How Much Paver Base Do I Need? Depth and Tons

How much paver base do I need depends on what the pavers will carry and what kind of soil is underneath. Walkways and patios on firm, well-drained soil commonly get about 4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed stone base, and driveways usually get 8 inches or more. Clay or poorly drained soils call for the deeper end of each range. On top of the base sits a thin bedding layer, usually about an inch of sand or fine stone.

Volume and tonnage calculator →

Typical base depths

Project	Compacted base depth	Bedding layer
Walkway	About 4 inches	About 1 inch
Patio	About 4 to 6 inches	About 1 inch
Patio on clay soil	About 6 to 8 inches	About 1 inch
Residential driveway	About 8 to 12 inches	About 1 inch

Manufacturers and industry guides publish their own minimums, and local frost depth and drainage matter, so follow the paver maker’s instructions when they differ.

What to use as base

Use a dense-graded crushed stone with fines that compacts tightly, sold under names like crusher run, 3/4-inch minus, paver base, or regional names such as CA6, 304, or 21A. See CA6 gravel. Permeable paver systems are different and use clean, open-graded stone layers instead.

How to figure tons

Square feet: length x width. Add about 6 to 12 inches beyond the paver edge on each side so the base supports the edge restraint.
Cubic feet: square feet x compacted depth in feet (4 in = 0.333, 6 in = 0.5, 8 in = 0.667).
Cubic yards: cubic feet / 27.
Tons: cubic yards x about 1.4 to 1.5.
Extra: add 10 to 15 percent for compaction and waste.

Quick reference

Area	4 inches	6 inches	8 inches
100 sq ft	About 1.7 to 1.9 tons	About 2.6 to 2.8 tons	About 3.5 to 3.7 tons
200 sq ft	About 3.5 to 3.7 tons	About 5.2 to 5.6 tons	About 6.9 to 7.4 tons
400 sq ft	About 6.9 to 7.4 tons	About 10.4 to 11.1 tons	About 13.8 to 14.8 tons
600 sq ft	About 10.4 to 11.1 tons	About 15.6 to 16.7 tons	About 20.7 to 22.2 tons

No waste is included. The base calculator handles other sizes.

Bags vs bulk

Bagged paver base often comes in 0.5 cubic foot bags weighing around 50 pounds. A 100 square foot patio at 4 inches needs about 33 cubic feet, or roughly 66 bags, so bulk delivery usually makes more sense for anything beyond a small walkway.

Installing the base

Excavate to the base depth plus bedding and paver thickness.
Compact the subgrade and use a geotextile on soft soils.
Place base in lifts of about 2 to 4 inches and compact each with a plate compactor.
Slope the surface for drainage, commonly about 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot away from buildings.
Check grade with string lines before adding bedding.

See compacting gravel base in lifts for technique.

Bottom line

For most patios and walks, plan on 4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed stone paver base, and 8 inches or more for driveways or clay soils, plus about an inch of bedding. Figure tons at roughly 1.4 to 1.5 per cubic yard and add 10 to 15 percent. Then see how much sand for pavers for the bedding layer.

Questions people ask

How deep should paver base be for a patio?

Commonly about 4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed stone, more on clay or poorly drained soil.

How much paver base for a driveway?

Usually about 8 to 12 inches of compacted base, depending on soil and traffic.

How many tons of paver base for 100 square feet?

About 1.7 to 1.9 tons at 4 inches compacted, before adding waste.

Can I use bagged paver base?

For small areas. Larger projects are usually cheaper with bulk delivery.

Do I need fabric under paver base?

A geotextile helps on soft or clay soils by keeping the base from mixing into the subgrade.

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