Free tool for pressure washing and sealing crews
Paver and concrete sealer calculator
How many gallons of paver or concrete sealer does the job need? Add each surface, enter the coverage from the product label, and see how many pails to buy, what the sealer costs and what that comes to per square foot.
Surfaces
Enter length and width in feet, or type the square footage straight in.
Sealer
Most paver and concrete sealer labels list 100 to 300 sq ft per gallon. Porous pavers, old concrete and the first coat soak up more, so use the low end of the label’s range there. Some labels quote one coat, others the finished job; check which before you buy.
How it works
Gallons per coat = square feet ÷ the label’s coverage. Multiply by the number of coats (unless the label’s figure already covers the whole job), add the extra for waste, then round up to the containers you’ll actually buy.
This is an estimate to plan a purchase. The manufacturer’s label and your own experience with a surface always win.
How much does 5 gallons of sealer cover?
Multiply the label’s coverage by 5. A label that says 150 sq ft per gallon per coat covers about 750 sq ft with one coat from a 5-gallon pail, or about 375 sq ft with two coats.
| Label coverage (sq ft per gallon, per coat) | 5 gallons, 1 coat | 5 gallons, 2 coats |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 500 sq ft | 250 sq ft |
| 150 | 750 sq ft | 375 sq ft |
| 200 | 1,000 sq ft | 500 sq ft |
| 250 | 1,250 sq ft | 625 sq ft |
| 300 | 1,500 sq ft | 750 sq ft |
Before any extra for waste and soak-in. If the label’s figure is for the finished job rather than each coat, use the 1-coat column as your total.
What does the sealer cost for a paver sealing job?
Sealer cost per square foot = price per gallon × coats ÷ the label’s coverage. Worked example: a $189 pail is $37.80 a gallon. At 150 sq ft per gallon with two coats, that is $37.80 × 2 ÷ 150 = about $0.50 per sq ft, or about $0.55 with 10% extra for waste. A 600 sq ft paver patio then uses about $330 of sealer: you would buy two pails for $378 and keep about 1.2 gallons for touch-ups.
That is the sealer only. Cleaning, joint sand, labor, travel and your margin go on top when you price the job. Put your own pail price into the calculator above and it shows the cost per square foot for you.
Paver and concrete sealer questions
Why do pavers use more sealer than concrete?
Porous pavers, travertine and old, weathered concrete soak up more sealer, especially on the first coat, so they reach the low end of the label’s coverage range. Dense, newer concrete usually gets closer to the high end. When in doubt, plan with the low end and keep the leftover for touch-ups.
How many coats does a sealing job need?
Follow the product label. Many call for two coats, and some are applied as a second coat while the first is still wet. The calculator above lets you choose one, two or three.
Is the coverage on the label per coat or for the whole job?
It depends on the product. Some labels give coverage for one coat, others for the finished job with all coats applied. Read the label closely, then set the “The label’s coverage is for” option to match, or the gallons will come out double or half.
How much extra should I buy for waste?
The calculator starts at 10%. Raise it for very porous or rough surfaces, sprayers that overspray, or windy days; lower it for smooth, sealed-before surfaces.
Quoting sealing jobs every week?
CleanDesk is our pressure-washing app. It saves each property’s surfaces once and works the sealer out inside every estimate. Try it free for 30 days.