How Much Paver Base for a 12x18 Patio?
How much paver base for a 12x18 patio: about 3.7 tons at 4 inches compacted, or 5.6 tons at 6 inches. The patio is 216 square feet.
Volume and tonnage calculator →Paver base by depth
| Base depth | Cubic yards | Tons | 0.5 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 in | 2.67 | 3.7 | 144 |
| 5 in | 3.33 | 4.7 | 180 |
| 6 in | 4.00 | 5.6 | 216 |
| 8 in | 5.33 | 7.5 | 288 |
Tons use about 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Bag counts assume 0.5 cubic foot bags, a common size for bagged paver base; check yours.
Related: How Much Gravel for a 12x18 Patio?
Choosing base depth
Patios that only see foot traffic usually get 4 inches. Clay soil, poor drainage and cold winters call for 6 inches. Driveways need much more. See how deep paver base should be.
Bags or bulk
At 4 inches this is about 144 small bags, which is a lot of lifting. Bulk paver base or crushed stone with fines (often sold as crusher run, road base or 3/4 minus) costs far less per ton.
Related: How Many Pavers for a 12x18 Patio?
Compaction
Compact in thin lifts with a plate compactor, keeping a slight slope for drainage. The finished base should be firm and flat before the 1-inch sand bed goes down.
Ordering materials
Buy pavers from one production run where possible so the color matches. Ask how many square feet a pallet covers and whether partial pallets are sold. Bulk base and sand delivered together usually beat bagged products on cost.
Measuring the patio
Measure the patio in feet and multiply for square feet. For L-shapes or curves, split the area into rectangles and circles and add them. Mark the outline with paint or string first so your numbers match the real layout.
Common mistakes
Skimping on base depth, skipping compaction and using too much bedding sand are the most common errors. Thick sand shifts and causes dips. Another is forgetting edge restraint, which lets pavers creep outward over time.
Questions people ask
How many tons of paver base for a 12x18 patio?
About 3.7 tons at 4 inches or 5.6 at 6 inches.
How many bags of paver base for a 12x18 patio?
About 144 half-cubic-foot bags at 4 inches.
How thick should paver base be?
About 4 inches for patios, 6 or more for clay or cold climates.
What can I use as paver base?
Crushed stone with fines, such as 3/4 minus, crusher run or road base.
How much sand goes under pavers?
About 1 inch of bedding sand over the compacted base.
Related guides
- How Many Pavers per Square Foot? Size Chart
- How Much Paver Base Do I Need? Depth and Tons
- How Deep Should Paver Base Be? Patio vs Driveway
- How Much Sand for Pavers? Bedding and Joint Sand
- Paver Edge Restraint: Types and How to Install It
- How Much Does a Pallet of Pavers Weigh?
- How Much Paver Base for a 12x14 Patio?
- How Much Paver Base for a 12x16 Patio?
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