Quantities per cubic metre by grade
Nominal mixes are volume ratios of cement : sand : jalli. Dry materials lose about a third of their volume once water fills the voids, so the usual method multiplies the finished volume by 1.54.
| Grade (ratio) | Cement bags | Sand m³ | M-Sand MT | Jalli m³ | Jalli MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M20 (1 : 1.5 : 3) | ≈ 8.1 | 0.42 | ≈ 0.71 | 0.84 | ≈ 1.30 (20mm) |
| M15 (1 : 2 : 4) | ≈ 6.3 | 0.44 | ≈ 0.74 | 0.88 | ≈ 1.36 (20mm) |
| M10 (1 : 3 : 6) | ≈ 4.4 | 0.46 | ≈ 0.78 | 0.92 | ≈ 1.43 (20mm) or 1.46 (40mm) |
| PCC (1 : 4 : 8) | ≈ 3.4 | 0.47 | ≈ 0.80 | 0.95 | ≈ 1.50 (40mm) |
Assumes cement at 1,440 kg/m³ in 50 kg bags, loose M-Sand 1.68 t/m³, 20mm jalli 1.55 t/m³ and 40mm jalli 1.58 t/m³. Tonnes move by about ±5% with moisture.
Slab quantities you can order from
| Slab | Concrete | Cement bags | M-Sand | 20mm jalli |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft × 5 in | 5.9 m³ | ≈ 48 | ≈ 4.2 MT | ≈ 7.7 MT |
| 1,000 sq ft × 4 in | 9.4 m³ | ≈ 76 | ≈ 6.7 MT | ≈ 12.3 MT |
| 1,000 sq ft × 5 in | 11.8 m³ | ≈ 95 | ≈ 8.3 MT | ≈ 15.4 MT |
| 1,000 sq ft × 6 in | 14.2 m³ | ≈ 114 | ≈ 10.0 MT | ≈ 18.4 MT |
| 1,500 sq ft × 5 in | 17.7 m³ | ≈ 143 | ≈ 12.5 MT | ≈ 23 MT |
Beams cast with the slab add their own volume. Add about 5% for wastage and uneven formwork.
An 18 MT tipper of 20mm covers a 1,000 sq ft, 5-inch slab with a little to spare. Our minimum order is one load per material, so order a full load of M-Sand and use the balance for brickwork mortar.
From our team
Notes, photos and examples added by the M&B Chetty team, with the author and the date.
Concrete calculator
| Item | Typical quantity | In loads / units |
|---|---|---|
| Results appear here (JavaScript is needed for the calculator). | ||
Typical estimate: Nominal-mix estimate (IS 456 allows nominal mixes up to M20): dry volume = wet volume × 1.54, split by the mix ratio; cement at 1,440 kg/m³ in 50 kg bags. A design mix from a lab or an RMC plant overrides it.
Enter a slab size or a volume in m³. Results are nominal-mix estimates; a design mix from a lab or ready-mix plant overrides them.
What a 1,000 sq ft slab's jalli and sand cost
| Item | MT | Ex-works / MT | Ex-works total | Delivered / MT to Ponneri | Delivered total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Metal 20mm | 15.4 | ₹475 | ₹7,315 | ~₹919 | ~₹14,149 |
| M-Sand | 8.3 | ₹525 | ₹4,358 | ~₹971 | ~₹8,061 |
| Total | ₹11,673 | ~₹22,210 |
Cement is arranged through partner suppliers and is not priced here. Delivered prices for other areas are on each area page.