Skip to content
ENExplore Calculators

Grain Storage Capacity Calculator

Work out grain storage capacity instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Grain Storage Capacity Calculator

Bulk storage capacity is simply volume x bulk density. Wheat runs about 780 kg/m3, maize 720, paddy 575 and soybean 750, so the same building holds very different tonnages depending on the commodity. Floor loading matters too — three metres of wheat puts about 2.3 tonnes on every square metre.

Formula

Storage capacity

Capacity (t) = length x width x grain depth x bulk density / 1000

Worked example

With the default values below, Grain Storage Capacity Calculator returns Storage Capacity of 224.64. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Store Lengthminimum 0.1 m
12 m
Store Widthminimum 0.1 m
8 m
Grain Depthminimum 0.1 m
3 m
Grain Bulk Densityminimum 100 kg/m3
780 kg/m3

Results

Storage Capacity
224.64
Grain Volume
288.00
Equivalent 50 kg Bags
4,492
Floor Loading
2.340

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Storage capacity
  3. 3Storage Capacity= 224.64
  4. 4Grain Volume= 288.00
  5. 5Equivalent 50 kg Bags= 4,492
  6. 6Floor Loading= 2.340

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Grain exerts substantial lateral pressure on walls and entrapment in flowing grain is fatal. Have storage structures designed and certified by an engineer and never enter a bin without lock-out and a harness.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Grain exerts substantial lateral pressure on walls and entrapment in flowing grain is fatal. Have storage structures designed and certified by an engineer and never enter a bin without lock-out and a harness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does bag storage hold the same tonnage?

No. Stacked bags waste 25-35% of the volume in voids and aisles, so a building holds substantially less in bags than in bulk.

What grain depth is safe?

Check the wall design. Grain exerts lateral pressure that rises with depth, and flat-store walls not designed for grain loading can fail. Bulk depth over about 3 m needs an engineered structure.

Related Calculators

Grain Storage Capacity Calculator | Calcrivo