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Close the outline and give one side in feet, or type length and width from the tape.
Flatwork takeoff
Know exactly how much concrete to order
Upload a photo, trace the area, get cubic yards in 60 seconds.
Get an estimate- Free forever
- No signup
- Estimates include 10% waste factor
The tool
Three steps. Then you call the plant.
- 01
Upload photo
A straight-down shot of the form. Or skip the photo and type what the tape said.
- 02
Trace the area
Tap the corners with a finger. Mark one side you already measured so the yards mean something.
- 03
Get your estimate
Cubic yards, 60 and 80 lb bags, and a material price with waste already in the number.
Measure your pour
Take or upload a straight-down photo to trace, or enter length and width with a tape.
Estimate only. A typed size or a photo trace can be off. Measure the job with a tape before you order a truck or buy bags. This is not a survey, a batch ticket, or a bid.
Nearby plants
Find local concrete yards
We ask for your location once, or you can type a US zip or city. Results come from OpenStreetMap when available, with Google Maps as a backup.
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Thickness
Waste factor
Yards = (sq ft × thickness in feet) ÷ 27, then waste. A 60 lb bag is 0.45 cu ft. An 80 lb bag is 0.60 cu ft.
Built for the pour, not the office
Photo measurement
Trace the form on the picture. Scale it off one edge you taped. No account, no drawing file.
Waste factor built in
Ten percent is the default. Drop it to 5 on a clean pad, or bump it to 15 when the base is ugly.
Works on the tailgate
Big type, big targets, high contrast. Meant for a phone in the sun, not a laptop in a trailer.
A number you can hand over
Copy it or print it before you call. Yards, bags, and what the dollar figure does not include.
Before the truck is scheduled
Straight answers
Last updated
How do I figure cubic yards of concrete?
Multiply length in feet by width in feet to get square feet. Multiply that by the thickness in inches divided by 12 to get cubic feet. Divide by 27 to get cubic yards. A 10 by 10 foot pad at 4 inches is 100 x 0.333 = 33.3 cubic feet, or about 1.23 yards before waste.
How accurate is a photo trace?
A straight-down photo with one taped edge will usually get a simple pad close enough to plan with, often within a few square feet if the whole form is in the frame and the camera is over the middle. An angled shot stretches the far side and will throw the number off. OrderYards does plane geometry, not a survey. Tape the form before the truck is scheduled, and round up if you are close to a load-size cutoff.
Why add 10% for waste?
Screeding, spills, a form that is a little wide, and a base that is not perfectly flat all use extra concrete. Ten percent is the usual allowance for flatwork. Use 5% on a tight pad you measured twice. Use 15% if the ground is soft or the shape has a lot of corners. Running short is worse than a little left over.
Should I order bags or a truck?
Under about one yard, like a stoop or a few post holes, bags usually win. A 60 lb bag makes about 0.45 cubic feet (about 60 bags per yard) and an 80 lb bag makes about 0.60 cubic feet (about 45 per yard). Past a yard or two, ready-mix is usually cheaper and much less work, if the truck can reach the form. Plants often add a short-load fee under 4 or 5 yards. See the cost guide.
What does the dollar amount include?
Concrete only, at the price per yard you type. The default of $150 is a rough 2026 residential number, not a quote. It does not include delivery, short-load or Saturday fees, a pump, color, fiber, rebar, mesh, forms, gravel, or labor. Those can add up to more than the concrete itself.
What thickness should I pour?
Sidewalks and patios: 4 inches on a compacted base. Car driveways: 4 to 5 inches, or 6 if a truck or RV parks there. Garage slabs: 4 inches in the middle, thicker at the edges where a wall sits. The thickness chart has the usual numbers. Outdoor flatwork is commonly 4,000 PSI, but confirm with the plant.
How much do plants round when I order?
Most plants sell in quarter-yard or half-yard steps, so the calculator suggests the next quarter yard up. If your number lands right on a step, consider adding a quarter yard anyway. A second truck for a small shortfall costs far more than a little extra.
How many bags of concrete do I need per post hole?
It depends on the hole and the post. A 10 inch hole that is 3 feet deep with 6 inches of gravel around a 4x4 takes a little over 3 bags of 50 lb fast-setting mix, or just under 2 bags of 80 lb mix. The post hole calculator does the math for your size.
How do I figure concrete for footings or sonotubes?
Wall footings are run x width x depth. Round tubes are 3.1416 x radius x radius x height. A 12 inch tube that is 4 feet tall holds about 3.14 cubic feet. The footing calculator handles wall footings, square pads, and round piers.
Do I need gravel under a concrete slab?
For most outdoor slabs, yes. About 4 inches of compacted crushed stone gives an even bed and helps drainage. Driveways and soft soils often get more. The gravel base calculator tells you how many tons to order.
How long before I can walk or drive on new concrete?
As a general guide, light foot traffic is often fine after about 24 to 48 hours, and cars after about 7 days. Heavy trucks should wait longer. Concrete keeps gaining strength for about 28 days. Cold weather slows all of this down, so ask your plant or finisher for your mix and conditions.
Is my information saved?
No account is needed and the calculators run in your browser. If you use photo Auto-trace or the plant search, some data is sent to outside services to make those features work. The privacy page explains exactly what.