Concrete Pier / Sonotube Calculator
Concrete volume and premix bags for cylindrical form-tube piers — deck footings, post bases, fence terminals.
A single 12″ tube 4 ft deep swallows five 80 lb bags. Bell the bottom or sit the tube on a spread footing in frost country — straight piers heave. Always pour below local frost depth.
Formula
Concrete Pier / Sonotube Calculator is a free sonotube calculator for civil engineers, contractors and quantity surveyors — instant, accurate and 100% client-side, with the governing formula and reference shown next to the result so the number can be defended, not just quoted.
About Concrete Pier / Sonotube Calculator
Concrete volume and premix bags for cylindrical form-tube piers — deck footings, post bases, fence terminals. The calculation implements V = π(d/2)² × h × n × 1.05 (Sonoco/Quikrete tube fill charts; IRC R403). A single 12″ tube 4 ft deep swallows five 80 lb bags. Bell the bottom or sit the tube on a spread footing in frost country — straight piers heave. Always pour below local frost depth.
How to use Concrete Pier / Sonotube Calculator
- 1Enter Tube diameter in mm.
- 2Enter Pier depth/height in m.
- 3Enter Number of piers.
- 4Read Concrete (5% waste), 80 lb bags, 25 kg bags instantly — no submit button needed.
- 5Need US units? Flip the SI/Imperial toggle and every field converts.
Why use Concrete Pier / Sonotube Calculator?
- ✓Implements the standard formula — V = π(d/2)² × h × n × 1.05
- ✓Reference cited on-page: Sonoco/Quikrete tube fill charts; IRC R403
- ✓One-click SI ⇄ Imperial toggle — values convert in place, physics stays in SI
- ✓Live worked example: the substitution recomputes from your numbers
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser — nothing uploaded, free forever
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the Concrete Pier / Sonotube Calculator use?+
It computes V = π(d/2)² × h × n × 1.05, per Sonoco/Quikrete tube fill charts; IRC R403. The formula is displayed under the result along with a worked example substituted with your own inputs.
What should I keep in mind when using this calculator?+
A single 12″ tube 4 ft deep swallows five 80 lb bags. Bell the bottom or sit the tube on a spread footing in frost country — straight piers heave. Always pour below local frost depth.
Does it include wastage?+
Yes — standard wastage/bulking factors are built in and stated in the formula line, so the quantity is an orderable number, not a bare geometric volume.
Is the Concrete Pier / Sonotube Calculator free to use?+
Yes — completely free, no sign-up, no limits. It runs client-side in your browser, so inputs stay private and results are instant even on slow connections.
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