Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Calculate concrete volume for a poured vertical wall -- a foundation wall or poured retaining wall -- from length, height, and thickness.
This calculator sizes a vertical, poured concrete wall -- most commonly a foundation wall poured on top of a footing, but the same math applies to a poured (not block) retaining wall. It's a genuinely different shape from a footing (a buried horizontal strip) or a slab (a flat horizontal pour): a wall stands upright, so its "length x width x depth" becomes "length x height x thickness."
Enter the wall's length and height in feet, and its thickness in inches -- residential foundation walls are commonly 6 to 10 inches thick, depending on the wall height and the soil load behind it.
Volume (cu ft) = Length (ft) × Height (ft) × Thickness (in ÷ 12)
This is structurally the same volume math as a slab, just oriented vertically -- thickness (the wall's cross-sectional dimension you can measure with a tape across its face) converts from inches to feet the same way a slab's thickness does.
Use this after sizing the footing beneath the wall with the Concrete Footing Calculator -- most basement or crawlspace foundations pour the footing first, let it cure, then form and pour the wall on top. For a block-built (not poured) retaining wall, use the Retaining Wall Calculator instead, which counts blocks rather than pouring volume.
This assumes a single, uniform wall thickness with no thickened pilasters or corner returns -- large or tall walls often have local thickened sections for structural support that this simple calculation won't capture. For a structural foundation wall, thickness and height should come from an approved plan, not a guess.
Take the earlier wall of 30 ft by 8 ft at 8 in thick, which is 160 cubic feet before any allowance. Suppose it has one window opening 3 ft wide and 4 ft high. The opening covers 12 square feet of wall face, and at 8 in (0.667 ft) thick that is 8 cubic feet of concrete you will not pour. Subtracting gives 152 cubic feet. Adding 10 percent for waste gives about 167.2 cubic feet, or roughly 6.19 cubic yards. The calculator itself has no field for openings, so do this deduction on the side and enter an adjusted length or compare afterwards.
Opening volume = width × height × thickness = 3 × 4 × 0.667 = 8 cu ft
Volume scales directly with height, so a wall that is a foot taller than planned adds a full foot of length times thickness in concrete. On a long wall that can be a substantial extra amount, so confirm final heights with your plans before ordering. Tall pours also raise practical concerns such as form strength and the rate at which the mix can be placed and vibrated, which are matters for your contractor and the plan, not for this volume tool.
The result assumes a uniform, solid wall. Real foundations may include pilasters, keyways, beam pockets or sill details that change the true volume slightly. A waste allowance covers small differences, but large features should be added or subtracted separately. Wall thickness and reinforcement are structural choices, so use an approved plan or ask a qualified professional.
8 inches is a common default for residential foundation walls, but the correct thickness depends on wall height, backfill height, and soil conditions -- always follow an approved structural plan or local code.
No -- the footing is almost always poured first and allowed to cure before the wall is formed and poured on top of it.
Yes, if it's a poured concrete retaining wall. If you're building with individual retaining-wall blocks instead, use the Retaining Wall Calculator, which counts blocks and backfill gravel rather than pour volume.
You can. Multiply each opening's width, height and wall thickness, and subtract it from the total. Many people ignore small openings and keep the extra as a margin.
No. The footing is a separate pour, so size it with the Concrete Footing Calculator and add the two volumes if ordering together.
Enter height in feet. Convert inches by dividing by 12, so a 30 in wall is 2.5 ft.
Yes, if you measure the curved length along the wall centreline and enter it as the length.