How to calculate the volume and mass of ready-mix concrete

With a few basic measuring tools and a calculator or our online tool, it's easy to calculate the volume and mass of concrete you need for your project.

In general, for concrete, volume refers to how much space it can fill when poured, and is usually measured in cubic meters (m3), and mass refers to how much the concrete weighs in kilograms (kg).

To get started with your volume estimate, first measure or estimate the length, width, and depth of your application. If your padding area is a rounded triangular, you also need to estimate the corresponding radius and angles.

Then apply these formulas or use our automated tool to calculate the volume.

Formulas

Volume of a square or rectangle: height * width * depth
Volume of a triangular prism: base * height * 0.5
Volume of a cylinder: pi*(r^2)*height

The mass or weight of concrete can be calculated as volume * density

Finally, you should add a factor of safety corresponding to the confidence interval of your estimate (typically 2-3%), so that you are sure you have enough material for your application.

Settings

As a general rule, the approximate density of normal concrete is 2300 kg/m3 and the density of lightweight concrete is 1750 kg/m3. However, the precise density of any given concrete depends on its unique ingredients, so if you need an exact mass calculation, you must explicitly obtain this value from the concrete manufacturer.

We are here to help

We are experts in ready-mix concrete in Mexico City. If you have any questions or need help with these calculations, we'd be happy to help. Just call, email, or start a live chat session to connect with an expert.