Calculating the right volume of concrete to order for your job can be tricky. Uneven ground surfaces, rough formwork, and losses when placing all affect the amount of concrete required. We recommend to all our customers to be a little conservative when estimating the amount of material required and order a little extra concrete: it is always better to have a little left over than to be a little short.
Here we’ve provided some calculators to help you estimate how much concrete to order for your job. (Note: all volumes are converted to cubic metres.) Of course, if you have any concerns about how much concrete to order, please contact us.
Most complex shapes that are poured from concrete, such as foundations, wall structures, piers, and the like, can be “assembled” from 4 basic geometric elements.
Examples
Estimating volume of a retaining wall
Retaining walls are a common application for ready mix concrete. To estimate the volume required, imagine the wall structure as an assembly of simple box and wedge elements, then calculate and sum up the volumes of the elements.
Estimating volume of a deck pier
Piers are another common application for ready mix concrete. To estimate the volume required, imagine the wall structure as an assembly of simple cone and cylinder elements, then sum up the volume of the elements, making sure to subtract any volumes that are "double-counted"
