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Conversion reference

Concrete bags to cubic yards

One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet of concrete. Here's what that means in bags — and where the bag math stops making sense.

Bags to yards — the quick numbers

1 cubic yard
27 ft³ of mixed concrete
80 lb bags per yard
45 bags
60 lb bags per yard
60 bags
Weight to mix by hand
3,600 lb per yard
Metered delivery in FL
typical $150–$220/yd³ all-in

Bags per cubic yard, by bag size

Every bag size mixes to the same 3,600 lb per yard — smaller bags just split it into more lifts:

Bag size Yield per bag Bags per yd³ Total weight
40 lb 0.30 ft³ 90 bags 3,600 lb
50 lb 0.375 ft³ 72 bags 3,600 lb
60 lb 0.45 ft³ 60 bags 3,600 lb
80 lb 0.60 ft³ 45 bags 3,600 lb
90 lb 0.675 ft³ 40 bags 3,600 lb

Yields are the standard manufacturer figures for premixed concrete; actual yield varies slightly by brand and water ratio.

When bags stop making sense

Bags are the right call for a couple of post holes or a repair. But a yard of concrete is forty-five 80-lb bags: hauled from the store, lifted into a mixer one at a time, and placed before the first batches start to set — a real problem in Florida heat.

From about one yard up, a metered truck mixes the entire pour on-site to a single spec and bills only the yards actually poured, to the quarter yard. No leftover bags, no under-ordering, no mixer rental.

Size your pour, skip the bags

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Frequently asked questions

How many 80 lb bags of concrete are in a cubic yard?

45 bags. An 80 lb bag yields about 0.60 cubic feet of mixed concrete, and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet: 27 ÷ 0.60 = 45. That's 3,600 lb of material to haul, mix and place by hand.

How many bags do I need for a 10 × 10 slab?

A 10 × 10 ft slab at 4 in thick is 33.3 cubic feet — about 56 80-lb bags, or 61 with a 10% waste factor. At that size a 1.5 yd³ metered load is usually cheaper than the bags and hours faster. Size it in the slab calculator.

Is it cheaper to mix bags or order a small load?

Below roughly half a yard, bags win. Near a full yard the math flips: 45 80-lb bags at Florida store prices run roughly $250–$340 in material alone, before the mixer rental and your day of labor — while metered small-load delivery in Florida typically runs $150–$220 per yard, mixed and placed chute-ready.

Why does hand-mixed bag concrete crack more often?

Consistency. Forty-five separate batches mean forty-five slightly different water ratios, and Florida heat shortens working time — late batches get extra water, which weakens the mix. A metered truck mixes the whole pour to one spec.

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