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If you’re trying to figure out how many pedestals per paver you need for a rooftop patio, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions architects, contractors, and homeowners ask — and one of the most misunderstood. Most people think pedestal quantities can be calculated using simple square footage, but rooftop systems are more complex than that.
In reality, determining how many pedestals per paver depends on area, perimeter, paver size, layout pattern, and the shape of the patio. Square footage is only part of the equation, and relying on it alone can lead to dramatically incorrect pedestal counts.
This guide breaks down the complete logic behind how many pedestals per paver, why edge conditions matter far more than people realize, and how to calculate pedestal quantities accurately for any rooftop patio.
Skydeck usa offers a paver pedestal calculator on our website that can be used for ballpark quantities. This calculator assumes a 10% waste factor for pavers and 5% for pedestals. So, this can help point you in the right direction.
Why Square Footage Alone Is Not Enough
Most people assume you can determine how many pedestals per paver simply by multiplying area by a fixed number. Unfortunately, square footage only tells you how many pavers you need — not how many pedestals you need.
Two patios can both be 1,024 square feet and use the same size pavers, but the number of pedestals can differ by hundreds. Why? Because the pedestal layout depends heavily on how many edges, corners, and cut pieces the patio has. The more edges, the more pedestals.
This is why the question “how many pedestals per paver?” can never be answered with square footage alone.
How Pedestal Support Actually Works
To understand how many pedestals per paver, you must understand how pedestals distribute load.
- Interior pedestals support 4 pavers (one at each corner).
- Perimeter pedestals support 2 pavers.
- Corner pedestals support 1 paver. Depending on the shape of the cut, several pedestals may be needed.
- Cut pavers may require additional pedestals.
- Irregular edges increase pedestal quantity.
So the real question is not just how many pedestals per paver, but how many interior intersections vs. perimeter intersections your patio contains.
Why Perimeter Controls How Many Pedestals Per Paver
If you want to determine how many pedestals per paver, you must understand that perimeter drives pedestal density.
Let’s compare two 1,024 sq ft patios:
Perfect Square Patio (32′ x 32′ = 128 LF of perimeter)
- Lower perimeter length
- More interior pedestal intersections
- Fewer pedestals per paver
Long Narrow Corridor (1 paver wide × 512 pavers long = 1,028 LF of perimeter)
- Extremely high perimeter length
- Almost all pedestals sit on the edge
- A much higher count of pedestals per paver
Even though both patios are the same size, the corridor uses nearly 200 more pedestals.
This is why the “how many pedestals per paver” question always requires perimeter length as an input.
Square vs. Rectangular Pavers
Another major factor in determining how many pedestals per paver is paver size — especially when using rectangular tiles like 12″ x 24″.
Square pavers sit on a square grid, where every pedestal spacing is equal. But rectangular pavers change pedestal spacing:
- The long side determines grid spacing along one axis.
- The short side determines grid spacing along the other axis.
This means the question “how many pedestals per paver?” has a different answer depending on whether the paver is square or rectangular.
For example:
- A 24″×24″ tile uses a 24″×24″ grid.
- A 12″×24″ tile uses a 12″×24″ grid — doubling the pedestal density in one direction.
So even if your area stays the same, how many pedestals per paver changes dramatically with paver geometry.
*Pro Tip – Pedestals can only span 24″, so pavers that are larger than 24″ in any direction will require more pedestals as well.
Straight Bond vs. Running Bond Patterns
Your layout pattern also significantly affects how many pedestals per paver.
Straight Bond (Stack Pattern) vs. Running Bond (50% Stagger)
For example, a 10′ x 10′ patio with 24″ x 24″ pavers in straight bond will use 36 pedestals.
Using the same size pavers with a running bond would require 56 pedestals (56% more).
Rectangular Paver vs. Square Paver
A 10′ x 10′ patio with 12″ x 24″ pavers in straight bond would require 66 pedestals (83% more than straight bond with square pavers)
A running bond would need 112 pavers (over 300% more pedestals than compared to 24″ x 24″ pavers in straight bond).
**Pro Tip – great way to value engineer your rooftop patio project is to change the design from running bond to straight bond and make sure that you choose paver sizes. This will significantly decrease how many pedestals per paver you need.
How Irregular Patios (L-, C-, U-Shapes) Change the Math
Irregular patios create even more complexity around how many pedestals per paver.
