Sonotube sizes and concrete per tube

Sonotube forms: what we stock

How much concrete fills a 4 ft Sonotube?

Per-foot figures are Sonoco's for its Builder's Tube forms. An 80 lb bag of Quikrete Concrete Mix yields about 0.60 cu ft, per Quikrete's data sheet. Bag counts are approximate; round up and allow for waste and the footing below the tube.

How much concrete fills a 12 ft Sonotube?

Sonoco publishes cubic yards of concrete by column height for its round forms. A full 12 ft tube at each common diameter:

Diameters are nominal. Volume = 3.1416 x (diameter in inches / 24) squared x height in feet, in cubic feet; divide by 27 for cubic yards.

Setting and pouring

Sonoco rates Builder's Tube forms for below-grade pours and up to 3 ft above the ground line, with bracing once the tube stands more than 2 ft out of the ground. Those tubes should not be vibrated. The 12 ft round forms are made to be poured in one lift, braced plumb and vibrated, and stripped 24 to 48 hours after the pour if the column is left exposed.

Store tubes dry and covered, standing up or raised at least 4" off the ground. A wet tube can lose its shape under the load of the pour.

Questions about Sonotube forms

How many bags of concrete to fill a 12 inch sonotube?

Sonoco puts a 12" tube at 0.80 cu ft of concrete per foot of height, about 1-1/3 bags of 80 lb mix per foot. A 12" x 4 ft tube takes about 3.2 cu ft, or roughly 5-1/3 bags at Quikrete's 0.60 cu ft per 80 lb bag. Order 6 and add more for any footing below the tube.

Does a Sonotube need a footing?

Many piers and deck posts are designed with a spread footing under the tube, but the structural plans and local code decide. Yankocy stocks footing forms that pair with Sonotube: Square Foot forms, Redibase and Form-A-Drain, plus CertaForm flexible form boards in 4" and 6" x 12'.

What sizes do Sonotubes come in?

Sonoco makes round Sonotube forms from 6" to 36" diameter in standard 12 ft lengths, and Builder's Tube forms in 6" to 12" diameters. Yankocy stocks 4 ft tubes in 8", 10" and 12" and 12 ft tubes in every diameter from 6" to 36", all in stock, sold wholesale to yards.

What can I use instead of sonotubes?

For shallow footings under a pier, contractors use footing forms instead of, or together with, a tube. Yankocy stocks Square Foot forms, Redibase forms, Form-A-Drain and CertaForm flexible form boards alongside Sonotube. Which one fits depends on the footing size shown on the plans.

Last updated November 2, 2026

Yankocy sells Sonotube forms wholesale to mason and lumber yards and municipalities. Buying for your own home? Your local lumber or mason yard can order it for you.

Sonotube forms data sheets and sources

• Sonoco Sonotube round concrete forms brochure (PDF)
• Sonoco Sonotube Builder's Tube concrete forms (PDF)
• Sonoco Sonotube concrete forms
• Quikrete Concrete Mix data sheet (bag yield)

Related to Sonotube forms

• Rebar
• Lally columns
• Nomaflex expansion joint
• All concrete accessories