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Concrete Calculator

Enter your slab length, width and depth to get the concrete volume in cubic yards or cubic metres - plus how many 40/60/80 lb or 20/25 kg bags to buy. Works in feet/inches or metres/millimetres.

Pour sections

01. Sections & shapes

02. Mix & wastage

Calculated requirement
0.91cubic yards

Net volume

23.3 cu ft

Guide & worked example

How this calculator works

Concrete is sold by volume, so the calculator multiplies the three dimensions of your pour, then adds a wastage allowance:

volume = length × width × thickness × wastage

It then divides that volume by the yield of one bag (the figure printed on the bag) to give the number of bags - or leaves it as a cubic-yard or cubic-metre figure to order as ready-mix.

Worked example

This example follows the unit system you pick in the calculator above.

A 10 ft × 7 ft slab, 4 inches thick, with 5% wastage:

  1. Volume: 10 × 7 × (4 ÷ 12) = 23.3 cu ft ≈ 0.86 cubic yards.
  2. Add 5%: 0.86 × 1.05 ≈ 0.91 cubic yards to order.
  3. From 80 lb bags (≈ 0.6 cu ft each): 24.5 ÷ 0.6 ≈ 41 bags - clearly a ready-mix job.

Bag yields at a glance

This table follows the unit system you pick in the calculator above.

BagYieldBags per cubic yard
40 lb0.30 cu ft~90
60 lb0.45 cu ft~60
80 lb0.60 cu ft~45

Tips for an accurate order

  • Measure the form, not the ground - the slab is only as deep as your formwork allows.
  • For footings and trench fill, allow 10% over-dig: trenches are rarely cut to an exact width.
  • Order ready-mix slightly generous; a barrow-load short means a visible cold joint.
  • For circular pads or posts, work out the area separately (π × radius²) and enter it as length × width that gives the same area.

Frequently asked questions

01

How much concrete do I need for a 10x10 slab?

A 10ft × 10ft slab at 4 inches thick is about 1.23 cubic yards (0.95 m³) of concrete before wastage. That is roughly 56 × 80 lb bags, or far easier to order as ready-mix at that size. Enter your exact dimensions and thickness above for the precise figure.

02

How many bags of concrete make a cubic yard?

A cubic yard is about 45 × 80 lb bags, 60 × 60 lb bags, or 90 × 40 lb bags, because an 80 lb bag yields roughly 0.6 cubic feet and there are 27 cubic feet in a yard. In metric, a cubic metre is about 108 × 20 kg bags. Once you are past about half a cubic yard, ready-mix is usually cheaper and faster than bags.

03

How thick should a concrete slab be?

Four inches (100 mm) is standard for patios, shed bases and footpaths. Use 5–6 inches (125–150 mm) for driveways and anything carrying vehicles, over a compacted sub-base. Footings are deeper still. Set your thickness in the calculator to match the job.

04

How much extra concrete should I order for wastage?

Add 5% for a clean formed slab and 10% for footings or an uneven sub-base where concrete slumps into dips and over-dig. Running short mid-pour means a cold joint, so it is always better to round up - the calculator does this for you.

05

Should I use bags or ready-mix concrete?

Bags suit small jobs up to roughly half a cubic yard - posts, small pads, repairs - where mixing by hand or in a small mixer is manageable. For larger slabs and driveways, ordering ready-mix by the cubic yard or metre is cheaper, faster and gives a more consistent mix. Switch the supply option above to compare.

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