Paver base calculator for Delaware

Size the compacted tons for the below-grade layer that helps keep your patio level for five years.

Enter your project dimensions

Length (feet)

Enter a length greater than 0

Width (feet)

Enter a width greater than 0

Diameter (feet)

Enter a diameter greater than 0

Depth (inches)

Enter a depth between 0.25 and 24 inches

Material

Add 10% extra for compaction & spillage

The stone beneath pavers costs much less per square foot, but a failing base can ruin the finished surface. This calculator helps size that lower layer using compacted crusher run or a similar blend at 1.5 tons per cubic yard. Plan on 4 inches for walking areas and 6-8 for vehicles, with the +10% compaction allowance already included. Bedding sand is calculated separately and stays a strict 1-inch layer.

Base sizing

Measure the paver area in feet and carry the base 6 inches beyond every exposed edge. This gives the edge restraint a firm place to sit.
Patios and walkways need 4 inches of compacted depth. Use 6 for driveways or clay soil, and 8 under driveways on soft ground.
Convert cubic feet to yards by dividing by 27, then x 1.5 for tons, with the +10% allowance on.

Tons = (Base area sq ft × Compacted depth in ÷ 12) ÷ 27 × 1.5 × 1.10
Excavation depth = base + 1" bedding + paver thickness − reveal

Project base 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 turf to finished pavers

Excavation comes from adding together all the layers. A common patio has 4 inches of base, 1 inch of bedding sand, and a 2 3/8 inch paver finished even with the lawn. That means a 7.5-inch excavation, adjusted for the amount of reveal wanted above grade. Put the depth on a stake and use it as you dig. Going too deep means paying to remove extra soil, with the Dirt Calculator run in reverse showing how many yards come out, then purchasing stone to restore the height.

Base practices that help avoid repairs

Use a plate compactor in 2-inch layers, lightly misting every layer as you go. A damp base compacts more firmly than a dry one.
Shape the compacted base with a 2-3% slope leading away from the house. Any grade in the base will carry through the sand and pavers.
Install the edge restraint over the compacted base, not on grass or soil. The 6-inch overhang provides the room needed for it.
Where clay is present, place geotextile fabric before installing the base. This helps keep stone from sinking into the subgrade as wet seasons pass.
A deeper sand bed is not a replacement for proper base depth. Sand can shift, leaving the finished patio wavy.

Reinstalling old pavers: check the base

Resetting a patio you already have? You may be able to keep its base. Remove the pavers, clear away the old sand bed, and assess the material underneath. If the base remains firm, level, and drains properly, spread fresh bedding sand to a depth of 1-inch, reducing the stone order to a tenth of what a new installation takes. Replace the base when you find depressions, soft areas, or pooled water. Leaving those issues in place puts the replacement pavers at risk of the same failure.

Example: a 16 x 12 patio

For 192 square feet of paving, allowing a 6-inch extension along three exposed edges brings the base area to 210. Using 4 inches of compacted base: 210 x 0.333 = 70 cubic feet = 2.6 cubic yards, or roughly 3.9 tons and 4.3 with the allowance. Get 4.5 tons of crusher run and 0.9 tons of bedding sand from the Paver Sand Calculator in one free delivery. Schedule delivery once excavation is complete, since a stone pile sitting on grass for two weeks can leave a dead rectangle.

Questions on base depth, digging, and tonnage

How can I calculate the paver base quantity?

Take the paved area with its 6-inch perimeter, multiply by the compacted depth in feet, divide by 27, then multiply by 1.5 tons and add 10%. For a 10 x 10 patio with a 4-inch base, the result is about 2.2 tons, so order 2.5.

Will 2 inches of paver base work?

No. Two inches can level the surface, but it does not provide a base. Four compacted inches is the minimum for foot traffic. Going thinner often leads to low areas and pavers that rock.

What base depth is needed for pavers?

For patios and walkways, use Four inches once compacted. Areas that carry cars need 6-8, along with 2 extra inches where clay or wet ground is involved. In the clay-over-rock ground around Wilmington, the base carries the load.

What excavation depth do pavers need?

Figure excavation by combining the base depth, 1 inch of bedding material, and paver thickness, then deduct the reveal above grade. Standard 2 3/8 inch pavers over a 4-inch base require digging about 7.5 inches below the finished surface.

For paver base, crusher run or screenings?

Use crusher run, or road base, for the structural layer across the full 4-plus inches. Screenings belong in a thin leveling course above compacted base. Used alone as base, screenings can retain water and shift under load.

Is it possible to install pavers without base?

Yes over an existing stable concrete slab, using a bedding layer and drainage gaps. No over soil. Pavers installed right on dirt move with frost heave and rain, often showing problems within one season.

Paver Sand CalculatorCalculate →Crusher Run CalculatorCalculate →Stone CalculatorCalculate →All calculatorsMulch, sand, topsoil, dirt & more.Open the hub →

A solid base supports the finished pavers.

Order crusher run and screenings by the ton with bedding sand, including free delivery.

Shop Crusher Run