Concrete
Concrete Sidewalk Calculator
Calculate the concrete needed for a sidewalk or walkway. Standard is 4 inches thick.
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.
- Sub-base flatness — Uneven subgrade adds real yardage to a nominally 4-in walk.
- 4-inch minimum depth for residential; 6 inches for vehicular crossings.
- Cut control joints at 1/4 depth every 4–5 feet.
- Use fiber mesh or #3 rebar at 18 inches on center in high-load walks.
- Ordering to the exact geometric yardage and being short on the last panel.
- Skipping control joints and getting a random crack pattern.
- Pouring on frozen or saturated sub-grade.
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
- Standard sidewalk thickness: 4 inches; 6 inches at driveway crossings.
- Add wire mesh or fiber-reinforced concrete for durability.
- Isolation joints every 4–6 ft; expansion joints against buildings.
Frequently asked questions
Related calculators
Confirm ADA slope requirements and jurisdictional specs for public walkways.