Photo from: Forbes Advisor

Cement is a fast-setting and hardening binding material. It is created by combining lime or limestone with sand, clay, and other ingredients.

Among all the types of Cement, Concrete is one of the most common materials used globally in construction. Fine and coarse aggregate are bound together in a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens over time. The aggregates are typically sand and gravel (or crushed stone), while the paste is composed of water and Portland cement. The cement and water harden and bind the aggregates into a rock-like mass through a process known as hydration. After 28 days, concrete has reached approximately 99 percent of its maximum compressive strength. This hardening process, however, can last for years, resulting in stronger concrete over time.

How do we calculate concrete?

You may have been in a similar situation where you decided to build your own house, terrace, or fence. You go to a store, buy X bags of concrete, and get to work immediately, pleased with yourself. You realize somewhere in the middle that you only have one bag left. Irritated, you return to the shop, purchase another concrete batch, return, resume work, and then... It is insufficient. Again. The day is already over, the shop is closed, your work is incomplete, and you must return to the shop the following day. Only this time, you buy a lot more, and by the end of the project, you're stuck with half of all these extra bags of concrete that you have no use for. You squandered time and money, and it is really frustrating. All of this could have been easily avoided if we had used our calculator. You'll never have to wonder again, "How much concrete do I need?"

Here's an example calculation:

Assume we have four concrete elements, each three feet long, three feet wide, and three feet tall. Now we multiply 4 times (3*3*3). Pre-mixed concrete is typically sold by the cubic yard, and this is the standard unit of measurement. Because construction elements are typically measured in feet, our calculator converts the volume to cubic yards - in our example, 4 cu yd (108 cubic feet).

Sometimes you'll know exactly how many slabs you need. Other times, you'll just know the area that needs to be paved - feel free to provide any of these values. In our example, we are paving 36 square feet.

After having the above measurements, we can now go to the essence of the matter.

  1. Check to see if the density of a specific producer's concrete is the same as the default value in our calculator (150 lb/cu ft). Feel free to modify it as necessary.
  2. The total weight of concrete required is now displayed.
  3. Check to see if the weight of a single bag of cement is the same as the default value (60 lb). If not, change it to the appropriate number once more.
  4. Be sure to account for spills and waste. Experienced contractors typically assume 5-10%.

Let's keep the default measures in our example. We require 4 cubic yards of cement, and our supplier sells it in 60-pound bags with a density of 150 pounds per cubic foot. The total amount of concrete required is 16,201.03 lb. Assuming a 5% loss due to waste and spillage - voila! 284 bags of concrete are required.

How would you know the cost of a Concrete Slab?

Once you've determined how much concrete you'll require (in bags) and how many slabs you'll need, simply enter the price of the bag to receive the concrete slab cost, the cost to pave your desired area, a cost per unit of volume, and the total cost of the material you require.

Reference: CEMEX - Ready-Mix Concrete Calculator - a handy calculator tool for check concrete cost in Philippines

  • concrete cost per meter m2
  • concrete cost per cubic meter m3
  • concrete cost per yard delivered
  • concrete cost per square foot

Shop at Buildeee

> Sahara Cement Waterproofing Compound (₱ 45)

> Eagle Cement Advance (₱210)

> Republic Cement (₱240)

> Chichibu White Portland Cement (₱45)

> Bagger Concrete Mixer (₱26,000)

> Cement Trowel (₱ 55)

> Union Ultra Strength Cement Series 50/40/ES

Planning to build a home? Buildeee Team will definitely help you with that. You can reach us through:

Viber/WeChat: 0917-109-3382

Facebook: www.facebook.com/buildeee/

Read more...

How much is the construction cost per sqm to build a house in the Philippines?