DIY paver guide

How Much Paver Base Do I Need for a 10x10 Patio?

Last updated May 18, 2026

A 10x10 ft patio is 100 sq ft. With a 4 inch compacted base and 10% allowance, plan for about 1.36 cubic yards, 2.17 tons, or 74 half-cubic-foot bags of paver base.

Quick answer

  • 4 in base: about 1.36 cu yd, 2.17 tons, or 74 bags.
  • 6 in base: about 2.04 cu yd, 3.26 tons, or 110 bags.
  • Bulk delivery is usually more practical than bagged material at this size.

10x10 patio paver base estimate

Base depthCubic yardsTons0.5 cu ft bags
4 in1.362.1774
6 in2.043.26110
8 in2.724.35147

Assumes 10% allowance and 1.6 tons per cubic yard.

Interactive estimator

Paver Base calculator

Example project 10x10 ft patio
Base volume 1.36 cu yd 4 in depth
Weight 2.17 tons bulk order
Bagged order 74 bags 0.5 cu ft bags

Example 10x10 patio: base is about 1.36 cu yd, 2.17 tons, or 74 half-cubic-foot bags.

Enter your own length, width, depth, density, and bag size to create a supplier order.

Quick material estimate

For a rectangular 10x10 patio, multiply 10 ft by 10 ft to get 100 sq ft. A 4 inch base is one third of a foot deep, so the compacted base volume is about 33.3 cubic feet before waste.

After a 10% allowance, the order volume is about 36.7 cubic feet, or 1.36 cubic yards. At the default 1.6 tons per cubic yard, that is about 2.17 tons.

When to use 6 inches instead

Move from 4 inches to 6 inches when the patio has poor drainage, soft soil, freeze-thaw exposure, or heavier use. A deeper base increases cost but reduces the risk of settling.

If the site is wet, unstable, or clay-heavy, use this calculator as a planning estimate and confirm the base design locally.

Helpful next step

Use the complete paver material calculator when you want one combined order list for pavers, base, bedding sand, polymeric sand, edging, and cost. Use the focused calculators when you need to tune one material at a time.