Multiply the length by the width to determine square footage. Convert the thickness from inches to feet. Multiply the thickness in feet by the square footage to determine cubic feet. Convert cubic feet to cubic yards by multiplying by .037.

Pre-mixed concrete is usually sold by the cubic yard, and this unit is used by default. As construction elements are usually measured in feet, our calculator converts the volume into cubic yards – in our example 4 cu yd (108 cubic feet). Sometimes you’ll know how many slabs you need.

Multiply the width, length and depth of your area. Concrete is usually ordered in cubic metres. Here’s a conversion guide. There are 1.3 cubic yards in one cubic metre (If you have your requirement in cubic yards, all you need to do is divide by 1.3 to get the cubic metres answer).

The minimum recommended thickness is 1 to 2 in. (25 to 50 mm) for a fully bonded concrete overlay placed on a base slab that is practically free of cracks and in which the concrete is sound, clean, and of good quality.

Because concrete is a very porous material, it will absorb any moisture that it contacts. This can cause pooling. Without crushed stone, pooling water will settle under it and erode your slab.

No, they do not. Larger projects or slabs may need steel reinforcement to provide support or extra strength. Wired mesh can also help resist cracking. However, not every piece of concrete necessarily requires that extra boost.

Rebar is recommended for concrete that measures 5-6 inches in depth. The type of and intended use of concrete impacts the need for rebar reinforcement. Rebar must be placed at the center of or slightly above the center of the concrete slab—hence why it should be a certain thickness for best results.

Contractors sometimes use the “1/8 Rule,” meaning the size of the rebar is 1/8 the thickness of the slab. For example, a slab that is 6 inches thick might have rebar marked as size 6 or 3/4-inch.

When it comes to concrete, you can’t avoid cracks entirely, but wire mesh reinforcement will help hold the material together when they do occur. Also, it will help evenly distribute the weight of cars on your driveway. The added strength of steel is especially crucial if your subgrade isn’t up to par.

Materials such as chicken wire, stucco mesh, wire screening, expanded metal, fence wire or fiberglass cloth should never be used as primary reinforcement because their properties are too variable or they are not sufficiently strong. You cannot rely on these materials.

Rebar should have a minimum 2″ embedment in the concrete. 2″ of concrete from the outside of the rebar to the surface. If your slab is going to be subjected to enough load to need rebar it will also need to be thicker; 6″ or 8″. depending on your engineer’s design.

Wire mesh makes concrete more durable and increases its strength. As the concrete is poured, the wire mesh should be lifted up so that it’s positioned in the middle of the concrete in order to provide steel reinforcement.

Concrete driveways can crack for many reasons. Repeated freezing and thawing, heavy loads, tree roots and even shifts in the ground can cause damage. When you learn how to repair cracks in a concrete driveway, you may be able to stop them before they lead to bigger problems.

Using wire mesh is a common method to reinforce poured concrete. The wire mesh makes a square grid pattern which is laid down before the concrete gets poured. The wire mesh is usually one layer of a two-dimensional grid that runs along the length and width of the poured concrete, but not the height.

The fiber mesh strengthens the concrete and the steel rebar reinforces the extra load areas. All concrete cracks. The fiber mesh is good stuff but can stick up above the concrete surface and look fuzzy.