How many bags of concrete in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard of concrete takes 45 bags of 80 lb concrete mix, because a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and each 80 lb bag makes about 0.6 cubic feet. That is about 3,600 pounds of bags, before any extra for waste.
How to work it out
- Volume: 1 cu yd = 27 cu ft
- 27 cu ft ÷ 0.6 cu ft per bag = 45 bags before extra
- No extra added: buy 45 bags
A cubic yard is a block 3 ft on each side, 27 cubic feet — enough for an 81 sq ft slab 4 in thick, or about eight 12 in tube footings 4 ft deep. It is also how ready-mix is sold, which makes it the natural point to compare bags with a truck.
Adjust for your project
More options: Extra · Price
- Bags before the extra
- 45 bags · 80 lb (≈ 0.60 cu ft)
- Concrete incl. extra
- 1 cu yd (27 cu ft)
- Concrete before the extra
- 1 cu yd (27 cu ft)
- Bags of this size per cubic yard
- 45 bags
- Weight of the bags
- 3,600 lb
Bags in one cubic yard by bag size (no waste added)
| Bag size | Bags of concrete (incl. extra) | Weight of the bags |
|---|---|---|
| 0.3 cu ft | 90 bags | 3,600 lb |
| 0.375 cu ft | 72 bags | 3,600 lb |
| 0.45 cu ft | 60 bags | 3,600 lb |
| 0.6 cu ft | 45 bags | 3,600 lb |
What to know about a cubic yard of bagged concrete
| Bag size | Yield per bag | Bags per cubic yard | Weight of the bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | ≈ 0.30 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 | ≈ 0.60 cu ft | 45 | 3,600 lb |
Notice the last column: every size works out at roughly 3,600 lb of dry mix per yard, so choosing 40 lb bags does not save any lifting overall — it only makes each lift lighter and doubles the number of bags to open and mix.
Add your waste allowance on top: 5–10% for a formed slab, more for a dug hole with uneven sides. With 10%, a yard becomes 50 bags of 80 lb.
In metric, 1 m³ is 1,000 litres: about 59 bags of 80 lb (17 L each) or around 86 bags of 25 kg at roughly 11.6 L a bag. Metric bag yields vary more between brands, so read the bag.
Bags or a truck? Bags win where a mixer truck can’t reach, and for pours spread over several days. Past a yard or so, ready-mix is usually less work and more even; ask about minimum loads first. For a real slab this size, see how many bags of concrete for a 10×10 slab; for posts, how many bags of concrete per 4×4 fence post.
Different size? Use the full Concrete Bag Calculator.
What you’ll need
- Wheelbarrow (6 cu ft class)Mid-range price
Most home wheelbarrows hold 4–6 cubic feet — so a cubic yard of mulch is five or six trips. Two wheels are steadier on soft ground.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Mortar / concrete mixing tubBudget price
A wide, shallow tub for mixing one or two bags of concrete at a time with a hoe — much easier than mixing in a wheelbarrow.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Mortar / mixing hoeBudget price
A hoe with holes in the blade pulls water through dry mix quickly, so bagged concrete mixes evenly without clumps.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How many 60 lb bags of concrete make a yard?
60 bags of 60 lb, at about 0.45 cubic feet each, before any extra for waste.
How many 40 lb bags of concrete in a cubic yard?
90 bags of 40 lb, at about 0.30 cubic feet each. Same total weight as 80 lb bags, twice the bags.
How many bags of concrete in half a yard?
About 23 bags of 80 lb for half a cubic yard (13.5 cubic feet), before waste.
Other common sizes
Sources
- Quikrete Concrete Mix (No. 1101) data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Yields: 40 lb ≈ 0.30, 50 lb ≈ 0.375, 60 lb ≈ 0.45, 80 lb ≈ 0.60 cu ft; 2 in minimum; control joints every 6–8 ft; water per bag
- Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix (No. 1004) data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Metric yields: 25 kg ≈ 11.6 L, 30 kg ≈ 14 L