What a cubic yard of bags involves
Standard mix yields 0.60 cu ft per 80 lb bag and 0.45 per 60 lb bag,[1][2] and QUIKRETE’s instructions start an 80 lb bag with about 3 quarts of water, adding more only as needed up to about 4.5.[1] The table adds nothing for waste: look up the volume you will order, extra included.
| Concrete | 80 lb bags | Dry weight | Water | or 60 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 cu yd | 23 | 1,840 lb | 17–26 gal | 30 |
| 1 cu yd | 45 | 3,600 lb | 34–51 gal | 60 |
| 1.5 cu yd | 68 | 5,440 lb | 51–77 gal | 90 |
| 2 cu yd | 90 | 7,200 lb | 68–101 gal | 120 |
| 3 cu yd | 135 | 10,800 lb | 101–152 gal | 180 |
| 4.25 cu yd | 192 | 15,360 lb | 144–216 gal | 255 |
Water is 3–4.5 quarts per 80 lb bag, converted to gallons (4 quarts = 1 gallon).
What ready-mix involves
- Truck size. Truck mixers hold 8 to 12 cubic yards, and a loaded truck weighs about 80,000 lb. It may not be able to cross loose dirt or residential curbs.[3] If it can’t get close, the forms need to be within reach of the chute, or you need a pump or wheelbarrows.
- How much to order. The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association advises ordering 4–10% more than the volume worked out from the plans.[3][4] Small errors in depth add up: ⅛ inch of extra depth on a 4 inch slab leaves you about 3% short (⅛ ÷ 4 = 3.1%).[4]
- Small loads. We found no industry standard for minimum orders or short-load fees; each plant sets its own. One Indiana producer, for example, delivers from 1 cubic yard in ¼-yard steps, adds a small-delivery charge under 4.25 yards, and tells customers to add 10% and round up.[5] Call your local plants before you decide.
- Strength. Ready-mix for most jobs is specified at 3,500–5,000 psi.[3] QUIKRETE Concrete Mix reaches 4,000 psi at 28 days,[1] so the two are in the same strength range.
How to compare the cost
We don’t publish prices because they vary by region and change often. Use your own quotes in these formulas. V is the volume you need, extra included; bags are counted from V. Vrm is V rounded up to the plant’s ordering step; ready-mix is priced on Vrm.
ready-mix cost = Vrm × price per cu yd + ready-mix fixed fees (short-load, delivery, pump)
break-even V = (ready-mix fixed fees − bag fixed costs) ÷ (bags per cu yd × price per bag − price per cu yd), taking Vrm = V
Bags per cubic yard is 45 for 80 lb and 60 for 60 lb. If a yard of bags costs more than a yard of ready-mix, bags come out cheaper only for jobs smaller than the break-even volume. If the bags are cheaper per yard and their fixed costs are no higher than the truck’s fees, bags win at any size, and the question becomes labor. The break-even line ignores the plant’s rounding, so near that volume compare the two costs directly with V and Vrm.
Worksheet: a 10 × 12 ft patio, 4 inches thick
- Volume: 10 × 12 × 4 ÷ 12 = 40 cu ft; with 10% extra 44 cu ft = 1.63 cu yd
- Bags: 44 ÷ 0.60 = 73.3 → 74 bags of 80 lb, 5,920 lb, about 56–83 gallons of water
- Ready-mix: V = 1.63 cu yd, rounded up in ¼-yard steps to Vrm = 1.75 cu yd, likely with a short-load fee
- Your prices: 74 × (price per bag) against 1.75 × (price per cu yd) + fees
Moving 5,920 lb of bags means several pickup trips or a delivery; see truck capacity. SAKRETE’s rule of thumb is that a pallet of bags is about a cubic yard.[6]
Questions people ask
What is a short-load fee for ready-mix concrete?
It is an extra charge a plant adds when you order less than a set amount. There is no industry standard; each plant sets its own. One Indiana producer, for example, charges it on orders under 4.25 cubic yards. Ask for it when you get a quote.
How much extra concrete should I order?
The ready-mix industry advises 4–10% over the volume from your plans, and SAKRETE advises 10% for bagged jobs. Depth errors add up fast: ⅛ inch too deep on a 4 inch slab is about 3% more concrete.
Related calculators and guides
Sources
- QUIKRETE, Concrete Mix No. 1101 data sheet (rev. Oct 2022). Bag yields: 40 lb 0.30, 50 lb 0.375, 60 lb 0.45, 80 lb 0.60 cu ft; water per bag. Checked 2026-09-26.
- SAKRETE, High-Strength Concrete Mix technical data sheet. Bag yields match QUIKRETE at 40, 60 and 80 lb. Checked 2026-09-26.
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, CIP 31: Ordering Ready Mixed Concrete. Truck capacity 8–12 cu yd; order 4–10% extra. Checked 2026-09-26.
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, CIP 8: Discrepancies in Yield. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Kuert Concrete (ready-mix producer, Indiana), Do-It-Yourself Concrete Guide. Example short-load policy of one supplier. Checked 2026-09-26.
- SAKRETE, Pro Tip: Estimating Bagged Concrete Jobs. 45 bags of 80 lb per cubic yard; add 10%. Checked 2026-09-26.