Work out the bedding sand and joint sand for your pavers in Australia. Enter your area and paver, and get cubic metres, tonnes, bags, joint sand and a drawing of your layers.
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Bedding sand for your area, with waste.
Bedding Sand To Order
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This paver sand calculator covers the two sands in a paved area: the bedding sand under the pavers and the joint sand between them. For the layer below, use the Paver Base Calculator.
Bedding sand is a simple area times depth. Joint sand depends on the gaps around each paver.
L, W and J are the paver length, paver width and joint width. The density is 1.5 t/m³, the figure the Nuway retail price list uses for paver sand. The 1.5 in the last formula is an allowance we chose, because sweeping loses sand and paver edges are often bevelled. With it, the method gives about 3.9 m² per 20 kg bag for brick pavers and 12 m² for 400 mm pavers, close to the Cement Australia Jointfill data sheet at 3.5 m² and 12 m².
The 10% waste is a planning choice. It allows for uneven bases and sand lost on site. Thin pavers and deep bevels can change the joint figure, so check your bag.
Most Australian guides sit between 20 and 30 mm.
| Source | Bedding Sand Depth |
|---|---|
| Bunnings | 20 to 30 mm |
| Adbri Masonry guide | Minimum 25 mm |
| Austral paver guide | 30 mm rate of cover |
| Wyong Shire specification | 20 to 30 mm after final compaction |
| Main Roads WA specification | 30 mm screeded |
The two government documents are for public works, so treat them as a guide for a home job. Sand is there to bed the pavers, not to fix a poor base. Fix any low spots in the base first. Your paver supplier's guide comes first if it differs. Pavements are designed under AS 3727.1, and pavers are supplied under AS/NZS 4455.2.
| Sand | Used For | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Washed coarse sand | Most common bedding | Adbri |
| Washed river sand | Bedding | Austral |
| Fine joint-filling sand | Sweeping into joints | Adbri |
| Setting joint sand | Joints up to 3 mm | Cement Australia |
For public works, Main Roads WA asks for bedding sand with all of it passing a 4.75 mm sieve, and at most 5% passing 0.075 mm. That keeps out large stones and too much fine clay. It also asks for a steady moisture of 4 to 8%. Joint sand goes the other way, because it is finer, and it must be dry so it flows into the gaps.
The chart uses 1.5 t/m³, and has no waste added.
| Depth | Per m² | Weight Per m² | 20 kg Bags Per m² | 1 m³ Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 mm | 0.020 m³ | 30 kg | 1.5 | 50 m² |
| 25 mm | 0.025 m³ | 37.5 kg | 1.9 | 40 m² |
| 30 mm | 0.030 m³ | 45 kg | 2.3 | 33 m² |
| 40 mm | 0.040 m³ | 60 kg | 3.0 | 25 m² |
Austral gives a simpler rule, saying 1 m³ of washed river sand covers 30 m² at 30 mm. Our 33 m² is before waste, and 30 m² is close to the figure with 10% added.
Joint sand locks pavers together, so it needs to fill the joint. Austral suggests 2 to 3 mm joints for small pavers and 4 to 6 mm for large pavers. The Wyong Shire specification asks for 2 to 5 mm.
| Paver | Calculator Gives | Published Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 230 × 115 × 60 mm, 3 mm joint | 3.9 m² per 20 kg bag | 3.5 m², Cement Australia |
| 400 × 400 × 50 mm, 3 mm joint | 12.0 m² per 20 kg bag | 12 m², Cement Australia |
| Bagged paver sand, general | Depends on the paver | 8 m², Austral |
Cement Australia says Jointfill is not recommended for joints wider than 3 mm. For wider gaps, check a product made for them. Sweep sand in when the pavers and sand are dry. Austral says to re-spread sand after the first compactor pass, and top up after the last.
The calculator starts with 50 mm of road base, as Bunnings says, which gives 140 mm with a 60 mm paver and 30 mm of sand. That matches the Austral figure of 140 mm for pedestrian areas. Austral uses 190 mm for driveways, and recommends a concrete base under heavy loads. Adbri suggests about 150 mm. Soft soil may need more. Check with your supplier, and use the Paver Base Calculator.
Water needs somewhere to go. Austral says a fall of 25 mm per metre should be satisfactory. Slope the paving away from the house, and do not send water onto a neighbour's land. On a 6 m run, that is 150 mm of fall. Check it against your door and damp course levels, and with your council where needed.
