Concrete volume calculator

Concrete is ordered by volume with a waste allowance, and short-ordering a pour is far more expensive than over-ordering. Enter the element dimensions and quantity to get the volume in every unit a supplier might quote, plus the bag count for small hand-mixed pours.

concrete volume calculator

Volume to order
3.78
Net volume
3.6 m³ (127.13 ft³)
Cubic yards
4.94yd³
25 kg bags (hand mix)
382 bags ≈ 9.07 t

Formula

volume = length × width × thickness × quantity × (1 + waste %)

Assumes 2400 kg/m³ for normal-weight concrete and roughly 0.95 m³ of set concrete per m³ of dry mix. Deduct large openings and column heads separately rather than averaging thickness.

Worked examples

InputResult
6 × 4 m slab at 150 mm3.6 m³ net, 3.78 m³ ordered at 5% waste
10 pad footings 1 × 1 × 0.6 m6.0 m³ net, 6.3 m³ ordered
300 × 300 mm column, 3 m tall0.27 m³ each

Questions

How much waste should I allow on a concrete order?

5% for a clean slab on a level formation, up to 10% for footings on uneven ground or pours with heavy reinforcement congestion. Confirm the supplier's minimum load and part-load charge before trimming the figure.

How many 25 kg bags make a cubic metre?

Roughly 100–110 bags of dry mix per cubic metre of placed concrete. Anything above about 0.5 m³ is cheaper and far more consistent as a ready-mix delivery.

Can I take this quantity from a Revit model?

Yes — schedule the structural element volume parameter rather than deriving it from dimensions, then add the waste allowance outside the model. Model volume is net and excludes formwork tolerance and spillage.

Related tools