A 1,024 sq ft patio can be:
- A square
- A long strip
- A C-shape
- A U-shape
- A patio with lots of jogs, planters, or obstructions
Each one has different edge conditions.
The more edges your patio has, the higher the pedestal count — and the more different your answer to “how many pedestals per paver?” becomes.
When you calculate the linear feet of perimeter, you need to include anywhere the pavers go around objects like planters, grills or pools as well.
This is why area-based estimating always fails for irregular shapes.
A Simple Rule-of-Thumb Formula
If you need a fast estimate for how many pedestals per paver, here’s the industry’s most reliable rule:
Pedestal Estimate = Total Area × 0.35
This works well because:
- A simple square patio might use 0.30–0.33 pedestals per sq ft
- A chopped-up or narrow patio might use 0.40–0.55 pedestals per sq ft
So multiplying area × 0.35 provides a safe middle estimate when someone wants a ballpark answer to how many pedestals per paver before requesting a formal takeoff. But, don’t use this quantity for estimates where
You can also use our paver pedestal calculator tool to help give you a ballpark estimate
When to Request a Full Takeoff?
There are typically two stages of takeoffs for most projects –
- First bid stage when we only have drawings to rely on. If you are bidding a project and there’s no building there for you to take measurements, send us the full set of architectural and landscape drawings. We can put together a highly accurate quote based on architectural drawings alone.
- The most important quote will be the final one. Once the roofing membrane has been installed, you will need to go out to the roof area and take measurements. Our team can provide instructions on what measurements we need. Once you send us the measurements, we will update the quote and provide a detailed shop drawing that acts as a map for the installation team.
Pro Tip – Architectural drawings are rarely (or never) enough to ensure accurate pedestal quantities and heights. So, do not skip the final step of taking measurements and getting an updated shop drawing!
Final Guidance on How Many Pedestals per Paver
Here’s the simplest way to think about pedestal quantities:
✔️ Square footage tells you how many pavers you need
✔️ Perimeter helps get you closer to how many pedestals you need
✔️ Paver size + bond pattern tells you how the grid behaves
✔️ Shape and cutouts shift pedestals toward the edges
✔️ More edges = more pedestals
✔️ Quick estimate = area × 0.35
If you want precise counts, SkyDeck USA can generate:
- Shop Drawings with full pedestal paver layouts
- Cut paver support plans
- Pedestal height maps (if you provide measurements based on their instructions)
- Accessory quantities
- SkyHeights bracing requirements
- An accurate estimate including freight and tax
Just send us your drawings — we’ll handle the rest.
FAQs about how many pedestals per paver
Q: Do all rooftop pavers require 4 pedestals?
A: Generally, yes. Pedestals can span 24″. So, if your paver is 24″ or less on both sides, you will only need 4 pedestals. Larger pavers will require more.
Q: Can I calculate pedestal quantity using only square footage?
A: No. Square footage alone cannot determine pedestal quantity. You also need the linear feet of perimeter, because perimeter pedestals support fewer pavers (1–2 instead of 4). Even with both of these, you will want your paver pedestal supplier to provide a detailed shop drawing and materials estimate if you need a highly accurate quote.
Q: Why do long or narrow patios require more pedestals?
A: Because they have more edge length per square foot, meaning more of the pedestals are perimeter pedestals—and perimeter pedestals only support one or two pavers instead of four.
Q: How does patio shape (L-shape, C-shape, odd-shape) affect pedestal counts?
A: Irregular shapes increase perimeter, which increases the number of pedestals. A chopped-up 1,024 sq ft patio can require 200+ more pedestals than a perfect square of the same size.
Q: How many pedestals do I need for rectangular pavers like 12″ x 24″?
A: Rectangular pavers increase the quantity of pedestals since there will be twice as many pedestals in one direction as the other. Since most architects use a running bond pattern with rectangular pavers, this increases the pedestal count in both directions. A running bond pattern with rectangular pavers can increase the pedestal count by 60%.
Q: Do running bond (staggered) patterns require more pedestals?
Yes. Running bond shifts joints every row, increasing the number of pedestal intersections. You can expect to add up to 60% more pedestals for square pavers in a running bond and over 300% more pedestals for rectangular pavers in a running bond as compared to square pavers in a straight bond.
Click here to check out our pedestal offerings or access CAD and BIM models, and specifications.
