How to use
- Take the slab footprint and specified grid spacing from your project drawing.
- Enter the edge cover that applies to that drawing; use the same cover around this simple rectangular grid.
- Choose the bar size and supplied stick length. Read the two grid directions separately before reviewing the pooled length.
How the estimate is calculated
Bars running along the slab length are counted across its width: floor((width in inches − twice cover) ÷ spacing) + 1. Each is the slab length minus twice cover. Reverse the dimensions for the other direction, add their lengths, and divide by stock length for a rounded-up pooled stick equivalent. The grid starts at one covered edge; any residual space remains at the opposite edge.
Example: a 10 × 10 ft slab at 12 in spacing and 3 in edge cover uses 10 bars in each direction. Each cut bar is 9.5 ft long, giving 190.0 linear ft. With 20 ft stock, the pooled equivalent is 10 sticks. At the #4 planning weight of 0.668 lb/ft, the total is about 127 lb (190 × 0.668 = 126.92 lb) before stock offcuts or laps.
Nominal weight for a hauling estimate
| US bar | Nominal diameter (in) | Planning weight (lb/ft) |
|---|---|---|
| #3 | 0.375 | 0.376 |
| #4 | 0.500 | 0.668 |
| #5 | 0.625 | 1.043 |
| #6 | 0.750 | 1.502 |
These commonly used planning figures come from search summaries reviewed for this estimate. The fetched CRSI bar-identification page did not provide a weight table, so this page does not claim an independently checked ASTM or CRSI weight specification. Confirm actual supply weights for transport.
Pooled length is not a cutting schedule
A short offcut from one stick might not fit another run. A bar longer than stock needs designed splices, which add length; even a shorter bar can waste stock when two cuts cannot fit a stick. The displayed stick count divides all length into one pool and can understate the purchase count. Prepare a cut list after splice and bend details are settled.
Chairs or other specified supports hold reinforcement at its intended position during placement. Edge cover in this takeoff does not define vertical cover or support spacing. Ask the project designer about those details and any required laps rather than inferring them from the material count.
Common mistakes
- Using slab width to name the direction a bar runs, rather than the dimension across which it is counted.
- Ordering the pooled stick count as though it were a checked cutting plan.
- Adding no length for designed laps, hooks, or bends.
- Treating the editable 3 in cover as an official requirement for every slab.
Sources
Nominal bar sizes and weights: a reinforcing-bar weight table reviewed only as a search summary. CRSI bar identification is identification background only; no fetched weight table was available. Cover is user supplied, with a planning default rather than an asserted code section.
Related calculators
- Concrete Slab Calculator — concrete and separately estimated base material
- Concrete Calculator — concrete volume for measured shapes
Frequently asked questions
Does this design the reinforcement?
No reinforcement design is performed. Supply bar size, spacing, and cover from an appropriate project design.
Are lap splices included in the stick count?
Laps, hooks, and bends are excluded. A designed splice schedule can increase both length and stock purchases.
Why is the stick count called a pooled equivalent?
It divides total bar length by stock length without testing which cuts fit together. Offcut losses can require additional sticks.
Can I use zero edge cover?
The arithmetic permits zero to explore a layout. That does not establish whether such cover is suitable for your concrete project.
What weight does the result show?
It estimates the net straight grid from nominal pounds per foot. Purchased stock and offcuts may weigh more.