Concrete columns and posts
Rectangular concrete column volume calculator
Estimate wet concrete for identical rectangular columns or posts by measured section, fill height and count.
Concrete columns and posts
Result
Volume for identical rectangular columns
Measure one rectangular cross-section and its fill height, then enter how many identical elements you will fill. This is a concrete quantity estimate, not a column design.
How to use it
- Enter both sides of the rectangular section, fill height and a whole count of identical columns or posts.
- Add your waste allowance; for a package count, enter the selected product's declared mixed-concrete yield.
Formula
Volume per element = section length × section width × fill height. Total base volume = volume per element × count. Required volume = total base volume × (1 + waste ÷ 100).
Example
A 0.3 m × 0.3 m rectangular section filled 2 m high uses 0.18 m³ per element. Four identical elements need 0.72 m³ with 0% waste. At 0.25 m³ yield per package, three packages provide 0.75 m³, leaving 0.03 m³.
What the estimate uses
- Every element has the same rectangular section and fill height; the count is a whole number.
Limits
- Round piles, holes, tapered shapes and concrete displaced by an installed post are not calculated.
- The result does not determine footings, reinforcement, load-bearing capacity or code compliance.
Column question
Does the calculator subtract the volume of a post inside a hole?
No. It treats the entered rectangular dimensions as the volume to fill. Displacement by a post and round hole geometry require a different calculation.