Rebar Calculator

Get bar counts, total length, and how many 20-foot sticks to buy for any slab grid.

Inputs
ft ×
ft
in
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ResultsLIVE
20-ft sticks to buy
12 × #4-20′
Bars along 12′ side10 @ 11′6″
Bars along 10′ side12 @ 9′6″
Total bar length229 lf
Total bars22
Formula
rows = floor((120″ − 2×3″) ÷ 12″) + 1 = 10 · cols = 12
length = 10×11.5 + 12×9.5 = 229 lf → sticks = ceil(229 ÷ 20) = 12
Diagram — grid planNTS
12″ O.C.3″ CLR#4 BAR GRIDTIE AT CROSSINGSMEASURESHEDGRID 12×10 · #4STICKS: 12 × 20′

Rebar in a slab is laid as a grid at a fixed spacing, held back from every edge by the concrete cover. The number of bars in one direction is the clear span divided by the spacing, plus one — the plus-one is the bar at the far edge that the division alone misses.

Each bar spans the clear dimension of the slab, edge cover subtracted from both sides. Add up the length of every bar in both directions to get total linear feet, then divide by the stock length — 20 ft is the common stick — and round up to know how many to buy.

Bars overlap at splices where a run is longer than a single stick; a common lap is 40 times the bar diameter. This estimate counts the grid length only, so add a bit for laps on large slabs.

Worked example
Slab 10 ft × 12 ft · 12 in grid · #4 bar · 3 in edge clearance
bars along 12′ side = floor((120 − 6) ÷ 12) + 1 = 10, each 11′6″
bars along 10′ side = floor((144 − 6) ÷ 12) + 1 = 12, each 9′6″
total = 10 × 11.5 + 12 × 9.5 = 229 lf → sticks = ceil(229 ÷ 20) = 12
The number is eighths of an inch: #4 is 4/8 in = 1/2 in diameter. #3 (3/8 in) suits light slabs, #4 is the residential default, and #5 (5/8 in) is for driveways and footings carrying heavy loads.
SOURCESACI 318 development & splice lengths · CRSI placing reinforcing bars
Estimates for planning only — verify before purchase