Concrete Bags per Yard
How many bags of premixed concrete make a cubic yard, for every common bag size, and a converter from cubic yards or cubic feet to bags.
How many bags of concrete in a yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cu ft. Divide it by the yield of one bag: 45 bags of 80 lb, 60 bags of 60 lb, 72 bags of 50 lb or 90 bags of 40 lb make one cubic yard of concrete, before any waste.
| Bag size | Yield per bag | Bags per cubic yard | Weight per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 0.3 cu ft | 90 | 3,600 lb |
| 50 lb | 0.375 cu ft | 72 | 3,600 lb |
| 60 lb | 0.45 cu ft | 60 | 3,600 lb |
| 80 lb | 0.6 cu ft | 45 | 3,600 lb |
Bags of concrete mix
1 cu yd (27 cu ft) of concrete mix.
- Bags of 80 lb
- 451.8 tons of mix
- Bags of 60 lb
- 601.8 tons of mix
- Bags of 50 lb
- 721.8 tons of mix
- Bags of 40 lb
- 901.8 tons of mix
The numbers above are for one cubic yard with no waste allowance. Allow this page to run scripts in your browser to convert your own volume, or divide the volume in cubic feet by the yield in the table.
How many bags of concrete per yard, and why
A bag of premixed concrete is sold by weight but used by volume. Once water is added and the mix is placed, each bag yields a fixed volume of finished concrete, which the manufacturer prints on the bag and on its data sheet. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so the number of bags per yard is simply 27 divided by the yield of one bag.
80 lb: 27 / 0.6 = 45, 60 lb: 27 / 0.45 = 60, 50 lb: 27 / 0.375 = 72, 40 lb: 27 / 0.3 = 90
Notice that every column of the table lands on the same 3,600 lb of dry mix per cubic yard. A standard concrete mix yields about 0.6 cu ft per 80 lb, so the bag size changes how many trips you make from the truck, not how much you lift in total. That weight, 1.8 tons per yard, is the number to check against the payload of the truck or trailer that brings it home.
Bags for common volumes
| Volume | Cubic feet | 80 lb | 60 lb | 50 lb | 40 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cu yd | 6.75 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 23 |
| 1/2 cu yd | 13.5 | 23 | 30 | 36 | 45 |
| 1 cu yd | 27 | 45 | 60 | 72 | 90 |
| 1.5 cu yd | 40.5 | 68 | 90 | 108 | 135 |
| 2 cu yd | 54 | 90 | 120 | 144 | 180 |
| 3 cu yd | 81 | 135 | 180 | 216 | 270 |
Each count is rounded up to a whole bag. Add the waste allowance on top: 10 % is the usual figure for a slab poured on a subgrade that is never perfectly flat.
Concrete for fence posts and small jobs
Most bagged concrete goes into holes rather than slabs. A 4x4 post set 24 in deep in a 10.5 in hole takes about 1.03 cu ft of concrete once the post is subtracted, which is two 80 lb bags or three 60 lb bags per hole. Round up per hole, not at the end of the job, because each hole is mixed on its own. The fence calculator does that count for the whole fence line, and the concrete calculator handles round columns, piers and tube forms.
When to stop buying bags
Up to about a cubic yard, 45 bags of 80 lb, bags and a rented mixer are a reasonable two-person job. Past that, compare a ready-mix delivery: one truck places the whole pour at once without cold joints between batches, and the price per yard is usually lower than the same volume in bags once the mixer rental and the labor are counted. Many plants charge a short-load fee under a minimum order, so ask before you decide. The concrete slab calculator gives both the bags and the ready-mix order rounded to the quarter yard.
Frequently asked questions
How many 80 lb bags of concrete in a yard?
45 bags. An 80 lb bag of standard concrete mix yields about 0.6 cu ft, and a cubic yard is 27 cu ft, so 27 / 0.6 = 45. Add 10 % for waste on a slab and buy 50.
How many 60 lb bags of concrete make a yard?
60 bags. A 60 lb bag yields about 0.45 cu ft, and 27 / 0.45 = 60.
How many 50 lb bags of concrete in a cubic yard?
72 bags. A 50 lb bag yields about 0.375 cu ft, and 27 / 0.375 = 72.
How many 40 lb bags of concrete in a yard?
90 bags. A 40 lb bag yields about 0.3 cu ft, and 27 / 0.3 = 90.
How much does a yard of bagged concrete weigh?
About 3,600 lb of dry mix, or 1.8 tons, whatever the bag size: 45 bags of 80 lb, 60 of 60 lb, 72 of 50 lb or 90 of 40 lb all add up to the same weight. Check it against the payload of your truck or trailer before you load.
Source
Yields per bag from the QUIKRETE, Concrete Mix No. 1101 data sheet (bag yields): approximately 0.30 cu ft for 40 lb, 0.375 cu ft for 50 lb, 0.45 cu ft for 60 lb and 0.60 cu ft for 80 lb. High-strength, fast-setting and fiber-reinforced mixes publish their own yields, which can differ; the bag you buy wins.