How to Estimate Concrete for a Driveway
Concrete has been one of the most popular driveway options for homes for the second half of the past century. This material is durable, long-lasting, and most commonly less expensive than other driveway types. The cost of the concrete used in a driveway varies depending mainly on the driveway's size. The task of estimating the concrete for a driveway may seem intimidating at first, but it can prove to be simple and successfully completed in just a couple of hours. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Landscape plans (building plan)
- Architect scale
- Calculator
- Pencil
- Paper
Instructions
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1
Find the scale factor of the landscaping plan (this is typically located near the sheet title), and flip your architect scale to the corresponding scale.
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2
Measure the length and width of the driveway to be paved (if the driveway is not a rectangular shape, break it up into smaller areas that are easier to calculate), and multiply the measurements to find the total area in square feet. Multiply this number by 12 to find the total area in square inches (this will make Step 3 easier).
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3
Multiply the product of your calculations from Step 2 by 4 (most driveways are poured at a depth of 4 inches) to find the total volume of the driveway in cubic inches.
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4
Divide the product of Step 3 by 12 to convert it back to cubic feet, and then divide by 27 to calculate the volume in cubic yards (the unit in which most concrete is available).
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5
Call your local concrete supplier to obtain the current price of concrete. Multiply your total concrete volume according to the unit price to find the total cost of concrete for your driveway.
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Tips & Warnings
Adding 10 percent to the calculated amount of concrete can account for any loss of material or miscalculations that can lead to a shortage of concrete.
