Concrete form-tube quantity guide

How Many Bags of Concrete Fill a Form Tube?

Enter actual inside diameter and concrete-filled height to calculate cylindrical volume and whole bags with the existing tested concrete engine.

Brand note: Sonotube is a brand term used descriptively for search clarity. JobsiteMeasure is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sonoco Products Company.

Concrete form-tube example

12-in inside diameter × 48-in concrete fill

Use the actual inside diameter and the height actually filled with concrete. “Sonotube” is used descriptively because it is a commonly searched brand term; concrete form tube is the generic product name.

Raw concrete
3.14 ft³
0.116 yd³
With 10% allowance
3.46 ft³
Before whole-bag rounding
80-lb bag order
6 bags
QUIKRETE Concrete Mix at 0.60 ft³ per bag
Assumptions in this example
  • 12-in actual inside diameter.
  • 48-in concrete-filled height; overall tube length may differ.
  • One tube, 10% allowance, verified 80-lb product yield.

Quantity estimate only. This example does not determine footing diameter, bearing capacity, reinforcement, embedment, or frost depth.

Enter measured form dimensions

Concrete form-tube bag calculator

This purpose-specific interface delegates every calculation, allowance, validation, warning, product yield, and whole-bag rounding step to the existing tested post-hole concrete engine in round-hole/no-post mode.

Concrete form-tube bag table by actual inside diameter

Raw whole bags and whole bags with a 10% example allowance are calculated independently. Quantity is one tube per row.

Round concrete form-tube quantities generated in no-post mode. Verified product yields: 40-lb = 0.30 ft³; 60-lb = 0.45 ft³; 80-lb = 0.60 ft³. Actual inside diameter and concrete-filled height are required.
Measured tube and raw volumeRaw whole bagsWhole bags with 10% allowance
Inside diameterFilled heightRaw ft³Raw yd³40 lb60 lb80 lb40 lb60 lb80 lb
8 in24 in0.700.026322322
8 in36 in1.050.039432432
8 in48 in1.400.052543643
10 in24 in1.090.040432432
10 in36 in1.640.061643643
10 in48 in2.180.081854864
12 in24 in1.570.058643643
12 in36 in2.360.087864965
12 in48 in3.140.11611761286
14 in24 in2.140.079854864
14 in36 in3.210.11911861286
14 in48 in4.280.1581510816118
16 in24 in2.790.10310751176
16 in36 in4.190.1551410716118
16 in48 in5.590.207191310211411
18 in24 in3.530.13112861397
18 in36 in5.300.19618129201310
18 in48 in7.070.262241612261813

Concrete form-tube quantity questions

How many 80-lb bags fill a 12-in tube 48 in deep?

For one tube with a 12-in actual inside diameter and 48-in concrete-filled height, the engine calculates 3.14 ft³ raw and 3.46 ft³ with 10% allowance, rounding to 6 whole 80-lb bags at the verified 0.60-ft³ yield.

Should I use the tube’s nominal or actual inside diameter?

Use the actual usable inside diameter because the concrete cylinder is defined by that measurement. Check the current product data or measure the form.

Is tube length the same as concrete-filled depth?

Not necessarily. Enter the height actually filled with concrete. Overall tube length, excavation depth, and any unfilled portion are separate.

How do I calculate several identical tubes?

Enter the quantity. The engine combines raw cylinder volume, applies the selected allowance once, and then rounds the project to whole bags.

Why do 60- and 80-lb bag counts depend on the product yield?

Bag weight does not itself define mixed concrete volume. This page uses the selected product’s verified published cubic-foot yield.

Should a post’s displacement be subtracted?

This form-tube interface intentionally uses no-post mode. If a post occupies the concrete, use the Post Hole Concrete Calculator so its actual displacement can be represented.

Does this calculator determine footing diameter or frost depth?

No. Diameter, depth, bearing, reinforcement, and frost requirements are structural and local decisions outside this quantity calculation.

Sources and calculation basis

Values generated September 3, 2026.