Concrete Driveway Calculator — m, m³, cost
How to use this calculator
Pick a driveway shape — straight rectangle, flared apron (wider at the curb), curved approach, or raw m² — then set thickness and waste. Optional toggles add a crushed-stone subbase, mesh or rebar, sawcut control joints, and a full €/m³, €/lm, €/m² takeoff for the ready-mix order.
Thickness — 10 cm cars only, 12 cm standard residential, 15 cm for vans/light trucks/RVs. Subbase — 10–15 cm compacted 0/31.5 mm crushed stone. Joints — cut at ¼ slab depth within 6–12 hr, spaced ~25× thickness. Mix — C25/30 air-entrained (XF2/XF4) for freeze-thaw and de-icing salt zones.
Saved Calculations
| Time | Shape | Area m² | Concrete m³ | Gravel m³ | Joints lm | Total |
|---|
Concrete Driveway Estimating Notes (Metric)
Type the slab length, width and thickness in metres or centimetres and the page returns m³ of ready-mix, sub-base tonnage, mesh or Ø8/Ø10 rebar counts, sawcut control-joint LM and a €/m² unit cost — the same line items that go on the supplier order and the homeowner quote. EN 206 ready-mix is batched and billed by the cubic metre, often in 0.5 m³ steps with a part-load surcharge, so the waste slider plus rounding stops you running short on the last truck. Pour 10 cm for cars-only paths, 12 cm for the typical residential apron, and 15 cm where vans, light trucks or motorhomes brake and turn; add a thickened edge (turn-down to ~20–25 cm) at unsupported perimeters — this page sizes the constant-thickness slab only.
How to Use
Pick the driveway shape, enter dimensions in metres or centimetres, then set thickness and waste. Toggle Gravel Subbase, Rebar/Mesh, Control Joints, and Cost Estimate as needed. For an irregular footprint, split it into rectangles, total the area with the excavation volume calculator, and enter that on the Area tab. Size the sub-base layer and delivered tonnage with the gravel & aggregate calculator, and balance earthworks with the cut and fill calculator.
Formulas
Concrete volume (m³) = Area (m²) × Thickness (m), then × (1 + waste). Slab mass uses 2,400 kg/m³ concrete density. Gravel volume = Area × subbase depth; tonnage at ~1.6 t/m³ for compacted crushed stone. Control joints: transverse cuts spaced at thickness (cm) × 25, capped at 3 m; a longitudinal joint is added when width exceeds 5 m. Joint length = transverse cuts × width + longitudinal cuts × length. Sawcut depth ≈ ¼ of slab thickness within the first 6–12 hours.
Reinforcement Options
Welded mesh sheets 2.4×6 m (14.4 m² each) are the residential standard, lapped 200–300 mm. Rebar Ø8 or Ø10 mm at 200 mm centres each way suits heavy-duty slabs; lap splices run 40 bar diameters. Fiber dosed at ~0.9 kg/m³ controls plastic shrinkage but does not replace structural steel. For a paved approach or sidewalk strip, cross-check with the paver patio calculator or size embedded posts with the post-hole concrete calculator.
FAQ
How thick should a driveway be? 10 cm minimum for cars, 12–15 cm for heavy vehicles. Do I need a gravel subbase? Yes — 10 cm of compacted crushed stone provides drainage and prevents settlement and cracking. How often are control joints? Every 2.5–3 m for a 10–12 cm slab, cut ¼ of the slab depth within hours of finishing. Why does my order round up? Ready-mix is batched by load; the waste allowance plus rounding keeps you from running short mid-pour.
On pour day
2025 ready-mix runs roughly €110–140/m³ delivered for a C25/30 driveway mix, plus a €60–120 part-load surcharge on anything under ~3 m³ — so a 6×3.5 m single-car drive (≈2.5 m³ at 12 cm) sits right around the threshold while a 1 m wide concrete path almost always costs less in 25 kg bags. Three line items estimators forget on a driveway pour: the thickened edge at the kerb (20×20 cm haunch around the apron — list it separately rather than burying it in waste), the XF exposure surcharge in freeze-thaw and de-icing salt zones (C30/37 XF4 air-entrained per EN 206 is non-negotiable above ~600 m elevation or anywhere road salt is used), and the sawcut window — joints must be cut at ¼ slab depth within 6–12 hours of finishing, before random shrinkage cracks beat you to it. Expect €50–90/m² turnkey for a plain broom finish, €80–140 for exposed aggregate, €120–200 stamped. Order 5–10% extra on rectangles, 10–15% on flared aprons and curved drives where formwork waste is real.
