How Many Bags of Concrete Are in a Yard?
By Jhon W · Published 8 October 2026
One cubic yard of concrete takes 45 bags of 80 lb mix, 60 bags of 60 lb, 72 bags of 50 lb or 90 bags of 40 lb. These counts come from the yields in the Quikrete Concrete Mix data sheet and do not include waste.
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Each bag of pre-mixed concrete makes a known number of cubic feet once water is added, so the number of bags is 27 divided by that yield.
Bags per cubic yard, by bag size
| Bag size | Yield per bag | Bags in 1 cubic yard | With 10% waste |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 0.30 cu ft | 90 | 99 |
| 50 lb | 0.375 cu ft | 72 | 80 |
| 60 lb | 0.45 cu ft | 60 | 66 |
| 80 lb | 0.60 cu ft | 45 | 50 |
| 90 lb | 0.675 cu ft | 40 | 44 |
The yields are the approximate values in the Quikrete Concrete Mix data sheet (product 1101, revised October 2022). The same sheet lists the 90 lb bag as available only in some regions. The waste column uses 29.7 cubic feet (27 plus 10%) and rounds up to a full bag.
How to work it out
Bags = cubic feet of concrete ÷ yield of one bag, rounded up.
- Convert the job to cubic feet. One cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet.
- Add a waste allowance if you want one. 10% on 27 cubic feet gives 29.7 cubic feet.
- Divide by the yield of your bag: 29.7 ÷ 0.60 = 49.5 for 80 lb bags.
- Round up to a whole bag: 50 bags.
To skip the arithmetic, the concrete bag calculator does these steps for a slab, a post hole or any volume, in all four common bag sizes.
Bags for part of a yard or more than one
| Concrete | Cubic feet | 80 lb bags | 60 lb bags | 40 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cubic yard | 6.75 | 12 | 15 | 23 |
| 1/2 cubic yard | 13.5 | 23 | 30 | 45 |
| 1 cubic yard | 27 | 45 | 60 | 90 |
| 2 cubic yards | 54 | 90 | 120 | 180 |
| 3 cubic yards | 81 | 135 | 180 | 270 |
These counts have no waste added. Each one is rounded up to a whole bag.
How heavy a yard of bagged concrete is
45 bags of 80 lb weigh 3,600 lb before water is added, and 60 bags of 60 lb weigh the same 3,600 lb. That is 1.8 short tons of dry mix to carry and lift for one cubic yard.
Quikrete's product page for Concrete Mix lists 42 bags of 80 lb on a pallet, so one cubic yard is slightly more than one full pallet. Pallet sizes for each bag are in the guide to bags on a pallet.
Bags or a ready-mix truck
Ready-mix concrete is sold by the cubic yard and arrives mixed. Bags are mixed by you, a few at a time. The number of bags in a yard is the first thing to know when you compare the two: a job that needs a full yard means 45 bags of 80 lb to buy, carry and mix by hand or in a mixer.
To compare the cost, take the price per bag from your store and the price per yard, with any delivery charge, from a ready-mix supplier.
Things that change the number
- The product. The yields here are for Quikrete Concrete Mix. Quikrete's Fast-Setting Concrete Mix data sheet gives the same 0.375 cubic feet for a 50 lb bag and 0.45 for a 60 lb bag. Another brand or mix can differ: check the yield printed on the bag.
- Waste. Spillage, an uneven base and forms that bow out all use extra concrete. This article uses 10% as an example.
- Rounding. Count bags for the whole job at once, then round up. Rounding up each small part separately adds bags you do not need.
Frequently asked questions
- How many 80 lb bags of concrete are in a yard?
- 45 bags. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and an 80 lb bag of Quikrete Concrete Mix yields about 0.60 cubic feet, so 27 ÷ 0.60 = 45. With 10% waste, buy 50.
- How many 60 lb bags of concrete are in a yard?
- 60 bags. A 60 lb bag yields about 0.45 cubic feet, and 27 ÷ 0.45 = 60. With 10% waste, buy 66.
- How many 50 lb bags of concrete are in a yard?
- 72 bags. A 50 lb bag yields about 0.375 cubic feet, and 27 ÷ 0.375 = 72. With 10% waste, buy 80.
- How many 40 lb bags of concrete are in a yard?
- 90 bags. A 40 lb bag yields about 0.30 cubic feet, and 27 ÷ 0.30 = 90. With 10% waste, buy 99.
- How many bags of concrete are in half a yard?
- Half a cubic yard is 13.5 cubic feet: 23 bags of 80 lb, 30 bags of 60 lb or 45 bags of 40 lb, before waste.