Concrete Wall Calculator
Estimate concrete for poured foundation, stem and retaining walls. Openings such as windows and doors are deducted, and the form contact area (both faces) is shown for formwork planning.
Concrete Wall Calculator — ConcreteNear.com
| Net wall face area | 320 ft² |
| Form contact area (both sides) | 640 ft² |
| Concrete volume (exact) | 7.9 yd³ |
| Cubic feet | 213.3 ft³ |
| 80-lb bags (if mixing by hand) | 384 |
| 60-lb bags | 512 |
| Ready-mix trucks (10 yd³ each) | 1 |
| Approximate weight in place | 15.5 tons |
⚠️ Walls over 4 ft (and any wall retaining soil) usually need an engineered design and a permit.
Cost estimate U.S. average prices
| Ready-mix concrete 8.75 yd³ × $160.00 | $1,400 |
| Estimated total | $1,400 |
- Tall walls are usually pumped. Place in lifts and vibrate to avoid honeycombing.
| Inputs | |
| Wall length (total) | 40 ft |
| Wall height | 8 ft |
| Wall thickness | 8 in |
| Openings to deduct (windows, doors) | 0 ft² |
| Extra for waste & over-excavation | 8% |
| Ready-mix truck size | 10 yd³ |
| Short-load minimum | 6 yd³ |
Planning estimate only — confirm with your supplier or contractor.
Prices used — edit any price to match your local quote
| Item | Unit price | Basis & source |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-mix concrete per yd³ | public source NRMCA Performance Benchmarking Survey — average 2023 U.S. selling price per cubic yard (2023 data) — Plant price before delivery, short-load, wait-time and fuel fees. Concrete Financial Insights reports $179.95/yd³ for 2025 across four public producers (likely higher than small residential pours). |
How to use this calculator
- Enter the total wall length (add all sides).
- Enter wall height and thickness — 8 in is common for basement walls.
- Add the area of windows, doors and blockouts.
- Plan for a pump on most walls — see the pump calculator.
Formulas
Wall ft³ = length × height × thickness (in) ÷ 12 − openings × thicknessForm contact area = 2 × length × heightOrder yd³ = ft³ ÷ 27 × (1 + waste %)
Questions
How many yards of concrete for a basement wall?
An 8 in wall 8 ft tall uses about 0.198 yd³ per linear foot — so a 150 ft perimeter is about 30 yd³ before waste.
Do I need a pump for a wall?
Usually. Chutes rarely reach full-height forms all the way around; a boom or line pump is the norm.
How much extra should I add?
3–5% for well-built forms; more if the forms might bow.
Sources & assumptions
Prices checked 2026-11-10. State pricing multiplies national figures by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (goods for materials, services for labor and services). RPPs compare general consumer price levels (U.S. = 100). They are not construction-specific; we use RPP Goods for materials and RPP Services: Other (excludes rents) for labor and services.
- Ready-mix concrete — NRMCA Performance Benchmarking Survey — average 2023 U.S. selling price per cubic yard (2023 data). Plant price before delivery, short-load, wait-time and fuel fees. Concrete Financial Insights reports $179.95/yd³ for 2025 across four public producers (likely higher than small residential pours).
Starting estimates No public price series was found for: Short-load fee (per truck under the minimum). These defaults are editable placeholders — replace them with a local quote.
Results are planning estimates, not quotes or engineering advice. Codes, specifications and your supplier's numbers govern.
Related calculators
Concrete Footing Calculator
Continuous (strip) footings plus square pad footings in one order — yards, bags and trucks.
Concrete Pump Time & Cost Calculator
Billable pump hours for your pour — checks whether the pump or the ready-mix trucks are the bottleneck.
Rebar & Wire Mesh Calculator
Bars, sticks, lap splices, weight, chairs and ties for a rebar grid — or sheets and rolls of welded wire mesh.
Concrete Block (CMU) Calculator
Blocks, mortar bags and grout for a block wall — fully or partially grouted — with mason labor.