It’s no news that planning a paver project takes time, professional work, and meticulous calculations. Oftentimes, homeowners who look for ways to renew their old patio or build a new driveway, for example, come across a primordial question: how to know how many pavers you need?

The answer is not at all complicated, but finding it may take you off your feet when dealing with the installation process by yourself. You see, professional services are always a go-to resource in the hardscape industry – experts can handle the whole situation with ease, including all the estimates involved with paver supply. That said, there are ways to calculate the amount of units you need to buy to complete your floor.

Keep reading the article to find out – or, in case you’d like to delve into the specifics, read our guide on how to calculate square feet for pavers. It might be just as useful.

How to know how many pavers you need

Traditionally, there are three types of paver stone sizes: 0.2 square feet (small), 1 square foot (medium), and 1.71 square feet (large). These numbers refer to the simple, four-corner design most brands are available in. However, there are several styles and patterns for purchase, which weigh heavily in the final results.

In short, the number of units you’ll need depends on two factors: the area of your pavers and the total project area. Is the worksite rectangular? Square shaped? Irregular? More on that in a bit. As for finding out the area of a single paver, the installation pattern is also very important.

If your floor pattern is made by multiple pavers of the same size (like the first picture below), you’ll only need to measure the area of a single paver. If your pattern is made by two or more pavers (like the second picture), you’ll need to sum up their areas of repetition.

See the list of common paver sizes and their respective areas:

Finding out the total project area

So, think about your project as a geometric shape. That way, it’s easier to calculate the whole area.

If it’s a rectangle, just measure the width, and length, and then multiply. If it’s a circle, find the radius, raise it to the power of 2 and multiply by 3.14. For irregular shapes, the best course of action is to separate the worksite into rectangles of different sizes and sum up the individual areas. Of course, some cutting might be needed to fit the corners together – one more reason to contract an expert for assistance.

Conclusion

So, how do you know how many pavers you need? Just divide the total area of your project by the total area of your paver or repeating pattern.

By the way, a safety measure is buying 15% more pavers to ensure an easy installation. Cuts, broken and lost pieces always have to be accounted for, and trust us when we say it’s not a budget waste. It can pay off later on.

Storage and maintenance

As we said, getting yourself a few extra pavers is never a bad idea. Even if you end up not using them, setting up a storage room is the best course of action – considering they don’t age, they might come in handy in the future.

You see, maintenance is something crucial to prolong your project’s efficiency. Some materials require more attention than others, sure – such as the porous surfaces of bricks – but chances are you’ll need to replace some pieces here and there. Be it stains, transmission fluid, scratches, cracks, or unleveling, damage problems are common, so sparing yourself a trip to the store is always a positive.

Read how to replace pavers here.

Eagle Pavers knows how many pavers you need!

So, were you able to come up with an exact number? Depending on the paver style and project area, sometimes the calculations can be tricky. If that’s your case, you don’t need to worry – our expert team is here to give you a hand. Fill out this form so we can help you with a free quote!

If you live near Sarasota, Florida, why not give us a call? Eagle Pavers has been on the market for decades now and provides clients with the best installation services in town. Click here to view the full online catalog and be inspired today!