Need help figuring this out

[Dusty Britches]

Concrete / sackrete -

My husband is building a low water crossing in the driveway. It measures 17 feet wide, 9 feet across and 4 inches deep, but he has placed large rocks and broken concrete in there to cover, I'm guessing 90% of the space.

How many 40 pound bags of sackrete would I need to buy to properly fill this in?

Thanks!

[jerp]

Formula for cubic feet: length x width x height
17 x 9 x .33 = 50.49 cubic feet
(4 inches is .33 of a foot)

40 lb bag of Quickcrete is .3 cubic feet
60 lb bag is .45 cubic feet
80 lb bag is .6 cubic feet

So unless my math is wrong(which is very possible) that comes out to 168 40lb bags

[Dusty Britches]

So, to fill 10-15%, I would need at least 16 - 40 pound bags? (or 8 - 80's)

[Bweger]

None of my business but your husband needs to dig a ditch on the upstream side of the crossing at least 2 foot deep the length of the crossing or the water will erode underneath the concrete and wash out the crossing eventually. I have been in the construction business pretty much all my life and this is just my opinion on the subject but I would hate to see ya'll go through the time and expense just to have it wash down the creek.

[Bily Lovec]

So, to fill 10-15%, I would need at least 16 - 40 pound bags? (or 8 - 80's)

better get 20+

safe>sorry
;-)

[Dusty Britches]

I appreciate the tip. This isn't really a creek crossing - it is only to allow water to drain efficiently from a sheet run off and prevent it from backing up into the yard. We used to have 3 - 6 inch pipes, but the water backed up into the yard. Within an hour of stopping a heavy rainfall, the water is completely gone.

If I can find pictures, I'll post them. I would like your opinion on it.

[Extremebowman]

Just use a big heavy steel plate across the opening, you can find them all over Ft Worth, that's what the streets and parks guys use to fix the roads

Just kidding, Jerps math is pretty close. The problem i see with your plan is that when you pour the mud over the rip rap, it will crumble over time, more than likely within a year or two, probably quicker since it's a driveway, and then you have a bigger mess. In the long run it will be better to do what Bweger said, it will cost more, but it will be done once and right.

Agreed it is hard to speculate without pics, but unless you want to add this to your spring list of things to do (redo) every year, do it right the first time.

[Bill]

Throwing in some rebar in a grid and twisting the intersections together with wire could only make it stronger and not crack.

I love Texas, "Honey, could you be a love and run down to the local store and pick up 40 bags of concrete for me before you shoot your bow? I'm busy with the laundry".

[Dusty Britches]

I love Texas, "Honey, could you be a love and run down to the local store and pick up 40 bags of concrete for me before you shoot your bow? I'm busy with the laundry".

Good one, Bill - except before I go to Lowes, I need to do the laundry first. I'm still waiting for my washer and dry to be hooked up.

Is my husband lucky or what???

[Dusty Britches]

ok, so deeper and 20 sacks. got it.

[gonehuntin]

Tracey, you will need close to 170 40lb bags,113 60lb bags,or 85 80lb bags to pour this drive. I done the same thing to a creek crossing on my ranch and used old cattle panels for mesh. My drive is 14ft wide by 12ft wide and 4in deep and has never washed out. I have seen water 4ft deep running over this slab and it has never washed out or under,and has water running across it 10 months out of the year.

[Dale Moser]

IMO, find a concrete place that sells concrete by the dump trailer full. You buy the crete and it comes in a dump trailer which you pull home, dump the crete out, and return the trailer. It works great, and you don't have to un-load all them bags, or mix the crap.

[gjennings]

Tracey look into the companies that will come out with the trucks that have the hoppers that will mix concrete on the spot. It is a little more expensive but usually is no minimum order. If you get a normal concrete truck out they usually have a minimum. This would save some valuable time.

[Matt]

Hand mixing 100 + bags of sack crete? Yikes!!!

[belly_up]

do a google on concrete calculators, you should find what you need.