Columns
Concrete Pier Calculator
Switch between a square column and a round one. Set quantity when the same pier repeats.
Your region
Feet, inches, cubic yards, and 40–80 lb bags
Concrete Calculator
Example measurements — replace them with yours.
Most orders add 5–10% for spillage, uneven ground, and the last bit left in the chute.
Cost, truck size, and concrete weight
Leave a price blank to skip that estimate. Use the number your supplier quoted.
This job
Add each pour — slab, piers, steps — and Concrete Calculator totals them.
How to use a concrete pier calculator
Square columns are length × width × height. Round columns use π × radius² × height. A 12 inch round column is about 0.785× the volume of a 12 inch square of the same height — the circle is smaller. Search traffic for pier and pile often wants this same cylinder or rectangle math for the portion filled with concrete.
Quantity multiplies identical piers. Different heights need separate pours. Cap pads under posts belong on the footing page; full cardboard tubes belong on the sonotube calculator.
Worked example with the concrete pier calculator
One pier: π × 0.5² × 8 = 6.28 ft³. Six piers: 37.7 ft³ = 1.40 yd³ neat. With 10% ≈ 1.54 → order 1.75 yd³, or count bags per pier if you place them on different days.
Square vs round on the same grid
If the plan shows 12×12 square piers, do not use the round preset. Round is π/4 of the circumscribed square. A row of deck piers with mixed heights should be entered as separate pours so the tall corner posts do not hide inside an average.
Common mistakes
Using outside tube diameter if the form is thinner than assumed — use the inside diameter that fills with concrete.
- Forgetting quantity when the plan shows a grid of piers.
- Averaging different heights into one pier size.
Bags, yards, or a truck?
Six to ten residential piers often land near a short truck. Single porch columns are usually bags.
The formula Concrete Calculator uses
Square: L×W×H. Round: πr²h. Multiply by quantity.
Who this is for
Framers setting deck piers.
Builders pouring a column line.
Pier and pile concrete calculation
Concrete pier calculator and pile concrete calculation searches usually need the plugged length times the cross section. Round piers use πr²h. Square piers use L×W×H. Quantity multiplies a grid. Cap pads are footings — add them separately.
Circular column concrete quantity is the same cylinder math as a sonotube when the form is round. Switch to the sonotube calculator if you want diameter presets labeled the way tube suppliers sell them.
Grid takeoffs
Twelve identical 10 in round piers at 6 ft tall: one pier is π×(5/12)²×6 ≈ 3.27 ft³; twelve are 39.3 ft³ ≈ 1.45 yd³ neat. Add 10% and you are near a 1.75 yd order — or bag them if they are poured on different days.
Related calculators and guides
Open the pages that match the next question on the job — volume is only the first number.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a round column?
Radius = diameter/2. Volume = πr²h. A 1 ft diameter × 10 ft height = 7.85 ft³.
Is a sonotube a column?
Yes — same cylinder. Use the sonotube page for diameter presets.
Square vs round volume?
Round is π/4 ≈ 0.785 of the circumscribed square.
Pile or pier search?
Use this page for the concrete plug volume once diameter and height are known.