Add up many tubes of the same size.
⚙️Calculation Parameters
📊Calculated Output
How Multiple Sonotube Calculator Works?
To total identical tubes, the Multiple Sonotube Calculator finds the volume of 1 tube and multiplies it by the tube count. The process takes 4 steps.
Enter one tube size
Type the diameter and depth shared by every pier in the group.
Enter the tube count
Type the number of piers. Deck plans list piers on a grid, such as 3 rows of 4.
Apply the waste margin once
The calculator adds the waste percentage to the group total, not to each tube, so rounding does not stack up.
Round bags for the group
The tool divides the group volume by the bag yield and rounds up once, which saves 1 bag per tube compared with rounding each pier.
Multiple Sonotube Calculator Formula
The Multiple Sonotube Calculator multiplies 1 cylinder by a count and applies one waste factor.
Single tube
V₁ = π × (D ÷ 24)² × (H ÷ 12)Cubic feet (ft³) from inch inputs.
Group total
V = V₁ × n × (1 + w)n is the tube count and w is waste.
Group bags
Bags = ⌈V ÷ yield⌉⌈ ⌉ means round up once for the whole group.
Worked example: 9 tubes, 12 in × 42 in, 10% waste
- V₁ = 2.749 ft³
- V = 2.749 × 9 × 1.10 = 27.21 ft³ (1.008 yd³)
- 80 lb bags = ⌈27.21 ÷ 0.60⌉ = 46 bags; rounding per tube gives 54
Multiple Sonotube Calculator Conversion Table
The multiple tube conversion table shows totals for 2 to 20 identical 10 in × 48 in (25 cm × 122 cm) piers.
| Tube count | Net ft³ | Net yd³ | ft³ + 10% | 80 lb bags | 60 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 tubes | 4.36 | 0.162 | 4.80 | 8 | 11 |
| 4 tubes | 8.73 | 0.323 | 9.60 | 16 | 22 |
| 6 tubes | 13.09 | 0.485 | 14.40 | 24 | 32 |
| 8 tubes | 17.45 | 0.646 | 19.20 | 32 | 43 |
| 12 tubes | 26.18 | 0.970 | 28.80 | 48 | 64 |
| 16 tubes | 34.91 | 1.293 | 38.40 | 64 | 86 |
| 20 tubes | 43.63 | 1.616 | 48.00 | 80 | 107 |
Bag counts include the 10% waste margin and are rounded once for the whole group.
What is Multiple Sonotube Calculator?
A Multiple Sonotube Calculator is a concrete calculator that totals volume and bags for a group of identical round piers.
Most decks, pergolas and sheds use one tube size for every pier. Multiplying 1 pier by the count is simple, but rounding bags per pier adds waste. Nine 12 in × 42 in piers need 46 bags of 80 lb mix as a group, and 54 bags when each pier is rounded on its own.
The calculator keeps the per-tube value on screen, so a crew mixing pier by pier still knows how much goes in each hole.
What are the uses of Multiple Sonotube Calculator?
There are 4 main uses of the Multiple Sonotube Calculator.
Deck pier grids
Builders total 6 to 20 matching piers under a deck.
Fence lines
Installers total identical post holes along a fence run.
Pole barns
Contractors total uniform column piers for post-frame buildings.
Solar and sign arrays
Crews total matching bases for ground-mount racks.
🔗Related Sonotube Calculators
View all 106 subtools →Mixed-Size Sonotube Calculator
Add up tubes of more than one size.
Sloped-Site Pier Quantity Calculator
Add up piers of many heights on a slope.
Sonotube Volume Calculator
Find how much concrete fills a round tube.
Sonotube Cubic Yards Calculator
See your concrete in cubic yards.