How to Convert Square Footage to Yards of Concrete

In the United States, concrete is typically sold by the cubic yard. Since construction measurements are typically made in square footage, you will need to convert this two-dimensional measurement into a three-dimensional cubic measurement. You can then covert this three-dimensional cubic measurement to determine how many cubic yards of concrete you will need for your concrete project.

Instructions

1. Calculate the cubic footage of the area. Multiply the area in square feet of the space where you want to pour the concrete by the depth of the concrete slab. For example, if you have a 1,500 square foot patio and you want a 6-inch concrete slab, that's 1,500 x 0.5 = 750 cubic feet.

2. Calculate cubic yardage of concrete. Since there are 27 cubic feet in a yard, divide the cubic footage figure from Step 1 by 27. Continuing the same example, 750 / 27 = 27.78 cubic yards.

3. Round up to allow for minor miscalculations in your measurements and wastage. Multiply the cubic yardage figure from Step 2 by 10 percent and round up to the next whole number. Continuing with the same example, 27.78 x 1.1 = 30.59. Round this number up to 31. You should order 31 cubic yards of concrete.

References

• B4uBuild: Calculating A Concrete Order
• Construction Jargon: Concrete Calculator
• Tpub: Computing Concrete