Paver sand calculator for Vermont

A 300-square-foot patio calls for about 1.25 tons of bedding material, while the joints need just 4-8 bags. They may both be called sand, but the amount required differs by roughly twenty-fold. Below, the calculator figures a 1 inch layer of coarse sand using 1.35 tons per cubic yard. The chart beneath it estimates joint-fill bags, including polymeric coverage for each 50 lb bag.

Two separate calculations

1. Figure bedding from the paved area plus the base's 6-inch overhang, using exactly 1 inch of depth. A deeper sand layer can lead to loose, shifting pavers.
2. For joints, calculate by bags, not tonnage. Typical 1/8 to 1/4 inch joints use one 50 lb bag for every 40-75 square feet.

Bags for joint sand

Paver thickness and joint width both change bag coverage, so follow the label and round upward. Save the extra for the first wash-in, since joints can settle a quarter inch afterward.

Bedding rules for the wheelbarrow

• Create a one-inch sand bed by screeding it on pipes or rails, then fill the ridges as the pavers go down.
• Use coarse, sharp sand rated for masonry or concrete work. Play sand is too rounded and can move under weight, both below pavers and between them.
• Leave the bedding loose while setting the pavers. Compact after the surface is laid, so the pavers settle into place.
• Keep off the screeded bedding. Work forward while standing on pavers already laid.
• Screenings create a firmer bed than sand, though they give you less room to correct the level. Use the same bedding material throughout the surface.

Plain or polymeric joint sand

After it is wetted, polymeric sand sets up in the joints to help limit weeds, ants and rain washout. It is several times more expensive by the bag, needs completely dry conditions, and a stray sprinkle can ruin an entire application. Fine mason sand is inexpensive and quick to sweep in, though it needs replenishing every season or two. Polymeric makes sense for driveways, busy areas, and slopes, especially where spring runoff is a concern. Mason sand is suitable for a level garden walk. In either case, use plain coarse sand for the bedding layer, since polymeric sand is only for joints.

The joint-sand upkeep schedule

Rain, ants, and leaf blowers remove sand from joints over time. Plan on adding plain mason sand every year or two; polymeric can last 5-10 years before the joint edges open. Choose a dry day to sweep, compact, and mist. Keep the leaf blower on a low setting near filled joints.

Example: a 20 x 15 patio

For bedding, allow about 320 square feet including overhang. At 1 inch deep, that works out to 27 cubic feet, 1 cubic yard, and 1.35 tons. Order 1.5 tons of mason sand. For 300 square feet of normal joints, plan on 4-8 bags of polymeric sand or 2-3 bags of mason sand. Under both layers, use a 4-plus ton crusher run base sized with the Paver Base Calculator. Cover the site sand pile with a tarp. Sand that is damp-to-dry finishes smoothly; soaked sand will not.

Paver bedding and joint sand guide

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