How Many Bags of Concrete in a Yard?
One cubic yard takes 45 bags of 80 lb concrete mix, 60 bags of 60 lb, 72 bags of 50 lb or 90 bags of 40 lb. Enter your own pour below for an exact count.
Bags of concrete per cubic yard
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Divide 27 by the yield of one bag to get the number of bags. Yields are from the QUIKRETE Concrete Mix data sheet.
| Bag size | Yield per bag | Bags per cubic yard | Weight of those bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 lb | 0.60 cu ft | 45 | 3,600 lb |
| 60 lb | 0.45 cu ft | 60 | 3,600 lb |
| 50 lb | 0.375 cu ft | 72 | 3,600 lb |
| 40 lb | 0.30 cu ft | 90 | 3,600 lb |
Every size works out to 3,600 lb of dry mix per yard, so the choice comes down to what you can lift and what your store stocks. The mixed concrete weighs more, about 4,050 lb per yard, because of the water you add.
Bags needed for part of a yard
| Cubic yards | 80 lb bags | 60 lb bags | 50 lb bags | 40 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 23 |
| 0.5 | 23 | 30 | 36 | 45 |
| 0.75 | 34 | 45 | 54 | 68 |
| 1 | 45 | 60 | 72 | 90 |
| 1.5 | 68 | 90 | 108 | 135 |
| 2 | 90 | 120 | 144 | 180 |
| 3 | 135 | 180 | 216 | 270 |
Counts are rounded up to whole bags and do not include waste. Add 5% to 10% for spillage and uneven ground.
How to work it out yourself
- Find your volume in cubic feet: length × width × thickness, all in feet.
- Divide by the yield of your bag size (0.60 for an 80 lb bag).
- Round up to the next whole bag, then add your waste allowance.
Example: a 4 ft × 6 ft pad at 4 inches thick is 4 × 6 × 0.333 = 8 cubic feet. 8 ÷ 0.60 = 13.3, so buy 14 bags of 80 lb mix, or 15 with waste. The concrete bag calculator does this for any shape.
When a yard of bags stops making sense
One yard means opening and mixing 45 bags of 80 lb. Past that point most people order ready-mix. The concrete calculator compares the cost of both using your local prices.
Frequently asked questions
How many 80 lb bags of concrete are in a yard?
45 bags. One 80 lb bag makes about 0.60 cubic feet, and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 27 ÷ 0.60 = 45.
How many 60 lb bags of concrete are in a yard?
60 bags. One 60 lb bag makes about 0.45 cubic feet, and 27 ÷ 0.45 = 60.
How many 50 lb bags of concrete are in a yard?
72 bags. One 50 lb bag makes about 0.375 cubic feet, and 27 ÷ 0.375 = 72.
How many 40 lb bags of concrete are in a yard?
90 bags. One 40 lb bag makes about 0.30 cubic feet, and 27 ÷ 0.30 = 90.
How many cubic yards are in a bag of concrete?
An 80 lb bag is 0.022 cubic yards, a 60 lb bag is 0.017, a 50 lb bag is 0.014 and a 40 lb bag is 0.011.
How many bags of concrete do I need for a 10×10 slab?
A 10 ft by 10 ft slab at 4 inches thick is 1.23 cubic yards. That is 56 bags of 80 lb mix, or 62 bags with 10% added for waste.