Includes —% waste | — cu yd total
Shopping Summary
- Purchase—
- Total weight—
- Pallets—
- Bag vs ready-mix—
- Estimated cost—
Bag Yield Reference
| Bag size | Yield | Bags per cu yd (27 cu ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 0.30 cu ft | ~90 |
| 50 lb | 0.375 cu ft | ~72 |
| 60 lb | 0.45 cu ft | ~60 |
| 80 lb | 0.60 cu ft | ~45 |
Common Project Examples
| Project | Typical 80 lb bags |
|---|---|
| Fence post | 1 – 2 |
| Mailbox post | 2 – 3 |
| Basketball pole | 8 – 12 |
| Small pad | 15 – 30 |
How Many Bags of Concrete Do I Need?
People buy concrete by the bag, not the cubic yard, so the useful answer is a bag count. First find the volume of your pour from the project shape, then divide by the yield of one bag: an 80 pound bag yields about 0.6 cubic feet, a 60 pound bag about 0.45, a 50 pound bag about 0.375, and a 40 pound bag about 0.3. Add a waste factor because concrete always seems to need one more bag, and round up. This calculator returns the volume, the bag count, the recommended purchase with waste, the total weight, pallets, and cost, so you can plan the whole trip.
Bags per Cubic Yard
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, which is the figure ready-mix is sold by. Converting to bags: a cubic yard takes about 45 of the 80 pound bags, 60 of the 60 pound bags, 72 of the 50 pound bags, or 90 of the 40 pound bags. That is why large pours get heavy and expensive in bags quickly. Knowing the bags-per-yard also helps you judge when to stop hauling bags and call a ready-mix truck instead.
Bagged Concrete vs Ready-Mix
For small jobs, bags win on price and convenience: fence posts, a mailbox, a small pad, or a few footings. As the volume climbs toward and past a cubic yard, the math flips. The bags get expensive, the mixing becomes a real workout, and a ready-mix delivery, despite minimum-load and short-load fees, is usually cheaper and dramatically faster. A rough rule is to use bags under one cubic yard and seriously price out ready-mix above it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bags per cubic yard? About 45 of the 80 pound bags, 60 of the 60 pound bags, or 90 of the 40 pound bags.
How much does an 80 lb bag cover? Roughly 0.6 cubic feet, which is a 2 ft by 2 ft area at about 1.75 inches thick.
Should I buy extra? Yes, add 5 to 15 percent; a partial bag short means a second trip and a cold joint.
How much does a pallet weigh? A pallet of 80 lb bags (about 42 bags) weighs roughly 3,360 pounds, which exceeds most light pickups.