How Many Bags of Concrete Are in a Yard?
Quick answer: it takes about 45 eighty-pound bags, 60 sixty-pound bags, or 90 forty-pound bags to make one cubic yard of concrete. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and each bag yields a fixed volume, so you just divide. Our concrete calculators figure the bag count for your actual project.
Bags per cubic yard
A cubic yard = 27 cubic feet. Divide by each bag's yield:
| Bag size | Yield | Bags per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| 80 lb | ~0.60 ft³ | 45 |
| 60 lb | ~0.45 ft³ | 60 |
| 40 lb | ~0.30 ft³ | 90 |
These are approximate — yield varies a little by mix and how stiff you mix it — but they're close enough to order from.
Why this matters: bags vs. ready-mix
The bags-per-yard number is really a cost-and-labor warning. Forty-five 80-lb bags is one cubic yard — that's a half-ton of mixing by hand or in a small mixer, for a single yard of concrete. So the rule of thumb is:
- Under ~½ cubic yard → bags are convenient and there's no delivery minimum.
- Over ~½ cubic yard → ready-mix delivered by the truck is cheaper per yard and saves a brutal day. (Most suppliers have a 1-yard minimum and a short-load fee.)
How many bags for your project?
Don't size by the yard — size by the actual element, then read the bag count:
- A slab: the concrete slab calculator (a 10×10 patio at 4 in is about 62 eighty-pound bags).
- A footing: the concrete footing calculator.
- A round column or Sonotube: the concrete column calculator (a 12-inch tube 4 ft tall is about 6 eighty-pound bags).
Each shows the count for 40, 60, and 80-lb bags plus the cubic yards for ready-mix, so you can pick the cheaper route. And whatever you pour, order about 10% extra — you can't stop mid-pour to run to the store.
Sources
- QUIKRETE Concrete Mix (No. 1101) product data — bag yields of 0.30, 0.45, and 0.60 ft³ for 40, 60, and 80-lb bags
- American Cement Association — concrete density and ready-mix practice
Frequently asked questions
How many 80 lb bags of concrete in a yard?+
About 45 eighty-pound bags make one cubic yard, since each 80-lb bag yields roughly 0.6 cubic feet and a yard is 27 cubic feet (27 ÷ 0.6 = 45).
How many 60 lb bags of concrete in a yard?+
About 60 sixty-pound bags per cubic yard — each yields roughly 0.45 cubic feet, and 27 ÷ 0.45 = 60.
Is it cheaper to buy bags or ready-mix concrete?+
Bags are convenient up to about half a cubic yard. Past that, ready-mix delivered by the cubic yard is cheaper per yard and far less labor — 45 bags is a hard day of mixing for one yard of concrete.
How many 40 lb bags of concrete in a yard?+
About 90 forty-pound bags per cubic yard — each yields roughly 0.3 cubic feet, and 27 ÷ 0.3 = 90. At that count, bags are only practical for very small pours like a few post holes.
How many bags of concrete for a 10x10 slab?+
About 62 eighty-pound bags with a 10% overage. A 10 × 10-foot slab at 4 inches is 33.3 cubic feet; divided by 0.6 cubic feet per bag that is 56 bags, plus waste. Ready-mix is the better buy at this size.
Why does bag yield vary?+
Yield depends on how much water you mix in and how firmly it is placed — a stiffer mix yields slightly less. Manufacturer figures (0.30, 0.45, and 0.60 cubic feet for 40, 60, and 80-lb bags) are close enough for ordering, so add about 10%.
How many bags of concrete in half a yard?+
About 23 eighty-pound bags, 30 sixty-pound bags, or 45 forty-pound bags. Half a cubic yard is 13.5 cubic feet, and it is roughly the point where a ready-mix short load becomes cheaper and far less work than mixing bags.