Canada Concrete Calculator
Concrete Slabs
Concrete Walls
Concrete Stairs
Concrete Footings
Concrete Columns
Concrete Curbs
Amount of Concrete Bags Needed
| Number of 40lb Concrete Bag(s) | Number of 60lb Concrete Bag(s) | Number of 80lb Concrete Bag(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 bags | 0 bags | 0 bags |
About This Concrete Calculator
When working with concrete, it's important to be able to calculate the amount you need for your construction project. This concrete calculator will help you determine the volume of concrete you need in cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters. It also calculates the number of 40lb, 60lb, or 80lb bags of concrete needed, and an estimated cost for the concrete. You can calculate how much concrete you will need for concrete slabs, walls, stairs, footings, columns, and curbs.
To use this concrete calculator, simply enter the dimensions of what you need concrete for. As an example, you can select the concrete slabs option to calculate how much concrete that you will need for a rectangular concrete driveway. While this construction calculation tool will give you a good estimate of how much concrete to order, it is always best to overestimate slightly. A 5% buffer can account for any spillage, waste, or unexpected circumstances.
While this concrete calculator can be used to estimate your project and can be a starting point, if you have any questions about your specific project, be sure to consult with a professional before proceeding. With a little planning and some basic math, you can easily calculate how much concrete you need for your next project!
Concrete Calculations and Formulas
To calculate the amount of concrete you will need for your project, you will first need to determine the volume of concrete you will need. To do this, you will need to know the length, width, and depth of the area where the concrete will be placed. Once you have these measurements, you can use the following formulas to calculate the volume of concrete you will need.
Concrete Slab and Concrete Wall FormulaFor a rectangular area, such as for a concrete slab. Wall. or footing, the formula would be:
Volume of Concrete = Length x Width x Thickness
The thickness or depth of concrete will usually be less than the length and width. This means that the thickness might be measured in a different unit of measurement, such as inches or centimeters rather than in feet or meters. If there are different units of measurements, you will need to convert them to the same unit when calculating. For example, inches would be divided by 12 to turn it into feet. This can be seen through the following formula which calculates cubic feet of concrete:
Length (in feet) x Width (in feet) x [Thickness (in inches) / 12] = Cubic yards of concrete needed
Let’s say that you are planning to pour a 4-inch thick concrete slab that is 10 feet long and 10 feet wide. Using this formula, you would need approximately 33.33 cubic feet of concrete (20 ft x 10 ft x 4 in / 12 = 33.33 cubic feet).
The calculations for concrete stairs, curbs, and gutters would be similar. That’s because these objects are made up of rectangular shapes. To calculate the volume of them, split them up into individual rectangles. Find the volume of each, then add them up to get the total concrete volume. Some items can be built using other materials, so they need to be calculated using a different calculator. For example, it is best to use a stair calculator to build wooden stairs because they require a different technique to build them.
How Thick Should a Concrete Slab Be?
The typical thickness of concrete slabs would vary based on the usage of the slab. If it's being used as a driveway, it would need to have a thickness of 6 inches. Keep in mind that other factors such as the weight of vehicles that will be parked on the slab and the climate conditions in your area should also be taken into account when deciding on the thickness of the slab. In general, it is always better to err on the side of caution and go with a thicker slab.
Use cases that would have less load or wear and tear would not need to be as thick. If it was being used as a patio or as a residential floor, then a depth of 4 inches would be enough. Highways and major roads may be more than 12 inches thick.
Concrete columns can either be cylindrical or rectangular. If the column is rectangular, then you can use the formula for a concrete slab. Cylindrical concrete columns would use the following formula:
Volume of Concrete = π x r2 x Column Height
Where π is roughly equal to 3.14. If you know the diameter, then you can divide by two to get the radius.
Concrete Mixes
Once you have determined the amount of concrete you will need, you will need to calculate the ingredients for the concrete mix. The following are the standard proportions for a basic concrete mix:
- 1 part cement
- 2 parts sand
- 3 parts gravel
This is known as a 1-2-3 concrete mix. There are other concrete mixing ratios, such as 1-2-4 or 1-1-3. This will vary based on the compressive strength (psi) required. The more cement used, the stronger the concrete will be. A 1-1-2 mix would be stronger than a 1-2-4 mix. That's because the latter has 4 parts of gravel for every 1 part of cement.
