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Blueprint Calc

Concrete Bag Calculator

Figure out exactly how many bags of Quikrete (or equivalent) you need, 60 lb or 80 lb. Pick your project shape, enter dimensions, get a count — and a warning when bagging it yourself stops making sense.

How many bags of concrete do I need?

Pick a project type, then enter dimensions.

You need
  • Concrete volume
    1.36 cu yd
    33.33 cu ft + 10% waste
  • 60 lb bags
    82 bags
    60 lb bag yields 0.45 cu ft
  • Ready-mix truck
    Order 2.00 cu yd
    Most suppliers require a 3 cu yd minimum. Below that, expect a $50-200 short-load fee — or ask for a volumetric (mobile-mix) truck which delivers as little as 0.5 yd.

What you'll need to buy

Prices approximate · Links go to retailer search results
Estimated total: ~$482 (materials, before tax)

Product links go to Home Depot search results — pick the best match for your project. Prices shown are rough averages.

How we calculated it

Every bag size converts the same way — divide the volume by the bag's published yield:

  • 60 lb bag → 0.45 cu ft per bag → 60 bags per cubic yard
  • 80 lb bag → 0.60 cu ft per bag → 45 bags per cubic yard
  • 40 lb bag → 0.30 cu ft per bag → 90 bags per cubic yard (uncommon; most stores stock 60/80)

A 10x10 × 4" slab is 1.23 cubic yards with waste — about 56 × 60 lb bags or 42 × 80 lb bags. 80 lb bags save trips to the mixer but are heavier per lift; choose based on your back and how many helpers you have.

Warning on mixing: each bag takes about 2-3 minutes to mix in a wheelbarrow and closer to 1 minute in a drum mixer. At 40+ bags you are mixing for 1-2 hours continuously while concrete in the early bags starts to set. Rent a mixer, line up helpers, or just call a ready-mix truck for 2+ yard pours.

Frequently asked questions

How many 80 lb bags of concrete per yard?
One 80 lb bag of Quikrete yields 0.60 cubic feet. At 27 cubic feet per yard, you need 45 bags of 80 lb to make one yard. That is ~3,600 lbs of mixing — which is why most people switch to a ready-mix truck above 2-3 cubic yards.
How many 60 lb bags of concrete per yard?
One 60 lb bag yields 0.45 cubic feet. 27 / 0.45 = 60 bags per yard. Lighter to carry but you mix more of them.
When should I use bags vs a ready-mix truck?
Under 0.5 cubic yards (about a dozen 80 lb bags): bags. 0.5-2 yards: bags still workable but painful; ready-mix suppliers usually charge a $50-200 short-load fee below their 3 cu yd minimum, or a volumetric / mobile-mix truck can deliver as little as 0.5 yd. Above 3 yards: call for a standard ready-mix truck — cheaper per yard than bags and way faster.
How much concrete do I need for a 10x10 slab?
A 10x10 slab at 4" thick = 100 × 0.333 = 33.3 cubic feet, or about 1.23 cubic yards with 10% waste. That is roughly 56 × 60 lb bags or 42 × 80 lb bags. 1.23 yards is below most suppliers' 3 cu yd minimum, so a ready-mix truck for a slab this size usually involves a $50-200 short-load fee — or a volumetric / mobile-mix truck that pours on demand.
How long does concrete take to cure?
Initial set: 24-48 hours (walkable). Usable for light loads: 7 days (~70% strength). Full design strength: 28 days. Driveways should not see vehicles for at least 7 days. Keep concrete damp for the first week — faster drying = weaker finish.
What is the difference between cement and concrete?
Cement is the binder — a powder that reacts with water. Concrete is the final product: cement + sand + gravel + water. When someone says "cement calculator" they almost always mean concrete.

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