How Many Bags Of Concrete In Sonotube Of Different Sizes?

Every construction project needs concrete in a considerable amount. So, the number of bags need to be evaluated prior to begin the task. The same is the case for Sonotube of various sizes such as 6 inches, 8 inches, 10 inches, etc.

Number of concrete bags for every Sonotube size

No. Of #Concrete bags	6” Sonotube’s Diameter	8 ” Sonotube’s Diameter	10 ” Sonotube’s Diameter	12 ” Sonotube’s Diameter
40 lbs	3	5	8	11
50 lbs	3	4	6	9
60 lbs	2	4	5	8
80 lbs	2	3	4	6
90 lbs	2	3	4	5

Sonotube Concrete Calculator and Price Estimator

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How Many Concrete Bags Are Required For Sonotube? Find Out General Evaluation

There are two different methods to find out the exact number of concrete bags for any size of sonotube. Hence, you can use any one method among these two that seems easy to you.

Method 1: Volume By Volume

It is a six-step procedure where you need to understand the concept precisely. Once you are clear, you can estimate the count of bags for any size of sonotube, maintaining a higher accuracy.

Moreover, the best part of this method is that there is no need to repeat the first two steps, once solved. You can refer to it whenever you want the count for your sonotube (all sizes).

Keep In Mind: (1 cubic feet of concrete = 133 lbs concrete AND 1 cubic yard of concrete = 27 cubic feet concrete)

Step 1: Find Out Volume Of Concrete Bag (Any Size Available)

First of all, you need to determine the Volume of a concrete bag of any size, such as 40 lbs, 50 lbs, etc. Here is the formula to find out the Volume of the concrete bag in cubic feet –

S size Concrete bag in cubic feet = S (in lbs)/133 lbs

Concrete bags are available in 40 lbs, 50 lbs, 60 lbs, 80 lbs, and 90 lbs. So, let us check cubic feet below to skip this step and save your time.

40 lbs Concrete Bag: 40/133 = 0.301 cubic feet
50 lbs Concrete Bag: 50/133 = 0.376 cubic feet
60 lbs Concrete Bag: 60/133 = 0.451 cubic feet
80 lbs Concrete Bag: 80/133 = 0.602 cubic feet
90 lbs Concrete Bag: 90/133 = 0.677 cubic feet

Note* -All these values are fixed; you can refer to them for every calculation of concrete bag count needed for sonotube.

Step 2: Convert Cubic Feet Of Concrete Bag In Cubic Yards

Next, you have to convert all the values of the concrete bag in cubic feet found in the first step to cubic yards. Divide the value by 27 to convert those into cubic yards.

S size Concrete Bags in cubic yards = S size concrete bags in cubic feet/27

Again, you can skip this step in other calculations once you find out the values of all sizes of concrete bags. Let us solve –

40 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.301/27 = 0.011 cubic yards
50 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.376/27 = 0.014 cubic yards
60 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.451/27 = 0.0167 cubic yards
80 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.602/27 = 0.022 cubic yards
90 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.677/27 = 0.0251 cubic yards

Step 3: Check Out Data Available For Sonotube And Convert Diameter Inches Into Feet

You need the diameter d and depth/ height h of the sonotube with you for determining the number of concrete bags. Normally you will have diameter in inches, therefore, first convert it into feet. (1 inch = 0.0833 foot)

Multiply inches of diameter d by 0.0833 to get the result in feet like –
Answer in feet = d (inches) * 0.0833

Step 4: Find Out Volume Of Sonotube In Cubic Feet

The result of Volume is usually in cubic feet. So make sure you use all values in feet. You must know that (radius r = diameter d/2) because to find volume, we need radius.

Volume of Sonotube in cubic feet = (22/7) * radius * radius * Height/ depth
Hence,
Volume Of Sonotube in cubic feet = (22/7) * r * r * h

Step 5: Convert Volume In Cubic Feet To Cubic Yards

All you need to do is divide the value of Volume you found in step 4 by 27 to get the result in cubic yards.

The Volume of Sonotube in cubic yards = Volume of sonotube in cubic feet/ 27

Step 6: Determining The Number Of Concrete Bags Need

The last step to find out the exact number of concrete bags is to divide the sonotube by the Volume of S Size concrete bags in cubic yards.

Number Of S size concrete bags for sonotube = Volume of sonotube in cubic yards/ volume of S size concrete bags in cubic yards

Method 2: Volume To Volume

This method also involves six steps, but you can skip the first three steps and directly move to the fourth step by referring to those previous results. Also, the first two steps are the same as the above method.

Step 1: Find Out Volume Of Concrete Bag In Cubic Feet

The Volume of the concrete bag in cubic feet can be done using its formula –
The Volume of S size concrete bag in cubic feet = S (lbs)/133 lbs

You will get the result of volume in cubic feet for all sizes of concrete bags such as 40 lbs, 50 lbs, 60 lbs, 80 lbs, and 90 lbs.

40 lbs Concrete Bag: 40/133 = 0.301 cubic feet
50 lbs Concrete Bag: 50/133 = 0.376 cubic feet
60 lbs Concrete Bag: 60/133 = 0.451 cubic feet
80 lbs Concrete Bag: 80/133 = 0.602 cubic feet
90 lbs Concrete Bag: 90/133 = 0.677 cubic feet

Note* – Refer to these values every time you calculate the concrete bags for sonotube and skip this step further.

