Hardcore calculator
Work out how much hardcore or 6F2 a base needs, in tonnes and bulk bags.
Hardcore calculator
Use your supplier's density
You need
- Volume
- Weight
- Area
| Order by | Exact | Order, rounded up for anything sold in whole bags |
|---|
Enter your measurements to see what to order.
One cubic metre of hardcore weighs about 1.85 tonnes and covers about 20 square metres at 50mm.
How to work out how much hardcore you need
- Measure the area in metres and multiply length by width.
- Pick a depth in mm and multiply it by the area to get a volume.
- Multiply the volume by the bulk density, 1850 kg per cubic metre for hardcore, to get a weight.
- Divide the weight by your supplier's tonne or bulk bag to get what to order, and round up. Suppliers do not sell part bags.
- Add 20 percent. Hardcore is laid compacted, so order for the compacted depth rather than the loose one.
How many tons in a cubic yard of hardcore?
About 1.56 US tons, at 1850 kg per cubic metre. Because published densities run from 1600 to 2100, the honest answer is a range: between 1.35 and 1.77 tons per cubic yard depending on grading and how wet the load is.
How many cubic yards in a ton of hardcore?
About 0.64 cubic yards. One tonne is about 0.54 cubic metres.
How much does hardcore weigh?
Between 1600 and 2100 kg per cubic metre, a spread of 31 percent. A demolition by-product, so the mix of concrete, brick and tarmac varies load to load. The calculator above uses 1850, and you can replace it with your own supplier's figure.
4 published figures from 4 suppliers, read 2026-09-20.
| Supplier | Published figure | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland Aggregates LtdUK | Approx 1.6 tonnes per cubic metre | Unstated |
| Smiths Bletchington (Smith & Sons (Bletchington) Ltd)UK | Approx 2.1 Tonnes per cubic metre | Unstated, AND the label is not 'density' |
| Earth Haulage LtdUK | 1.8 tonne per m3 loose; 1.92 compacted | Both conditions stated explicitly and separately: loose 1.8, compacted 1.92 |
| RospowerUK | Capping (6F2 / 6F5) 1.9 t/m3 | Compacted |
What you can order hardcore in
| Pack | Where | Size |
|---|---|---|
| 850kg bulk bag | UK | 850 kg (suppliers state 700 to 1000 kg) |
| 25kg bag | UK | 25 kg |
| tonne | UK, AU | 1,000 kg |
Hardcore and crushed concrete
In the US trade the same material is sold as crushed concrete, ordered in cubic yards and tons, so the crushed concrete calculator works in those units and at those depths.