Estimate Sand & Coarse Aggregate From Your Mix Inputs
Use this Aggregate Calculator for Concrete to estimate fine aggregate and coarse aggregate from a known concrete volume, slab dimensions or metric project. Enter your own dry-volume factor, mix proportions and aggregate density to calculate aggregate volume, weight, tons or tonnes, and optional material cost without assuming one universal concrete mix.
Calculate from known concrete volume, slab dimensions, fine/coarse aggregate split or metric inputs. Results remain hidden until you press Calculate.
Enter concrete volume, dry-volume factor and your mix parts to estimate total aggregate quantity.
Enter the factor used by your estimating method or mix calculation.
Optional planning density. Replace with your supplier/material value.
This is a material estimating tool, not a concrete mix-design tool. Use project-approved proportions, densities and batching information.
Calculate concrete volume from slab dimensions, then estimate aggregate from user-entered mix proportions.
Slab aggregate calculation depends on the mix proportions and dry-volume factor entered. Do not use the defaults as a substitute for an approved concrete mix design.
Break a concrete mix estimate into separate sand and coarse aggregate quantities.
Bulk densities can vary with grading, moisture and compaction. Replace the example values with supplier or measured values for better estimating.
Estimate total aggregate in cubic meters, kilograms and tonnes from a metric concrete volume.
Use approved mix information and a representative bulk density for the actual aggregate being purchased.
Estimate sand volume and weight from user-entered concrete mix proportions.
Estimate gravel or crushed-stone quantity separately or as total aggregate.
Use your own bulk density to convert cubic volume into pounds, tons, kilograms or tonnes.
Add a supplier price per ton or tonne for preliminary aggregate cost.
Concrete aggregate estimating starts with the amount of concrete to be produced and the material proportions used in that concrete. In a simple parts-based estimating method, cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate are represented as parts of the dry material total. The calculator then allocates the entered dry material volume across those parts.
Use Known Concrete Volume when you already know the concrete quantity in cubic yards. Use Slab Aggregate when you want the page to calculate slab concrete volume first. Use Fine + Coarse Split when you need separate sand and gravel quantities. Use Metric Aggregate for cubic meters, kilograms and tonnes.
Enter final cubic yards or cubic meters, or calculate slab volume from dimensions.
Use the dry-volume factor required by your estimating method or project calculation.
Enter cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate parts exactly as required.
Use the bulk density of the aggregate for weight conversion.
Review volume, weight, tons or tonnes and compare with supplier information.
A parts-based material estimate begins by converting the concrete volume to a dry-material volume. The dry material is then divided among cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate according to the parts entered.
The factor should come from the estimating method you are using.
Total Mix Parts = Cement Parts + Fine Aggregate Parts + Coarse Aggregate Parts.
The calculator then applies any selected material allowance. If bulk density is entered, aggregate volume is multiplied by density to estimate weight.
Fine aggregate is commonly sand or another material with relatively small particle sizes. Coarse aggregate is commonly gravel or crushed stone. Both occupy a large portion of the concrete volume, but their exact proportions depend on the approved mix design and the characteristics of the materials.
The Fine + Coarse Split calculator shows the two quantities separately. This is useful when sand and stone are purchased from different suppliers, priced differently, or have different bulk densities.
For a rectangular slab, concrete volume is calculated from length × width × thickness. The slab volume is then passed into the same aggregate calculation used by the known-volume mode.
After concrete volume is known, the entered dry-volume factor and mix parts are applied.
For slab-only quantity planning, use the Concrete Slab Thickness Calculator. For general concrete volume, use the Concrete Calculator.
Aggregate is often purchased by weight rather than by loose volume. To convert cubic feet or cubic meters into weight, multiply the volume by a representative bulk density for the actual material.
Use density values that match the material, grading, moisture condition and supplier basis.
In the imperial calculator, pounds are divided by 2,000 to estimate short tons. In the metric calculator, kilograms are divided by 1,000 to estimate tonnes.
Bulk density is not one fixed number for every aggregate. It can change with particle size distribution, shape, moisture, compaction and how the material is measured. A loose stockpile and compacted aggregate can produce different volume-to-weight relationships.
For this reason, the calculator includes editable density fields. Replace the example values with the supplier's published bulk density, delivery-ticket basis or a project-specific measured value.
If a parts-based ratio is used for estimating, enter each part directly. For example, a mix represented as 1 part cement, 2 parts fine aggregate and 4 parts coarse aggregate contains 7 total parts. The aggregate share is 6 of those 7 parts after the dry-volume factor is applied.
This example demonstrates the arithmetic only. It is not a recommendation that every project should use a 1:2:4 mix. Structural and durability requirements should control the actual mix.
Aggregate quantity is calculated from concrete volume, dry-material volume and the mix-part share assigned to sand and coarse aggregate.
The calculator can estimate aggregate material cost when a bulk density and price per ton or tonne are entered. The adjusted aggregate volume is converted to weight, then multiplied by the entered supplier rate.
This estimate does not include cement, water, admixtures, batching, delivery, loading, taxes, equipment, labor or placement.
The tool includes optional 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% aggregate allowances. Extra material can be useful when stockpiles, handling loss, measurement variation or supplier increments make the exact theoretical quantity impractical to purchase.
Do not automatically add a large allowance when the concrete volume already includes a waste factor. Avoid double-counting the same contingency in both concrete volume and aggregate quantity.
Concrete proportions vary by project. Enter the actual values required rather than copying an unrelated ratio.
A parts-based method may require a separate dry-volume factor before material shares are calculated.
Sand and coarse aggregate can have different densities, costs and proportions.
Bulk density varies by material, grading, moisture and compaction.
Imperial short tons and metric tonnes are different units. Use the correct pricing basis.
This calculator estimates quantities only and does not verify concrete performance.
The arithmetic is accurate for the concrete volume, dry-volume factor, mix parts and density entered. The real-world result depends on whether those inputs represent the actual materials and batching method.
For concrete technical information, visit the American Concrete Institute and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. For overall concrete quantity, use the Concrete Calculator.
You can return to the Aggregate Calculator for Concrete above to compare mix proportions, densities and aggregate costs.
Common questions about sand, gravel, coarse aggregate, concrete mix proportions, bulk density, tons, tonnes and material cost.