Now that you know how much of each ingredient you will need, you can mix your own concrete by purchasing the individual ingredients or have it delivered pre-mixed.
Where to Buy Concrete in Canada
Once you know the scope and scale of your concrete project, what are the next steps? Where do you buy concrete in Canada? Well-known retailers such as The Home Depot and Lowe's would be a great place to start your search. However, there are also local concrete companies that can give you both customized product and pricing options. This may include concrete contractors, such as PJ11 Construction and A&A Masonry.
The Home DepotThe Home Depot sells a variety of concrete and cement mixes. This includes bagged ready-to-use concrete mix and bulk concrete mixes. As an example, The Home Depot currently prices 30 kg of concrete mix at $5.38. They also sell bags of multi-purpose sand and gravel for those looking to mix their own concrete. Pre-mixed concrete is often more expensive than mixing your own concrete using cement, sand, and gravel. Express delivery is also available for a fee.
Lowe’sLowe's also has a range of concrete mixes, such as 55 lbs of fast-setting concrete mix for $10.99 or 10 lbs of ready-to-use concrete mix for $3.99. Just like Home Depot, there are delivery options available for those looking to purchase concrete mixes from Lowe's.
RonaWhile Rona also carries multiple brands, Bomix is the one most prevalent. Bomix all-purpose concrete mix, quick curing mixes for posts, and even cement and sand mixes are available. As an example, the Bomix all-purpose mix was priced at $5.38 for a 30 kg bag.
Canadian TireCanadian Tire is another retailer for home improvement projects. Example prices include $8.79 for a 66 lbs bag of Quikrete or $4.79 for a 10 lbs bag.
Concrete Delivery
Dufferin Concrete Ontario
One of the most well-known concrete suppliers in Ontario is Dufferin Concrete. They service Toronto and the surrounding region, with concrete plants ranging from Peterborough to Niagara Falls to London, Ontario. The table below shows a list of sample prices published by Dufferin Concrete Ontario for 2022. The prices in your local area may vary from the concrete prices listed.
Dufferin Concrete Ontario 2022 Price List
| Concrete Mix Strength | Price |
|---|---|
| 10 MPa | $205/m3 |
| 15 MPa | $209/m3 |
| 15 MPa (Footings and Walls) | $215/m3 |
| 20 MPa | $217/m3 |
| 20 MPa (Footings and Walls) | $223/m3 |
| 25 MPa | $227/m3 |
| 25 MPa (Basement Floors) | $230/m3 |
| 30 MPa | $238/m3 |
| 35 MPa | $250/m3 |
| 40 MPa | $262/m3 |
| 45 MPa | $290/m3 |
| 50 MPa | $353/m3 |
Source: Dufferin Concrete Ontario 2022 Price List
Dufferin Concrete requires a minimum concrete mix order of three cubic meters. They also charge an additional fee for small concrete orders. Ordering between 3.25 cubic meters to 4 cubic meters of concrete would cost an additional $200. Meanwhile, a small concrete order between 4.25 and 5 cubic meters would cost an additional $125.
Other service charges include:
- Environmental fee: $5/m3
- Carbon tax and TOARC fee: $2.50/m3
- Returned concrete: $30/m3
- Delivery between 5 pm and 9 pm: $40/m3
- Delivery between 9 pm and 7 am: $70/m3
- Delivery on Saturdays: $20/m3
Intercounty Concrete
Based in Dunnville, Ontario, Intercounty Concrete delivers throughout Niagara and Haldimand. The table below shows published prices for 2021.
Intercounty Concrete Ontario 2021 Price List
| Concrete Mix Strength (Non-Air) | Price |
|---|---|
| 5 MPa | $188/m3 |
| 10 MPa | $192/m3 |
| 15 MPa | $203/m3 |
| 20 MPa | $205/m3 |
| 25 MPa | $210/m3 |
| 28 MPa | $214/m3 |
| 30 MPa | $217/m3 |
| 35 MPa | $231/m3 |
| 40 MPa | $245/m3 |
Source: Intercounty Concrete 2021 Price List