Concrete Driveway Calculator
Enter your driveway size and vehicle type to get cubic yards, cost, reinforcement and a control joint plan.
Driveway dimensions
10 ft single-car · 20 ft double-car (2 lanes)
Sets a thickness of 5 in — adjust below if needed.
You will need
400 sq ft · 5″ thick · including 10% waste
- Cubic feet
- 183.3
- Weight
- 27,500 lb
- Wire mesh
- 440 sq ft
Order 7 yd³ of ready-mix
Or bag it: 340 × 80 lb bags (not recommended at this size)
| Cost breakdown | Amount |
|---|---|
| Concrete (6.17 yd³) | $1,018 |
| Waste (10%) | $102 |
| Delivery | $75 |
| Reinforcement | $180 |
| Total | $1,375 |
Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere or stored.
Is this thickness right?
5″ suits multiple vehicles
Control joint planner
Concrete vs alternatives
Rough per-project comparison using the prices you entered.
The short answer
Multiply length × width × thickness, all in feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 10 × 40 ft single-car driveway at 5 inches thick is about 6.2 cubic yards. Use 4 inches for a car, 5 inches for multiple vehicles or a light truck, and 6 inches or more for an RV or heavy vehicle. Add 5–10% waste, then round up to the next quarter yard when ordering.
Concrete needed for common driveway sizes
| Driveway size | Area | 4″ thick | 5″ thick | 6″ thick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 20 ft (single, short) | 200 sq ft | 2.47 yd³ | 3.09 yd³ | 3.70 yd³ |
| 10 × 40 ft (single-car) | 400 sq ft | 4.94 yd³ | 6.17 yd³ | 7.41 yd³ |
| 12 × 40 ft (wide single) | 480 sq ft | 5.93 yd³ | 7.41 yd³ | 8.89 yd³ |
| 20 × 40 ft (double-car) | 800 sq ft | 9.88 yd³ | 12.35 yd³ | 14.81 yd³ |
| 24 × 24 ft (2-car pad) | 576 sq ft | 7.11 yd³ | 8.89 yd³ | 10.67 yd³ |
Thickness by vehicle type
| Thickness | Suitable for | Reinforcement |
|---|---|---|
| 4 in | Cars, light SUVs | Wire mesh |
| 5 in | Multiple vehicles, light trucks | Wire mesh or rebar grid |
| 6 in | RVs, heavy trucks, frequent heavy loads | Rebar grid |
| 7 in+ | Commercial or fire-truck access | Engineered rebar design |
How to calculate concrete for a driveway
- Measure the driveway. Length and width in feet.
- Choose the thickness. Based on the heaviest vehicle it will regularly carry.
- Find the volume. Length × width × thickness (converted to feet) gives cubic feet.
- Convert to cubic yards. Divide by 27.
- Add waste and round up. Add 5–10%, then round up to the next quarter yard.
Worked example
A 10 × 40 ft single-car driveway, 5 inches thick:
- Area10 × 40 = 400 sq ft
- Thickness in feet5 ÷ 12 = 0.417 ft
- Volume400 × 0.417 = 166.7 cu ft
- Cubic yards166.7 ÷ 27 = 6.17 yd³
- Plus 10% waste6.79 yd³
- Order (rounded up)7 yd³
Reinforcement: wire mesh vs rebar
| Wire mesh | Rebar grid | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Standard residential driveways | Heavier vehicles, poor soil, longer spans |
| Installation | Rolled or sheet, laid flat | Tied into a grid at set spacing |
| Cost | Lower | Higher, more labor |
| Common mistake | Left on the ground instead of lifted mid-slab | Spacing too wide for the load |
Either way, reinforcement needs to sit in the middle of the slab’s depth, not resting on the sub-base — it does nothing to resist cracking sitting at the bottom of the pour.
Control joints
Concrete will crack. Control joints decide where, by creating a weaker line for the crack to follow instead of running randomly across the surface. A common rule of thumb: joint spacing in feet ≈ 2 to 3 times the thickness in inches. A 5 inch driveway typically gets joints every 10 to 15 feet. Driveways wider than about 12 feet usually get an additional joint running down the center, lengthwise.
Concrete vs asphalt vs gravel
| Concrete | Asphalt | Gravel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Highest | Medium | Lowest |
| Lifespan | 25–50 years | 15–25 years | Ongoing top-ups |
| Maintenance | Low, occasional sealing | Periodic sealcoating | Regular regrading and refill |
| Repairs | Patchable but visible | Easy to patch, blends well | Simple, just add material |
| Best climate fit | Most climates | Struggles in extreme heat | Any climate, less refined look |
Before you pour: checklist
- Compact the sub-base4–6 in of compacted gravel is as important as the concrete itself.
