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CONCRETE · CEMENT BAGS ESTIMATOR

Dry Volume of Concrete

Dry volume of concrete = wet volume × 1.54. For 1 m³ of 1:2:4 concrete the dry volume is 1.54 m³, which splits into 0.22 m³ of cement (6.34 bags of 50 kg), 0.44 m³ of sand and 0.88 m³ of aggregate.

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Concrete
m³
%
Mix
Mix 1:2:4Mix 1:2:41Cement: 6.34 bags2Sand: 0.44 m³4Aggregate: 0.88 m³myconstructioncalculator.com
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Results

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Cement (50 kg bags)
6.34bags
Sand0.44 m³
Coarse aggregate0.88 m³
Water (approx.)158 L
Cement weight316.8 kg
Bags to buy (rounded up)7 bags

Nominal (volume) mixes are for small and non-critical work. Structural concrete should follow the mix design on your drawings.

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Working
  1. Wet volume = 1.000 m³
  2. Dry volume = wet × 1.54 = 1.540 m³
  3. Sum of ratio 1:2:4 = 7.0
  4. Cement = 1.540 × 1 ÷ 7.0 = 0.220 m³
  5. Bags = 0.220 ÷ 0.0347 m³ per bag = 6.34
  6. Water = cement 316.8 kg × w/c 0.50
  7. Sand = 1.540 × 2 ÷ 7.0 = 0.440 m³
  8. Aggregate = 1.540 × 4 ÷ 7.0 = 0.880 m³
Results are estimates for planning and material ordering only. They are not a substitute for structural design or approval by a qualified engineer. Read the full disclaimer.
Formula


Dry volume   = wet volume × 1.54
Cement       = dry volume × 1 ÷ (sum of ratio)       → × 1,440 kg/m³ ÷ 50 kg = bags
Sand         = dry volume × sand part ÷ (sum of ratio)
Aggregate    = dry volume × aggregate part ÷ (sum of ratio)


Worked Example


1 m³ of 1:2:4 (M15) concrete:


    

  1. Dry volume = 1 × 1.54 = 1.54 m³; sum of ratio = 1 + 2 + 4 = 7
    2. 

  2. Cement = 1.54 ÷ 7 = 0.22 m³ × 1,440 = 316.8 kg = 6.34 bags
    3. 

  3. Sand = 1.54 × 2 ÷ 7 = 0.44 m³
    4. 

  4. Aggregate = 1.54 × 4 ÷ 7 = 0.88 m³
    5. 



Materials per m³ of Concrete by Mix


Dry volume factor 1.54, 50 kg bags, no wastage.






Mix
Cement
Sand
Aggregate






1:1:2 (M25)
11.09 bags
0.39 m³
0.77 m³




1:1.5:3 (M20)
8.06 bags
0.42 m³
0.84 m³




1:2:4 (M15)
6.34 bags
0.44 m³
0.88 m³




1:3:6 (M10)
4.44 bags
0.46 m³
0.92 m³




1:4:8 (M7.5)
3.41 bags
0.47 m³
0.95 m³






Grades above M20 should be design mixes from a lab, not nominal volume mixes.


More Dry Volumes
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 1.54 used for the dry volume of concrete?
Loose cement, sand and aggregate contain air gaps. When water is added and the concrete is mixed and compacted, the fine particles fill the gaps between the coarse ones, and the finished concrete takes up less space than the dry materials did. On site the dry materials need about 54% more volume than the wet concrete, hence 1.54.
Is the 1.54 factor given in an IS code?
No. IS 456 sets nominal mixes but does not give a dry volume factor. The 1.54 figure (some use 1.52 to 1.57) is an estimating convention from site practice and textbooks, used for nominal mixes measured by volume.
What is the dry volume of 1 m³ of concrete?
1 × 1.54 = 1.54 m³ for any nominal mix. The mix ratio then decides how it splits: in 1:2:4, cement is 1.54 ÷ 7 = 0.22 m³, sand 0.44 m³ and aggregate 0.88 m³.
What is the dry volume factor for mortar?
Mortar uses about 1.33, because it has no coarse aggregate and fewer voids to fill. See the dry volume of mortar.
References
  • IS 456:2000 §9.3: nominal mix concrete may be used for M20 and lower grades