Curb and Gutter Calculator: Concrete Yards and Removal Tons

Concrete curb and gutter calculator

Pick what you're pouring or removing, enter the run and the section size. Results update as you type.

Section Curb & gutter Curb only Gutter only Length (LF) Curb width (in) Curb height (in) Gutter width (in) Gutter thickness (in) Waste (%) Section area override (sq in, optional)

–cubic feet

–cubic yards to pour, incl. waste

–removal tons

–CY per 100 LF (before waste)

Rectangular-section estimate. Enter a section area from your agency's standard detail for a tighter number.

How the curb and gutter concrete calculator works

Curb and gutter is a long, skinny prism: a cross-section pushed along a line. Volume is the cross-section area times the length. Because curb dimensions come in inches and runs come in feet, the 144 converts square inches to square feet:

CF = LF × curb width × curb height ÷ 144 + LF × gutter width × gutter thickness ÷ 144

From cubic feet you get the two numbers that matter on a concrete curb and gutter job:

• Cubic yards to pour = CF ÷ 27 × (1 + waste %).
• Removal tons = CF × 12 ÷ 159.

This is the same rectangular method the Jobsite Reel app uses for its Concrete Curb / Curb & Gutter items, so the calculator here and the app give matching numbers.

How to measure a combined curb and gutter

Treat it as two rectangles sitting side by side so nothing gets counted twice:

• Curb: width across the top-to-back of the curb, and the full height from the top of curb to the bottom of the concrete, not just the exposed reveal.
• Gutter: width from the face of the curb to the lip (don't include the curb width again), and the pan thickness.

For curb only or gutter only, set the calculator's section selector and just fill in the piece you need.

Why removal tons use × 12 ÷ 159

Multiplying cubic feet by 12 turns it into "square-foot-inches," the unit in the common flatwork rule that 159 square-foot-inches weigh a ton. That divisor assumes about 151 lb per cubic foot (2,000 × 12 ÷ 159). Normal-weight concrete is commonly figured at roughly 145–150 lb/ft³, so the rule is a reasonable, slightly heavy planning number for haul-off. It's the same math as our asphalt tonnage calculator. Broken concrete bulks up in the truck, but the weight doesn't change, so plan disposal by the ton.

Worked example: 20 LF of curb & gutter

A damaged run of 20 linear feet. The curb measures 6 in wide by 18 in tall overall; the gutter pan is 24 in wide and 6 in thick.

The calculator above loads with these numbers. Set waste to 0 and you'll see the 1.30 CY figure exactly. In practice, ready-mix suppliers often have minimum loads and short-load charges, so a small curb repair is usually priced around the delivery, not the yardage. Ask your supplier what applies.

Rectangles vs. the real section: using the curb and gutter detail

The rectangular method is quick and good enough for most repair estimates. But real curb sections aren't boxes. A barrier curb face usually has a batter, the back may be sloped, corners are rounded, and the gutter pan slopes toward the flow line. A mountable or rolled curb is mostly sloped faces.

Depending on which dimensions you measure, rectangles can run high or low:

• Battered barrier curb: if you use the narrow top width, the rectangle under-counts the wider bottom.
• Rolled or mountable curb: if you use the overall width and height, the rectangle over-counts, because the sloped face cuts away a lot of concrete.

When the number has to be tight, such as a bid on a public job, get the section area from the agency's curb and gutter detail (the standard drawing named in the plans). Some details print the area or a cubic-yards-per-foot value; if not, break the section into rectangles and trapezoids and add them up. A trapezoid's area is (top + bottom) ÷ 2 × height.

Then type that area in square inches into the calculator's section area override. The math becomes:

CF = LF × section area (sq in) ÷ 144

Example: the same run with a battered curb face

Say your detail shows the curb 6 in wide at the top and 7.5 in at the base, 18 in tall, with the same 24 × 6 in gutter. (These dimensions are an illustration, not any agency's standard.)

• Curb trapezoid: (6 + 7.5) ÷ 2 × 18 = 121.5 sq in (vs. 108 sq in as a 6 × 18 rectangle)
• Gutter: 24 × 6 = 144 sq in
• Section: 121.5 + 144 = 265.5 sq in
• Per 100 LF: 265.5 × 100 ÷ 144 ÷ 27 = 6.83 CY, vs. 6.48 CY with rectangles

That's about 5% more concrete for the whole section, and about 12% more in the curb piece alone. On 20 LF it doesn't matter. On 2,000 LF it's roughly 7 yards.

Cubic yards per 100 LF: quick reference

Rectangular sections, before waste. These are example sizes for quick checks, not agency standards.

Types of curb and gutter

Names vary by region and agency, but most concrete curb and gutter falls into a handful of shapes. Here's what each one is for and what it means for your quantities.

