Concrete
Concrete Footing Calculator
Calculate concrete needed for footings by length, width, and depth.
Inputs
Live estimate
Material needed
6.17 cu yd
- Area
- 500 sq ft
- Cubic feet
- 166.67
- Cubic yards
- 6.17
- Estimated tons
- 12.35 tons
- Estimated truckloads
- 0.62
- 80 lb bags
- 278
You will likely need
- •6.17 cu yd — material needed
- •Schedule 1 truck load
- •Approximate delivered weight: 12.35 tons
- •278 bags
Diagram
Live estimate
- Mathematical quantity
- 6.2 cu yd
- Placement contingency
- +5% → 6.5 cu yd
- Field conditions
- Not applied
- Adjusted requirement
- 6.5 cu yd
- Ordering rule
- Round up to nearest 0.5 cu yd
- Suggested order
- 6.5 cu yd
Small over-excavation, form deflection, and pump / handling loss during placement.
What you actually need in the field, before rounding to a supplier-friendly ordering unit.
Estimator confidence
HighSmall over-excavation, form deflection, and pump / handling loss during placement.
Improve confidence: Increase for pumped placements or complex forms.
Why this behavior applies: Concrete is a rigid, formed material. The only real adjustment is placement contingency — form deflection, small over-excavation, and pump / bucket loss.
- Over-excavation of the trench — Wider or deeper trenches than nominal add real volume.
- Soil sloughing — Loose soil falling into the trench displaces additional concrete.
- Confirm minimum footing depth for your frost line — code varies by county.
- Two-inch rebar cover from the earth is standard; place chairs before the pour.
- For stepped footings, pour the low sections first and step up in even lifts.
- Ordering the exact geometric yardage and running short at the last footing.
- Skipping compacted subgrade under the footing.
- Placing rebar directly on soil with no cover.
Smart tips
- Ordering 5–10% extra is standard on irregular layouts. Running short costs more than the excess.
How it's calculated
Area is derived from your shape inputs and converted to sq ft.
Depth is converted to feet; cubic feet = area × depth.
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27, then × (1 + waste %) × (1 + compaction %).
Estimated tons = cubic yards (with waste) × 2.
Truckloads = cubic yards (with waste) ÷ truck capacity.
Total cost = cubic yards (with waste) × price per cubic yard + delivery.
Material assumptions
- Concrete density: 2.0 tons per cubic yard.
- Footing depth must extend below the local frost line.
- Include a 10% waste factor for spillage and over-excavation.
Frequently asked questions
Related calculators
Related articles
Deeper guidance from the Learn library — sizing, depth, waste, and ordering for this material.
- How Much Concrete Do I Need?Concrete estimating comes down to volume, waste, and delivery format. Here's the math and the decision rule between bags and ready-mix.
- How to Estimate Concrete for a SlabCubic yards = area × thickness ÷ 27. Add 10% waste. Over ~1 cubic yard, switch from bags to ready-mix.
These results are estimates only. Confirm quantities, compaction, waste, and delivery requirements with your supplier or project professional before ordering materials.