THE BONITA STONE BLOG:
How Many Pavers Do I Need?
"How many pavers do I need?" is one of the first questions on any paving project, and getting it right saves you time, money and a second trip. Order too few and you could be waiting on more stock halfway through the job. Order far too many and you've paid for pavers that sit in the shed. The good news is that the maths is simple once you know the steps. This guide walks you through measuring your area, converting it to pavers and adding the right allowance, with a calculator to check your numbers as you go.
Measure Your Area in Square Metres
Grab a tape measure, a notepad and a rough sketch of the space. Measure everything in metres, then work out the area of each shape. If your area isn't a simple rectangle, split it into smaller shapes, work out each one, then add them together.
Rectangle or Square
Length × Width
A 6 m × 4 m patio is 24 m².
L-Shaped Area
Split into two rectangles
Work out each rectangle, then add them together.
Circle
3.14 × radius × radius
A circle 4 m across has a 2 m radius, so it's about 12.6 m².
Triangle
Base × Height ÷ 2
Handy for angled corners and odd-shaped garden beds.
Paving around a pool? Measure the whole area first, then measure the pool and take it away. The same goes for anything else you won't pave over, like garden beds or an existing slab.
Convert Square Metres to Pavers
Different paver sizes cover different amounts of ground, so the number you need per square metre depends on the size you choose. To work it out, convert the paver size to metres, multiply length by width, then divide 1 by the answer. Here's how it works out for the sizes in our limestone range:
Then multiply your area by that figure. For example, 24 m² of 400 × 400 mm pavers is 24 × 6.25 = 150 pavers. These figures don't allow for the small joints between pavers, which builds in a tiny bit of extra coverage.
Our limestone pavers come in 400 × 400 and 300 × 600 mm sizes, in 40 or 60 mm thickness. You can see the full range on our limestone pavers page, and our team can confirm sizes for other ranges, like exposed and honed aggregate.
Add an Allowance for Cuts and Spares
Your area figure is the space you're covering, not the number of pavers you'll actually use. Pavers get cut to fit edges, corners, drains and curves, and the offcuts can't always be reused. That's why it pays to order a little extra.
As a rough guide, many projects allow 5 to 10 percent extra, with more for curved edges, angled layouts or patterns that need lots of cuts. Our team can help you settle on the right figure for your layout.
It's also worth keeping a few spare pavers once the job is done. If one ever gets damaged, an exact colour match later isn't always guaranteed once a batch has sold through, so spares from your original order make repairs easy.
When to Allow More
- Curved edges or round areas
- Angled or diagonal layouts
- Lots of corners, steps or drains
- Paving around a pool or garden beds
- Keeping spares for future repairs
Measure Pool Edges in Linear Metres
If you're paving around a pool, the edge pieces are counted differently. Bullnose pavers run along the pool edge, so you measure the perimeter of the pool in metres rather than its area.
For a rectangular pool, that's (length + width) × 2. A 7 m × 3.5 m pool has a perimeter of 21 m. Divide that by the length of your bullnose paver: with 400 mm bullnose, that's 21 ÷ 0.4 = about 53 pieces. Corners take their own corner pieces, and our limestone range includes both internal and external corner bullnose, so our team will confirm the exact mix for your pool shape.
Remember to take the pool out of your main paving area too, so you're not counting the same ground twice.
Work Out Your Paver Quantity
Enter your measurements and the calculator does the rest. It's filled in with the worked example below so you can see how it works.
A guide only. Send us your measurements and our team will confirm the exact quantities, including corner pieces.
Get My QuotePaving Around a 7 × 3.5 m Pool
Measure the whole area
The backyard paving area is 10 m × 7 m = 70 m².
Take away the pool
The pool is 7 m × 3.5 m = 24.5 m², leaving 70 − 24.5 = 45.5 m² to pave.
Convert to pavers
With 400 × 400 mm pavers, that's 45.5 × 6.25 = 284.4, so round up to 285 pavers.
Add your allowance
Adding 10 percent for cuts and spares brings it to about 313 pavers.
Count the pool edge
The pool perimeter is 21 m, so with 400 mm bullnose you'll need about 53 pieces, with the exact corner pieces confirmed by our team.
Common Measuring Mistakes
Most ordering problems come from a handful of small slip-ups. A few minutes of checking before you order will save a lot of hassle once the pavers arrive.
If you're also thinking about what sits underneath your pavers, our guide on what base to use for patio pavers is a good next read, and our guide to what determines paving cost helps you plan your budget.
Double-Check Before You Order
- Mixing up centimetres and metres
- Forgetting to take out the pool or garden beds
- Counting the pool edge twice, as area and bullnose
- Rounding down instead of up
- Leaving out the allowance for cuts and spares
Frequently Asked Questions
How many 400 × 400 mm pavers are in a square metre?
There are 6.25 pavers in a square metre when using 400 × 400 mm pavers. Multiply your area by 6.25, round up, then add an allowance for cuts and spares.
How many extra pavers should I order?
As a rough guide, many projects allow 5 to 10 percent extra, with more for curved edges, angled layouts or patterns with lots of cuts. Keeping a few spares is also handy for future repairs, as an exact colour match later isn't always guaranteed.
How do I measure an L-shaped or irregular area?
Split the area into simple shapes like rectangles, triangles and circles, work out the area of each one, then add them together. A quick sketch with each measurement marked on it makes this much easier.
How do I work out pool edge pavers?
Measure the perimeter of the pool in metres, then divide by the length of your bullnose paver. For 400 mm bullnose, a 21 m perimeter needs about 53 pieces. Corners use separate corner pieces, which our team can confirm for your pool shape.
Can Bonita Stone work out the quantity for me?
Yes. Send us your measurements or a sketch of your area through our quote form, or call us on 0434 086 084, and our team will confirm the quantities you need.
Got Your Measurements?
Send them through and the Bonita Stone team will confirm your quantities and quote, or call us on 0434 086 084.
