Block paving calculator
Work out how many blocks a drive or patio takes at 50 per square metre, plus the Type 1 sub-base and sharp sand underneath.
Block paving calculator
You need
- Area
- With cuts
| Format | Exact | Order |
|---|
Fifty blocks per square metre, agreed by every UK supplier read. Brett prints it directly as Units Per M2 50, and Marshalls, Bradstone and Tobermore publish the same figure for the standard 200 by 100mm block in both 50 and 60mm thicknesses.
Enter your measurements to see what to order.
One block (200mm x 100mm) covers 0.02 square metres, which is 50 per square metre.
How to work out how many blocks you need
- Measure the area in metres and multiply length by width.
- Add 10 percent for cuts. Covers cuts at edges and around curves, plus breakage. A herringbone or basketweave pattern cuts more at the perimeter than a stretcher bond does.
- Divide by what one block (200mm x 100mm) covers, and round up. Suppliers do not sell part units.
How many many blocks for a given area
| Area | block (200mm x 100mm) |
|---|---|
| 10 m2 | 550 |
| 20 m2 | 1,100 |
| 40 m2 | 2,200 |
| 80 m2 | 4,400 |
| 120 m2 | 6,600 |
Every figure includes the 10 percent overage and is this page's own calculator, not a separate table that can drift from it.
What one block (200mm x 100mm) covers
| Format | Covers | Per m2 | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| block (200mm x 100mm) | 0.02 m2 | 50 | UK, AU |
Why the figures differ between suppliers
Fifty blocks per square metre, agreed by every UK supplier read. Brett prints it directly as Units Per M2 50, and Marshalls, Bradstone and Tobermore publish the same figure for the standard 200 by 100mm block in both 50 and 60mm thicknesses.
What goes underneath
Block paving sits on layers that are ordered separately and by volume, not by the piece. Running short on the base is the failure that shows two winters later.
- MOT Type 1 at 150mm. Mainland Aggregates: 150mm depth when used as a driveway sub-base for car traffic.
- Sharp sand at 50mm. Mainland Aggregates: sharp sand should be laid at 50mm depth for block paving bedding.
How much extra to order
10 percent. Covers cuts at edges and around curves, plus breakage. A herringbone or basketweave pattern cuts more at the perimeter than a stretcher bond does.