Estimating Concrete Construction

and Material Cost

Concrete weights and measures.

A. One sack of cement = 94 pounds or one cubic
foot
B. One gallon of water = 8.3 pound
C. 7.5 gallons of water = 1 cubic foot
D. One cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
E. One cubic foot of sand weighs about 100
pounds
F. One cubic foot of gravel weighs about 100
pounds

Estimating concrete for a job.

A.

The unit of measure for concrete is the cubic yard, which

contains 27 cubic feet.
B. To determine the needed amount of concrete, find the
volume in cubic feet of the area to be concreted and divide
this figure by 27.
C. Formula for determining the amount of concrete needed for
any square or rectangle area:
Cubic yards of concrete =

Width in feet x length in feet x thickness in feet

27

Estimating concrete for a job.

Example: a 4" thick floor for a 30 x 60 ft. building
would require:
30' x 60' x 1/3' = 600 cu. ft. = 22.22 cu. yards

27 cu. ft.
27 cu. ft.

Estimating concrete for a job.

D. The determined amount of concrete
must allow for waste or slight
variation in concrete thickness. An
additional five to 10 percent will be
needed to cover waste and other
unforseen facts.

Estimating concrete for a job.

E.

Fuller method:

It takes 42 parts of materials to make 27 parts of cement.

$
Volume = 200 cu. ft.
$
Cu. ft. of raw materials needed 42/27 ( 200 cu ft.) = 311 cu. ft.
$
Cu. ft. of raw materials per batch: 1+2 2 +4 = 7 2 cu. ft.
$
Number of batches = 311 cu. ft. = 41.467
7 2 cu. ft.
$
Sacks of cement = 1 (41.467) = 41.467 or 42 sacks
$
Cu. ft. of fine aggregate (41.467) (2 2) = 103.66 or 104 cu. ft.
$
Cu. ft. of coarse aggregate (41.467) (4) = 165.86 or 166 cu. ft.
$
Water to add per batch 7-5/8 = 6 3/8 gals.

Estimating concrete for a job.

F.

Absolute volume method.

$
Formula:
Absolute Volume = Weight of loose materials

Specific gravity x unit wt. of water

$
Cement:
Absolute Volume = 1 cu. ft. x 94 lbs./cu. ft. = 94 = 0.478 cu.ft.
3.15 x 62.4
196.56
$
Fine Aggregate:
Absolute Volume = 2 2 cu. ft. x 100#/cu. ft. = 250 = 1.540 cu.ft.
2.6 x 62.4 162.24

Estimating concrete for a job.

F.

Absolute volume method.

$
Coarse aggregate:
Absolute Volume = 4 cu. ft. x 100#/cu. ft. = 400 = 2.480 cu.ft.

2.65 x 62.4
165.3
$
Water:
Absolute Volume= 7/7 2 x 62.4 = 7/7 2 = 0.933 cu. ft.

1 x 62.4

Estimating concrete for a job.

F.

Absolute volume method.

Total volume of concrete per sack cement = 5.431 cu. ft.

Cement = 1 (200/5.43) = 36.8 or 37 sacks
Fine aggregate = 2 2 (200/5.43) = 92.1 or 93 cu. ft.
Coarse aggregate = 4 (200/5.43) = 147.2 or 148 cu. ft.
Water to add = 7-5/8=6 3/8 gallons per batch

$
$
$
$

Estimating concrete for a job.

Changing the thickness in inches to fractions and decimal parts of a

foot. For calculating quantities of concrete use the following table.
Inches
Fractional Part of Foot
Decimal Part of Foot
4
4 2 or 1/3
.33
5
5/12
.42
6
6/12 or 2
.50
7
7/12
.58
8
8 12 or 2/3
.67
10
10/12 or 5/6
.83
12
1
1.00

CONCRETE WEIGHTS AND

MEASURES

1 Sack of Cement

=
=

94 pounds
1 Cubic Foot

1 Gallon of Water

8.3 pounds

7.5 Gallons of Water

1 Cubic Foot

1 Cubic Yard

27 Cubic Feet

1 Cubic Foot of Sand Weighs About 100 Pounds

PROBLEM:
How many square feet will a cubic yard of concrete
cover if it is placed 4 inches thick?

There are 27 Cubic Feet in 1 Cubic Yard

Each Cubic Foot May Be Divided Into
Three Volumes 4 Inches Deep and 1
Foot Square

THE CONCRETE MIX

YIELDS OF CONCRETE
1.

Rule of Thumb:
Yield Equals 60 Percent of Volume

2.

Absolute Volume

Cement

47% Solids

Sand

60% Solids

Gravel

55% Solids

Water

100% Solids

WHAT WILL A 1 : 2 : 3 - 6 GALLON MIX YIELD?

-ABSOLUTE VOLUME

FT3 X % SOLIDS = FT3

Cement
______
Sand
______
Gravel
______
Water
______
TOTAL YIELD (FT3)

______

(YARD3)

______

MIXES
YARD3

______

47
60
55
100

______
______
______
______

HOW MANY BAGS OF CEMENT ARE NEEDED TO

MIX 1 CUBIC YARD OF CONCRETE USING A 1 : 2 : 3
- 6 GALLON MIX?
(Rule of thumb)

Yield
=_______
YD3 = FT3/MIX

27 FT3/YARD3

1 CUBIC YARD = _______1 BAG MIXES

YARD3/MIX

USE________BAGS OF CEMENT

WHAT WILL A 1 : 2 : 3 - 6 GAL. MIX

YIELD?
FT3

Cement
Sand
Gravel
Water
Total
x 60%

________
________
________
________
________ FT3
________ FT3

Yard3
Mix

________

Mixes
Yard3

________

CALCULATED BY THE RULE OF THUMB