- Set the slopeAbout 1–2% away from the garage or house so water doesn’t pool against it.
- Set and brace the formsCheck level and square along the full run.
- Place reinforcement mid-slabOn chairs, not resting on the sub-base.
- Plan control jointsMark spacing before the pour, not after.
- Check the weatherAvoid pouring in rain, frost, or extreme heat.
- Confirm the truck can access the siteReady-mix trucks need a clear, solid path to the pour.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the sub-baseA poured driveway on soft or uneven ground will crack and settle regardless of thickness.
- Under-thickening for the vehicle4 inches handles a car but cracks under a loaded truck or RV. Match thickness to actual use.
- Leaving mesh flat on the groundReinforcement does nothing sitting at the bottom of the pour — it needs to be mid-slab.
- Skipping control jointsWithout planned joints, the slab cracks wherever it wants, often unattractively.
- Ordering the exact calculated amountSub-base is never perfectly flat. Round up, and don’t order the bare minimum.
- Ignoring slopeA flat or backward-sloped driveway sends water toward the garage or foundation.
What this calculator assumes
Adjust your result if your project differs from these.
- A rectangular driveway of uniform thickness
- Concrete density of 150 lb/ft³ (2,400 kg/m³) for weight
- Control joint spacing of roughly 2 to 3 times the thickness in inches, expressed in feet
- Wire mesh sized to the full driveway area, with no deduction for overlap
- Rebar grid spaced evenly in both directions at the chosen spacing
- Ready-mix rounded to quarter-yard increments
- Prices are whatever you enter; they are not live market rates
Common questions
How thick should a concrete driveway be?
4 inches for cars and light SUVs, 5 inches for multiple vehicles or a light truck, and 6 inches or more for RVs, heavy trucks or commercial vehicles.
How much does a concrete driveway cost?
Concrete driveways typically cost more per square foot than asphalt or gravel upfront, but last longer and need less maintenance. Exact pricing depends heavily on region, thickness, reinforcement and finish.
How many cubic yards for a two car driveway?
A 20 × 40 ft double-wide driveway at 5 inches thick needs about 12.3 cubic yards of concrete, before waste.
Does a concrete driveway need rebar?
Wire mesh is common for standard residential driveways. Rebar grids are recommended for driveways carrying heavier vehicles, poor soil conditions, or where cracking risk is higher.
How far apart should control joints be?
A common rule of thumb is 2 to 3 times the slab thickness in inches, expressed in feet. A 4 inch driveway typically gets joints every 8 to 12 feet.
What is the difference between a control joint and an expansion joint?
A control joint is a shallow groove cut or formed into the slab to guide where it cracks. An expansion joint is a full-depth gap, often filled with flexible material, placed where the driveway meets a garage slab, sidewalk or foundation.
Is concrete or asphalt better for a driveway?
Concrete generally lasts longer and needs less maintenance, but costs more upfront. Asphalt is cheaper initially and easier to patch, but needs periodic sealing and typically lasts fewer years.
How long before I can drive on a new driveway?
About 7 days before light vehicle use, and a full 28 days before regular heavy use — though the surface is often walkable within 24 to 48 hours.
Do I need a sub-base under a concrete driveway?
Yes. A compacted gravel sub-base of 4 to 6 inches provides drainage and even support, which matters more for driveway longevity than the concrete thickness alone.
What slope should a concrete driveway have?
About a 1 to 2 percent slope — roughly ⅛ to ¼ inch per foot — away from the garage or house, to keep water from pooling against the structure.
How much waste should I allow?
5 to 10 percent is standard, covering uneven sub-base, spillage and minor form irregularities over a long pour.
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Project
| Dimensions | — |
| Area | — |
| Thickness | — |
| Reinforcement | — |
| Waste allowance | — |
Volume
| Cubic yards (incl. waste) | — |
| Cubic feet | — |
| Weight | — |
| Order (rounded up) | — |
Control joints
| Recommended spacing | — |
| Number of joints | — |
Estimated cost
| Concrete | — |
| Waste | — |
| Delivery | — |
| Reinforcement | — |
| Total | — |
Notes
Estimate generated by materialcalculate.com. Figures assume a rectangular driveway of uniform thickness and a concrete density of 150 lb/ft³. Confirm quantities with your supplier before ordering. Not a substitute for engineering advice.