Adbri says compaction plates are for pavers on sand only, not on mortar or adhesive. If your pavers are thin, large or going on concrete, follow your supplier's guide.
These listed prices are examples from single sellers, and they are not a national average.
| Product | Listed Price | Seller |
|---|---|---|
| Paver medium sand | A$139.90 per m³ | Nuway, March 2026 |
| Fine bedding sand | A$134.90 per m³ | Nuway, March 2026 |
| Pit wash sand | A$135.90 per m³ | Nuway, March 2026 |
| Paving sand, 20 kg bag | A$8.00 | Sydney Hardware, checked November 2026 |
Nuway does not say if its prices include GST, and delivery is extra. iSeekPlant listed fine washed sand at about A$119 per m³ in 2022, so prices have moved. Bags cost much more per m³, since 75 of the 20 kg size make about 1 m³. At the prices above, that is A$600 in bags against about A$140 in bulk, before delivery.
The area is 24 m². At 30 mm, the bedding sand is 0.72 m³, or 0.79 m³ with 10% waste. That is 1.19 tonnes, which is 60 of the 20 kg bags, or 1 m³ in bulk. With 230 × 115 × 60 mm pavers and a 3 mm joint, the joint sand comes to 7 bags. You need about 917 pavers with 5% extra. Dig about 140 mm, which removes 3.36 m³ of soil. The fall along 6 m is 150 mm.
At 25 mm, the bedding sand is 0.50 m³, or 0.55 m³ with waste. That is 0.83 tonnes, or 42 bags. With a 400 × 400 × 50 mm paver and a 3 mm joint, joint sand comes to 2 bags, and you need about 130 pavers.
The area is 14.4 m². At 25 mm with a 2 mm joint, the bedding sand is 0.40 m³ with waste, or 30 bags. Joint sand is 3 bags, and you need about 558 brick pavers.
At 30 mm, the bedding sand is 0.99 m³ with waste. At A$139.90 per m³, that is A$138.50 before delivery. With a 5 mm joint, joint sand is 4 bags. This joint is wider than the 3 mm limit on Jointfill, so choose a product made for wider gaps.
Multiply the area by the sand depth. A 24 m² area at 30 mm takes 0.72 m³, or 0.79 m³ with 10% waste. That is about 1.19 tonnes at 1.5 t/m³.
Most Australian guides sit around 20 to 30 mm. Bunnings says 20 to 30 mm, Adbri says at least 25 mm, and Austral uses 30 mm. Check your paver supplier.
Austral says 1 m³ of washed river sand covers 30 m² at 30 mm. At 20 mm, it covers 50 m², and at 25 mm it covers 40 m².
At 30 mm and 1.5 t/m³, you need about 45 kg per m², or a little over 2 of the 20 kg bags. For larger areas, bulk sand is usually easier.
Adbri says washed coarse sand is the most common bedding, and Austral uses washed river sand. Do not use the fine joint sand as bedding unless your supplier says so.
Fine, dry jointing sand, swept into the joints. Adbri calls it joint-filling sand. Some products set hard, such as Cement Australia Jointfill.
It depends on the paver. Cement Australia Jointfill lists about 3.5 m² per 20 kg bag for brick pavers and about 12 m² for 400 mm pavers, at a 3 mm joint. Austral says one bag covers 8 m².
Austral suggests 2 to 3 mm for small pavers and 4 to 6 mm for large pavers. A Central Coast council specification asks for 2 to 5 mm. Follow your paver supplier.
Usually no. A council specification has the bedding spread in a single layer and screeded loose, then compacted with the pavers. Follow your paver supplier.
Add the paver, sand and base. Austral says 140 mm for pedestrian areas and 190 mm for driveways, while Adbri suggests about 150 mm. Check your base with our Paver Base Calculator.
Austral says a fall of 25 mm per metre should be satisfactory. Slope it away from the house, and keep it clear of your neighbour's land.
Often, yes. Follow your paver supplier. Thin pavers on concrete may need mortar or adhesive, and Adbri says those beds need expansion joints.
Figures reviewed November 2026. Sources: Bunnings, Adbri Masonry, Austral, Cement Australia, Wyong Shire Council, Main Roads WA, Nuway, Sydney Hardware and iSeekPlant, linked in the sections above. Results are planning estimates. Follow your paver supplier, plans and council rules. See our Disclaimer and Calculator Methodology.