Barrier (vertical) curb

A tall, near-vertical face, often with a slight batter, meant to keep vehicles on the pavement and channel water. Common on arterials, commercial entrances and parking-lot islands. More concrete per foot than a mountable section of the same width, and driveways need a cut or a depressed section.

Mountable, rolled and roll-over curb and gutter

A low curb with a sloped or rounded face that a car can drive over. Rolled curb and gutter is common in residential subdivisions because driveways can be added anywhere without cutting the curb. "Roll-over" is often used for the same thing, though some agencies reserve it for a specific shape. The sloped face means less concrete than the overall dimensions suggest, so don't use a full rectangle if accuracy matters.

Combined (integral) curb and gutter

The curb and gutter pan poured monolithically as one piece. This is what most people mean by "curb and gutter." Quantify it as curb plus gutter, as in the calculator's default mode.

Ribbon curb

A flat concrete band set flush or nearly flush with the pavement, used as an edge restraint for asphalt or pavers where a raised curb isn't wanted. Quantify it as a single rectangle using the "curb only" mode.

Gutter only and valley gutters

Gutter pans without a curb, including cross or valley gutters across intersections and driveways. Use "gutter only" and the pan's width and thickness.

What is Type A curb and gutter?

"Type A," "Type B," "Type 2" and similar names are labels from a specific agency's standard drawings. The same letter can mean a completely different section from one state DOT or city to the next. If a plan calls for "Type A curb and gutter," find the standard detail it references and take the dimensions, or better, the section area, from that sheet.

Curb and gutter cost per linear foot: build your own unit price

We won't quote a price per foot. Material, labor and disposal costs swing too much by region and market for a national number to mean anything. What you can do is build a unit price from the quantities this calculator gives you:

1. Concrete: CY per LF × (1 + waste) × your delivered price per CY, plus any short-load or minimum-load charges.
2. Removal and disposal (replacement jobs): removal tons per LF × your haul and dump cost per ton, plus sawcutting.
3. Base: aggregate under the curb if the detail calls for it.
4. Labor: crew hours per LF for forming or slipforming, placing, finishing and stripping, times your loaded crew rate.
5. Equipment: machine time, pump or slipform if used, plus mobilization spread over the footage.
6. Overhead and profit on the total, then divide by the linear feet.

For the 252 sq in section above, every 100 LF carries 6.48 CY of concrete before waste and, on a replacement, about 13.2 tons of removal. Multiply those by your own prices and you have the material and disposal part of your concrete curb and gutter installation cost. Run the same exercise for walks with our sidewalk replacement cost guide.

Quantify curb and gutter on the walk

Most curb work starts with a walk: find the broken sections, measure and photograph them, and get the list to whoever's pricing it. In Jobsite Reel you add a Concrete Curb / Curb & Gutter item, enter LF and the section size, and see cubic feet, cubic yards and removal tons on the spot, alongside marked-up iPhone photos, a GPS pin and notes. The one-tap PDF report totals quantities by folder and maps every numbered area on satellite imagery.

It runs in iPhone Safari and works offline. If you need team sync, Android or plan sheets, our SiteCam vs Jobsite Reel comparison shows where each tool fits. Sidewalk lifts next to the curb? See what counts as a sidewalk trip hazard.

See plan details on the pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate concrete for curb and gutter?

Multiply linear feet by the cross-section area in square inches and divide by 144 to get cubic feet. With the rectangular method that is LF × curb width × curb height ÷ 144 plus LF × gutter width × gutter thickness ÷ 144. Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards and add a waste allowance.

How many cubic yards of concrete are in 100 feet of curb and gutter?

It depends on the section. A rectangular 6 × 18 inch curb with a 24 × 6 inch gutter is 252 square inches, which is 175 cubic feet or about 6.48 cubic yards per 100 linear feet before waste. Use your agency's standard detail for the exact section area.

How many tons of concrete come out when you remove curb and gutter?

A common field rule is cubic feet × 12 ÷ 159, which assumes about 151 lb per cubic foot. For 20 linear feet of 6 × 18 inch curb with a 24 × 6 inch gutter, that is 35 cubic feet × 12 ÷ 159, or about 2.64 tons.

What is the difference between rolled and barrier curb and gutter?

Barrier or vertical curb has a steep face meant to discourage vehicles from leaving the road. Rolled or mountable curb has a low, sloped face that cars can drive over, so driveways can cross it without a cut. Rolled sections usually use less concrete per foot.

What is Type A curb and gutter?

Type A is an agency label, not a universal standard. Different state DOTs and cities use letters or numbers like Type A, Type B or Type 2 for different sections. Check the standard detail drawing named in your contract for the dimensions.

How do I figure curb and gutter cost per linear foot?

Build it from quantities: concrete cubic yards per foot times your delivered price, plus forming and finishing labor, equipment, base, removal and disposal by the ton if it is a replacement, then overhead and profit. Divide the total by the linear feet. Prices vary by region and market, so use your own costs.