Paver base calculator for Nebraska

Size the compacted stone layer below the pavers in tons, so the patio can stay 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 5% extra for compaction & spillage

The stone below pavers costs much less per square foot, yet trouble with a patio commonly starts in that lower layer. This calculator calculates compacted crusher run or a comparable blend at 1.5 tons per cubic yard: use 4 inches for foot traffic and 6-8 below cars. The +10% compaction allowance is selected by default. Calculate bedding sand separately as its required 1-inch layer.

Base sizing

Measure the paver area in feet and carry the base 6 inches beyond each exposed edge. That extra base supports the edge restraint.
Use 4 inches of compacted base for patios and walkways, 6 for clay soil or driveways, and 8 under driveways on soft ground.
For tons, take cubic feet / 27 for yards, then x 1.5, 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 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 lawn to finished paver

Add all layer thicknesses to set the excavation depth. A usual patio has 4 inches of base, 1 inch of bedding sand, and a 2 3/8 inch paver flush with the lawn. That makes a 7.5-inch excavation, adjusted for the reveal above grade. Put the depth on a stake and check it during digging. Going too deep means paying to remove soil, with the Dirt Calculator run backward showing the yards leaving the hole, then paying again for stone to restore grade.

Paver base installation notes

Compact the base in 2-inch lifts using a plate compactor, and lightly mist every lift. Base that is damp compacts tighter than dry material.
Grade the compacted base at a 2-3% fall away from the house. The bedding sand and pavers will follow that grade.
Place edge restraint over the compacted base, not lawn soil. The 6-inch extension gives it the needed support.
For clay soil, put woven geotextile beneath the base. It keeps stone from working down into the subgrade through wet seasons.
Do not use extra sand to replace base thickness. Sand shifts, which can leave a patio uneven.

Re-laying old pavers: check the base

Reworking a patio already in place? Its base may still be usable. Remove the pavers, scrape away the old bedding sand, then check the base. If it remains level, firm, and drains properly, install a new 1-inch bedding layer and the stone needed can be reduced to a tenth of what a new installation takes. In Nebraska's wetter loess ground, any low areas, soft sections, or pooled water mean removing the base as well. Leaving a failed base in place leads to the same problem beneath the replacement pavers.

Example: a 16 x 12 patio

Start with 192 square feet of paved area. Adding the 6-inch extension along three exposed sides makes the base area 210. For 4 inches compacted, 210 x 0.333 = 70 cubic feet = 2.6 cubic yards, about 3.9 tons, or 4.3 with allowance. Order 4.5 tons of crusher run and 0.9 tons of bedding sand from the Paver Sand Calculator in one free delivery. Arrange the drop after excavation, because stone left on grass for two weeks can kill a rectangle of lawn.

Questions on base depth, digging and tonnage

How much paver base do I need?

Calculate the paved area with its 6-inch border, multiply by compacted depth in feet, divide by 27, multiply by 1.5 tons, and add 10%. At 4 inches, a 10 x 10 patio needs about 2.2 tons, so order 2.5.

Is 2 inches of paver base sufficient?

No. Two inches is for leveling, not base support. Four compacted inches is the minimum for foot traffic. Too little base often leads to dips and pavers that rock.

What depth should paver base be?

Use four compacted inches for patios and paths and 6-8 for areas used by cars. On Nebraska clay or wet ground, add 2 extra inches to account for deep frost and freeze-thaw cycling.

How far down do pavers need to be excavated?

Take the base depth plus 1 inch of bedding and the paver thickness, then subtract the reveal above grade. A 4-inch base with standard 2 3/8 inch pavers puts the excavation about 7.5 inches below finished height.

For paver base, crusher run or screenings?

Use crusher run, or road base, as the structural material for the full 4-plus inches. Apply screenings only as a thin leveling layer over compacted base. Screenings used by themselves retain water and can pump under load.

Can pavers be installed without base?

Yes over a sound concrete slab, using a bedding layer and drainage gaps. No on soil. Pavers laid directly on dirt move with deep frost and rain, often becoming uneven in one season.

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The base supports the paver surface.

Order crusher run and screenings by the ton with bedding sand.

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