How Many Bags of Concrete Do I Need?
Short answer: one cubic yard = 45 × 80 lb bags, 60 × 60 lb bags, 72 × 50 lb bags, or 90 × 40 lb bags. Enter your project below for an exact count.
Calculate bags
Bag yields (QUIKRETE published figures)
| Bag size | Yield per bag | Bags per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| 80 lb | 0.60 cu ft | 45 |
| 60 lb | 0.45 cu ft | 60 |
| 50 lb | 0.375 cu ft | 72 |
| 40 lb | 0.30 cu ft | 90 |
Bag counts are always rounded up. Yields are manufacturer published figures; actual yield varies slightly with mixing and placement.
When bags beat a truck
Bagged mix wins for small jobs — a mailbox post, a few footings, a 4 × 4 ft pad. Once a pour passes about 1 cubic yard (45 × 80 lb bags), mixing by hand becomes a real slog and the first batches can set before the last are poured. A ready-mix truck is then usually cheaper per yard — but check the short-load fee, which suppliers charge on small orders (thresholds vary, roughly 3–4 to 8 yards).
Hauling bags yourself — how many fit in a pickup?
Each 80 lb bag weighs 80 lb, so the limit is your truck's payload — not the size of the bed. Check the payload rating on the driver's door sticker, and count everything in the truck against it, including people, fuel and other cargo. The table counts 80 lb bags only, with no people or cargo aboard.
| Payload rating | Max 80 lb bags | Concrete volume |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 lb | 12 bags | 0.27 cubic yards |
| 1,500 lb | 18 bags | 0.40 cubic yards |
| 2,000 lb | 25 bags | 0.56 cubic yards |
| 2,500 lb | 31 bags | 0.69 cubic yards |
| 3,000 lb | 37 bags | 0.82 cubic yards |
| 3,500 lb | 43 bags | 0.96 cubic yards |
Worked example: a truck rated for 1,500 lb of payload carries 18 × 80 lb bags (1,440 lb) — about 0.40 cubic yards. Remember the bags must be lifted twice: into the truck and out again. For anything over about 1 cubic yard, a trailer or a ready-mix delivery is usually the safer and cheaper route — see the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many 80 lb bags for 1 cubic yard?
45 bags. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and an 80 lb bag yields about 0.60 cubic feet (QUIKRETE published yield), so 27 ÷ 0.60 = 45.
How many 60 lb bags for 1 cubic yard?
60 bags. A 60 lb bag yields about 0.45 cubic feet, so 27 ÷ 0.45 = 60.
How many 40 lb bags for 1 cubic yard?
90 bags. A 40 lb bag yields about 0.30 cubic feet, so 27 ÷ 0.30 = 90.
How many 50 lb bags for 1 cubic yard?
72 bags. A 50 lb bag yields about 0.375 cubic feet, so 27 ÷ 0.375 = 72.
How many 80 lb bags fit in a pickup truck?
It depends on the truck's payload rating: a 1,500 lb payload carries 18 × 80 lb bags (about 0.40 cubic yards). Check the payload rating on the driver's door sticker and count people and other cargo against it — never exceed the rating.