Step 2: Convert Cubic Feet Into Cubic Yards

Convert all those values found in the first step to cubic yards for later reference –
The Volume of S size concrete bag in cubic yards = Volume of S size concrete bag in cubic feet/27 cubic feet

For 40 lbs, 50 lbs, 60 lbs, 80 lbs, and 90 lbs concrete bags,

40 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.301/27 = 0.011 cubic yards
50 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.376/27 = 0.014 cubic yards
60 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.451/27 = 0.0167 cubic yards
80 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.602/27 = 0.022 cubic yards
90 lbs Concrete Bag: 0.677/27 = 0.0251 cubic yards

Step 3: Find Out Bags Count For 1 Cubic Yard

Now, you have to calculate the number of concrete bags needed for one cubic yard. Evaluating the count of bags is as below –

Number of S size concrete bags = one cubic yard/ Volume of S size concrete bags in cubic yard

This result will also be fixed so that you can check any size of sonotube calculations –

40 lbs Concrete Bag: 1/0.011 = 90.9 = 91 Concrete bags
50 lbs Concrete Bag: 1/0.014 = 71.4 = 72 Concrete bags
60 lbs Concrete Bag: 1/0.0167 = 59.88 = 60 Concrete bags
80 lbs Concrete Bag: 1/0.022 = 45.45 = 46 Concrete bags
90 lbs Concrete Bag: 1/0.0251 = 39.84 = 40 Concrete bags

Step 4: Find Out Volume Of Sonotube In Cubic Feet

You will have to determine the volume of sonotube (cylindrical shape) in cubic feet using the following formula –

The volume of sonotube in cubic feet = (22/7) * r * r * h
Where,
R radius = diameter d/2;
H = height of the sonotube

Step 5: Convert Volume Of Sonotube In Cubic Feet To Cubic Yards

To convert cubic feet into the cubic yard is simple; you only have to divide it by 27 for converting it into cubic yards –
The Volume of sonotube in cubic yards = Volume of sonotube in cubic feet/ 27 cubic feet

Step6: Final Step (Multiply Number Of Bags In One Cubic Yard to Volume Of Sonotube

Multiplying the number of concrete bags in one cubic yard to the Volume of sonotube in the cubic yard will give the number of concrete bags you need for your sonotube.

Number of S Size concrete bags for sonotube = Volume of sonotube in cubic yards * number of bags in one cubic yard

These are two methods by which you can determine the number of concrete bags for your sonotube of any diameter and height. Let us understand more with a few examples –

How Many Bags Of Concrete Are Required In 6 Inches Sonotube?

Let us calculate the number of concrete bags for sonotube having 6 inches diameter and 4 feet depth/ height. Using both methods and skipping one or two steps, we will determine the number of bags needed for a 6” sonotube.

Using Method 1

We already have the result for first two steps with us, so skipping those and heading to step 3 –

Step 3: Converting diameter inches into feet;
height/depth (h) = 4 feet;
Diameter d = 6 inches (6 * 0.0833) = 0.5 feet
Therefore,
Radius r = d/2 = 0.5/2 = 0.25 feet

step 4: Volume of 6” sonotube in cubic feet calculation;
Volume of 6” sonotube in cubic feet = (22/7) * 0.25 * 0.25 * 4 = 0.79 cubic feet

step 5: Converting the cubic feet volume into cubic yards;
Volume of 6” sonotube in cubic yards = 0.79/27 = 0.03 cubic yards

step 6: Finding the number of concrete bags;
A number of S size concrete bags = Volume of 6 inches sonotube in cubic yards/ Volume of S size concrete bag in a cubic yard.

Number of 40 lbs bag = 0.03/0.011 = 2.3 = 3 bags (because 0.3 bag is not available; you will have to buy one bag)
Number of 50 lbs bag = 0.03/0.014 = 2.14 = 3 bags
Number of 60 lbs bag = 0.03/0.0167 = 1.79 = 2 bags
Number of 80 lbs bag = 0.03/0.022 = 1.36 = 2 bags
Number of 90 lbs bag = 0.03/0.0251 = 1.19 = 2 bags

Using Method 2

Here there is no need to solve the first three steps if once evaluated. Let us directly find out the volume in cubic yards –

Step 4: Volume of 6 inches sonotube in cubic feet;
Volume of 6” sonotube in cubic feet = (22/7) * 0.25 * 0.25 * 4 = 0.79 cubic feet

step 5: Converting the cubic feet volume into cubic yards;
Volume of 6” sonotube in cubic yards = 0.79/27 = 0.03 cubic yards

step 6: Multiply volume and number of S size bags to determine the number of bags needed for sonotube;

Estimating the concrete bags count for 40 lbs, 50 lbs, 60 lbs, 80 lbs, and 90 lbs for 6 inches sonotube –
Number of 40 lbs bag = 91 * 0.03 = 2.73 = 3 bags
Number of 50 lbs bag = 72 * 0.03 = 2.16 = 3 bags
Number of 60 lbs bag = 60 * 0.03 = 1.8 = 2 bags
Number of 80 lbs bag = 46 * 0.03 = 1.38 = 2 bags
Number of 90 lbs bag = 40 * 0.03 = 1.2 = 2 bags

Hence, you are clear with both methods that you can solve for any height (3 ft, 4 ft, 8ft, etc.) of sonotube and diameter.