How Many Pavers Do I Need? (By Patio Size & Paver Size)
Part of Landscaping & Aggregate
Quick answer
Pavers needed = patio area (ft²) ÷ one paver's face area (ft²), plus 5–10% for cuts and breakage. A standard 12×12 in paver covers 1 ft² (1 per ft²); a 12×6 in brick paver covers 0.5 ft² (2 per ft²); a 6×6 in paver needs 4 per ft². So a 200 ft² patio of 12×6 pavers takes about 420 pavers with waste.
Pavers are sold by the piece, but you plan a patio by the square foot — so the job is converting your area into a paver count. The only number that changes the math is the face size of the paver you pick.
Pavers per square foot by size
| Paver size | Face area | Pavers per ft² |
|---|---|---|
| 12 × 12 in | 1.00 ft² | 1 |
| 12 × 6 in (brick) | 0.50 ft² | 2 |
| 8 × 4 in (holland) | 0.22 ft² | 4.5 |
| 6 × 6 in | 0.25 ft² | 4 |
| 6 × 9 in | 0.375 ft² | 2.7 |
| 24 × 24 in (slab) | 4.00 ft² | 0.25 |
The steps
- Measure the patio: length × width = area in square feet.
- Find the paver's face area: (length in ÷ 12) × (width in ÷ 12).
- Divide patio area by paver area for the base count.
- Add 5% for a square layout, up to 10% for herringbone, diagonal or curved borders.
- Round up — you can't buy a partial paver.
Enter your dimensions and paver size in the paver calculator and it does this for you, including the waste allowance and a per-square-foot count.
FAQs
How many pavers are in a square foot?
It depends on the paver's face size. A 12×12 in paver is 1 per square foot; a 12×6 in brick paver is 2 per square foot; a 6×6 in paver is 4 per square foot. Divide 1 by the paver's face area in square feet to get the count.
How much extra should I buy for waste?
Add about 5% for a simple square or rectangular patio and up to 10% for diagonal or herringbone patterns and curved edges, where more pavers get cut. Keep a few spares for future repairs.