A Quick Guide to Calculating Concrete Quantity for Any Project
It is the most common question among construction workers how much amount of concrete that are needed to complete a project as concrete is one of the essential materials which is needed for pouring a patio, laying on the concrete slabs, and setting the fence post. The right measurement of the concrete is necessary for saving money and time for any construction project.
Concrete, the essential material in the construction project
Factors that are required before measuring concrete quantity
Requirements of the project
The specific requirements including the structure types or desire to finish the project need to be understood before calculating the concrete quantity.
Required quantity
The volume of concrete on the basis of the project dimensions including width, length, and depth of the poured area should be calculated.
Assurance of the quality
Cement and aggregate quality should be assured by verifying that these elements are meeting the industry standards.
Concrete mix
Appropriate cement mix should be designed on the basis of the durability of the concrete, environmental considerations, and strength requirements.
Placement conditions
The accessibility of the construction sites, weather conditions of the construction site, and logistical constraints should also need to be considered which influences the delivery and placement of the concrete.
Time and cost considerations
The construction team should deliver schedules to meet the deadlines of the project and ensure the timely completion of the project. In addition, the project team should have to compare the overall price to find out the competitive prices when ensure the reliability and quality of the concrete.
Here is the step-by-step guidance for measuring the amount of concrete that is required for any construction project.
Step 1: Measurement of the project area
First, the length of the project area, the width of the project area, and the depth of the area need to be measured. This measurement should be done for those areas in which concrete needs to be poured. The measurement should be done in feet and inches.
Step 2: Using basic calculation formula for concrete quantity measurement
After measuring the dimensions, the basic formula for calculating the concrete quantity should be applied. In this context, the volume of the concrete should be calculated in cubic feet.
The inches should be converted into feet by dividing by 12.
For example, Length of the area (feet) x Width of the project area (feet) x [Depth (inches) ÷ 12] = Total Volume (Cubic Feet)
For example, in a 10-foot by 8-foot patio which is 4 inches in depth, the volume of the concrete will be = 10 feet x 8 feet x (4 inches ÷ 12) = 26.66 cubic ft.
This result shows that the project team requires 26.66 cubic ft. of concrete for constructing a 10-foot by 8-foot patio.
Step 3: Converting Cubic Feet into Cubic Yards
In large projects, the concrete is ordered by cubic yards. So, After calculating the concrete quantity in feet, it is need to convert the cubic feet to cubic yards. The conversion of cubic feet to cubic yards can be done by dividing the amount of concrete in feet by 27.
For example,
26.66 cubic ft. ÷ 27 = 0.987 or 0.99 cubic yards
In this regard, the project team required almost about 1 cubic yard of concrete to make a 10-foot by 8-foot ratio.
Step 4: Considering some quantity of concrete for wastage and spillage
Ordering a little more extra concrete is a good idea as there is a huge chance of concrete spillage and wastage. This incidence of wastage and spillage can occur due to the presence of uneven grounds or errors in between the measurement of concrete volume. Most of the constructors recommend adding almost about 5% to 10% extra concrete while doing the construction project. This calculation for extra concrete helps to ensure that there is enough concrete during the construction project.
As an example, in the case of there is about 1 cubic yard of concrete is needed, the construction team should have to order 1.1 cubic yards to consider for wastage and spillage and be safe during the construction process.
Step 5: Use of a concrete calculator
In recent days, online concrete calculators have been available. It is the most easy and quick way to calculate the quantity of concrete for any kind of construction project. In this regard, the dimensions of the project areas including the length of the area, the width of the project area, and the depth of the area should be entered into the concrete calculator and that calculator will give the exact amount of concrete in cubic feet or cubic yards.
Concrete calculator
Some common use cases for calculating the amount of concrete
There are different types of construction projects which require different quantities of concrete. The requirement of the concrete depends on the depth, size, and types of concrete that are used in the construction project.
Amount of concrete needed for a Fence post
In a fencing project, the required amount of concrete depends upon the size of the fence post and also the depth of the fence post that will be buried in the ground. To measure the amount of concrete that is required for a fence post, several factors need to be followed which are:
A. The diameter of the fence post
B. The depth of the post
C. The total number of post that needs to be installed
This information needs to be put on the concrete calculator to determine the concrete quantity.
Amount of concrete for a Patio
For a patio, the concrete quantity depends on the shape and size of the patio. In this case, the length of the patio, the width of the patio, and the desired thickness of the patio should be required to determine the concrete’s quantity for constructing the patio.
To learn more, watch the following video tutorial.
Video Source: Metroun Quantity Surveying
Amount of concrete needed for concrete slab
The information about the length, width, and desired thickness of the slab will be placed in the concrete calculator to determine the required amount of concrete for a slab.
