How Many Bags of Concrete Make a Yard?
One cubic yard of concrete takes 45 bags of 80 lb, 60 bags of 60 lb or 90 bags of 40 lb premixed concrete.
Where the numbers come from
A cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet. Each bag size yields a known volume once mixed:
| Bag | Yield | Bags per cu yd | Weight per cu yd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 lb | 0.60 cu ft | 45 | 3,600 lb |
| 60 lb | 0.45 cu ft | 60 | 3,600 lb |
| 40 lb | 0.30 cu ft | 90 | 3,600 lb |
A yard of bagged concrete always weighs about 3,600 lb of dry mix, whichever bag size you buy. Larger bags just mean fewer trips with the wheelbarrow.
Bags needed for 0.25 to 10 yards
| Cubic yards | 80 lb bags | 60 lb bags | 40 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 12 | 15 | 23 |
| 0.5 | 23 | 30 | 45 |
| 0.75 | 34 | 45 | 68 |
| 1 | 45 | 60 | 90 |
| 1.5 | 68 | 90 | 135 |
| 2 | 90 | 120 | 180 |
| 3 | 135 | 180 | 270 |
| 4 | 180 | 240 | 360 |
| 5 | 225 | 300 | 450 |
| 10 | 450 | 600 | 900 |
Bags or a ready-mix truck?
Mixing 45 bags by hand or with a small mixer is a full day of heavy work. As a rough rule, bags suit jobs under about a yard; beyond two or three yards, compare a ready-mix delivery quote (ask about minimum orders and short-load fees).
Use the concrete calculator to get bags for your exact slab, footing or post hole — it adds a waste allowance automatically.