CCalcvers

Concrete Calculator

Volume and bags for a slab or footing.

Your details

m
m
cm
%

Extra to cover cuts, breakage and mistakes.

per m³

Optional — for ready-mix cost.

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Concrete required

1.32 m³

12 m² slab incl. 10% waste

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25 kg bags

106

If using pre-mix

Without waste

1.2 m³

Waste

10%

Concrete volume is simply length × width × thickness. The tricky part is units — thickness is usually given in centimetres or inches while the slab is in metres or feet, so it must be converted before multiplying. We add waste for spillage and uneven sub-base, then estimate pre-mix bags from a standard yield per bag.

Recommendations

  • For anything above roughly 1 m³ (about 1.3 yd³), ready-mix delivery is usually cheaper and easier than mixing bags by hand.
  • Order 5–10% extra — you can't pause a pour to fetch more, and a short load means a cold joint.
  • A compacted, level sub-base prevents thickness creep that quietly increases the volume you need.

Watch out

  • Bag yields vary by product and mix consistency — treat the bag count as an estimate and check the packaging.
  • Footings and reinforced slabs may need specific mixes and depths — follow your structural drawings or local code.

Pro tips

  • 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet ≈ 0.765 cubic metres — handy for cross-checking a supplier's quote.
  • For complex shapes, split into rectangles, compute each volume, and add them together.

Was this calculator useful?

Whether you're pouring a slab, path or footing, ordering the right amount of concrete matters — a short load can ruin a pour. This calculator gives you the volume and a bag estimate from three simple measurements.

Volume is length × width × thickness

The maths is basic multiplication, but the units trip people up: thickness is usually quoted in centimetres or inches while the area is in metres or feet. Everything must be in the same unit before multiplying — this calculator converts for you and returns the result in cubic metres or cubic yards.

Bags vs ready-mix

For small jobs, pre-mixed bags are convenient. But bags add up fast: a single cubic metre can need 80 or more 25 kg bags. Once you're past about a cubic metre, ordering ready-mix delivered by truck is usually cheaper, faster and gives a more consistent pour.

Frequently asked questions

Multiply length × width × thickness, keeping all three in the same unit. For a slab 4 m × 3 m × 0.1 m that's 1.2 m³. This calculator handles the unit conversions and adds a waste margin.

Divide the total volume by the yield per bag — roughly 0.0125 m³ for a 25 kg bag or 0.017 m³ (0.6 ft³) for an 80 lb bag. For larger pours, ready-mix is usually more economical.

About 5–10%. You can't top up a pour once it starts setting, and slight variations in sub-base level or slab thickness increase the real volume.

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