Concrete Wall Calculator

This concrete wall calculator estimates how much material you need to build a full-size or retaining wall. Use the desired length, height and thickness to calculate your concrete wall’s volume. Then, convert this number to cubic yards to figure out how much concrete to buy. This also helps you estimate the cost of your materials.

On This Page

1. Measurements Needed
2. Concrete Wall Calculations
   1. Conversion to Cubic Yards
3. Tips
4. FAQs

Measurements

When calculating materials for a concrete wall, start by figuring out the desired volume. The measurements to take are:

• Wall Height
• Wall Length
• Wall Thickness

Concrete Wall Calculations

With that information, use the following formula to calculate the volume of your wall in feet and inches:

Wall Volume = height x length x thickness

This is the calculation for a wall that is 4 feet tall, 60 feet long and 6 inches thick:

Wall Volume = 48 in. x 720 in. x 8 in. = 276,480 cubic inches.

Conversion to Cubic Yards

Since concrete sells by the cubic yard, you need to divide your wall’s volume in inches by 46,656. This tells you how many cubic yards of concrete you need for your wall.

For a wall with a total volume of 276,480 inches you need at least 5.9 cubic yards of concrete.

Knowing how much material you need helps you keep the project within budget. Concrete wall installation costs range between $2,900 and $10,500.

Tips

Calculations for your concrete wall vary for several reasons:

• Measurements are not exact
• Settlement may cause you to need more material
• Entrained air adds little bubbles that create a change in volume

As with all home improvement projects, you should add an extra 10% to the results of your concrete wall calculator. Rounding is also helpful when purchasing material, because concrete comes in half-yard increments.

Once you know the cost of your raw materials, hire a concrete contractor to carry out the construction of your wall. A poured concrete wall contractor near you helps ensure the success of your project and makes the most of your investment.

FAQs

Should I buy ready-mix concrete by the yard or use bags?

Ready-mix concrete by the yard is best suited for larger jobs like walls. This saves you the effort of hand mixing concrete bag after bag.

How thick does a concrete wall need to be?

A good thickness for poured concrete walls under 8 feet tall is 8 inches. For taller walls, recommended thickness is 10 inches.

What is better, poured concrete walls or block walls?

Poured concrete walls are stronger than cinder blocks. They offer better lateral strength and resist more pressure. Because poured walls don’t have joints like block walls, they are easier to waterproof.

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