About ForemanMath

ForemanMath exists because most online calculators were written by people who have never ordered concrete for a pour or laid out a stair stringer.

I'm Chris. I've spent more than 20 years in residential and commercial building trades: concrete, tile and masonry, framing, cabinetry, welding and fabrication. For the last 19 years I've also worked as a design and product engineer in the commercial construction products industry, reading blueprints, drawing in CAD and doing material takeoffs and estimates every day.

Every calculator on this site uses the waste factors, bag yields, coverage rates and code minimums that hold up on a real job, and every page shows the formula so you can check the math yourself.

How to use these numbers

The results are planning estimates. Measure carefully, confirm quantities against your plans, and check product coverage with your supplier, since brands vary. Where building code matters (stairs, ties, underlayment on low slopes), the calculators flag it, but your local code and your plans always govern.

Suggestions and corrections

If you use a different rule of thumb, find a mistake, or want a calculator that is not here yet, get in touch.