenly |
| Herringbone 90° | ~10% | Zig-zag edge needs many cuts |
| Herringbone 45° | 10–15% | Diagonal cut at nearly every border brick |
| Curved borders or circles | 10–15% | Every edge brick is trimmed |
Paver build-up for a patio or walkway
| Layer | Common thickness | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brick pavers | about 2⅜ in | Thicker units are common for driveways |
| Bedding sand | 1 in | Screeded level, not compacted before laying |
| Compacted base | 4–6 in | Crushed stone with fines, in compacted lifts |
| Subgrade | — | Firm, sloped for drainage |
Use the paver base calculator for the stone and the paver sand calculator for the bedding layer.
How to measure
- Measure the finished paved area, inside the edge restraint.
- Split odd shapes. An L-shaped patio is two rectangles. Run each one and add the counts.
- Circles. Area is 3.14 × radius². A 10 ft circle is about 78.5 sq ft, or 354 pavers before extra.
- Soldier borders. If you run a border course of pavers on edge or end-on, count it separately and subtract its area from the field.
Common mistakes
- Using 4 per square foot. That rounds down by 11% and leaves you short.
- Mixing paver lots. Clay color varies between production runs. Buy the full order at once and blend from several pallets as you lay.
- Skipping the edge restraint. Without a restraint the outer bricks creep outward and the joints open.
- Forgetting joint sand. Brick pavers have many joints per square foot; size the bags with the polymeric sand calculator.
Related calculators
For larger concrete pavers, use the paver calculator. To budget the whole job with base, sand, and labor, try the paver patio cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many brick pavers per square foot?
A 4 × 8 in brick paver has a face of 32 square inches, or 0.222 sq ft, so it takes about 4.5 pavers to cover one square foot. 100 sq ft needs about 451 pavers, and 200 sq ft needs 901 before any allowance for cuts.
What size brick paver does this calculator assume?
A standard 4 × 8 in clay or concrete brick paver covering 0.222 sq ft. If your pavers are a different size, divide the area by their face area in square feet instead. A 6 × 9 in paver, for example, covers 0.375 sq ft, so about 2.7 per square foot.
How much extra should I order for a herringbone or basketweave pattern?
Plan on about 5% extra for a straight running bond, 5 to 10% for basketweave, and 10 to 15% for herringbone laid at 45 degrees, because angled layouts need a cut piece at nearly every edge. The calculator's checkbox adds 10%.
Do brick pavers need the same base as standard concrete pavers?
Yes. A common build for a patio or walkway is 4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed stone base under a 1-inch layer of bedding sand, with deeper base for driveways or soft soil. The smaller unit size does not reduce the base needed.
Does this count include polymeric sand for the joints?
No. This calculator counts pavers only. Joint sand depends on joint width and paver depth, so size it separately with the polymeric sand calculator; one 50-lb bag commonly fills joints over roughly 60 sq ft of standard pavers.
Estimates only. Verify quantities with your supplier before purchasing.