Yard & BuildMaterial Calculators List 0

Bag sizes and yields

Standard concrete mix yields 0.0075 cubic feet per pound, so an 80 lb bag makes 0.60 cu ft and 45 bags make a yard. Most 50 lb bags of gravel and sand hold 0.5 cu ft (54 per yard), and mulch comes in 2 cu ft bags (13.5 per yard).

Bags per cubic yard

bags per cubic yard = 27 ÷ cubic feet per bag
bags for a job = cubic feet needed ÷ cubic feet per bag, rounded up

Where the count isn’t a whole number, the exact figure is in parentheses. Always round the bags you buy up.

Concrete mix

Concrete bags are sold by weight, and the yield printed on the bag is the volume of placed concrete it makes. For QUIKRETE’s standard mixes that is 0.0075 cu ft per pound, so yield = 0.0075 × bag weight.[1] Lightweight mixes yield far more per pound.

ProductBagYieldCu ft per lbBags per cu ydSource
QUIKRETE Concrete Mix40 lb0.30 cu ft0.007590[1]
QUIKRETE Concrete Mix50 lb0.375 cu ft0.007572[1]
QUIKRETE Concrete Mix60 lb0.45 cu ft0.007560[1]
QUIKRETE Concrete Mix80 lb0.60 cu ft0.007545[1]
QUIKRETE Concrete Mix90 lb0.675 cu ft0.007540[1]
SAKRETE High-Strength40 lb0.30 cu ft0.007590[2]
SAKRETE High-Strength60 lb0.45 cu ft0.007560[2]
SAKRETE High-Strength80 lb0.60 cu ft0.007545[2]
SAKRETE High-Strength90 lb0.66 cu ft0.007341 (40.91)[2]
SAKRETE 5000 Plus50 lb0.38 cu ft0.007672 (71.05)[3]
SAKRETE 5000 Plus60 lb0.47 cu ft0.007858 (57.45)[3]
SAKRETE 5000 Plus80 lb0.60 cu ft0.007545[3]
SAKRETE Maximizer (lightweight)40 lb0.46 cu ft0.011559 (58.70)[4]
SAKRETE Maximizer (lightweight)80 lb0.92 cu ft0.011530 (29.35)[4]

SAKRETE’s standard yields match QUIKRETE’s at 40, 60 and 80 lb[2] but differ on some products: 5000 Plus lists 0.38 cu ft for 50 lb (0.375 rounded) and 0.47 for 60 lb, more than the 0.45 its 80 lb yield implies.[3] SAKRETE Maximizer is a lightweight mix, so its 80 lb bag makes 1.53 times as much concrete as a standard 80 lb bag.[4]

Gravel, stone and sand

Most 50 lb bags of stone and sand hold 0.5 cu ft, and SAKRETE’s 60 lb bags hold 0.6. QUIKRETE sells its HardScapes stones, pebbles and sands in 0.5 cu ft bags,[5] and its Sand & Gravel data sheet lists All-Purpose Gravel and Play Sand in 50 lb bags without giving a volume.[6] The “implied weight” column divides the bag weight by its volume as a check.

ProductBagYieldImplied lb per cu ftBags per cu ydSource
QUIKRETE Mason Sand50 lb0.5 cu ft10054[7]
SAKRETE Paver Base (a bedding sand)50 lb0.5 cu ft10054[8]
SAKRETE Multi-Purpose Sand60 lb0.6 cu ft10045[9]
SAKRETE All-Purpose Gravel60 lb0.6 cu ft10045[10]
SAKRETE Mason Sand50 lb0.6 cu ft8345[11]
SAKRETE Mason Sand80 lb0.8 cu ft10034 (33.75)[11]
Kolor Scape pea gravel48 lb0.5 cu ft9654[12]
Kolor Scape river rock50 lb0.5 cu ft10054[13]
Kolor Scape red lava rock18 lb0.5 cu ft3654[14]

Two conflicts to know about. QUIKRETE Mason Sand yields 0.5 cu ft per 50 lb bag but SAKRETE Mason Sand says 0.6 cu ft.[7][11] SAKRETE’s All-Purpose Gravel data sheet says 0.6 cu ft per 60 lb bag,[10] while its product page gives coverage of 3 sq ft at 2 inches, which is 0.5 cu ft.[15] SAKRETE describes its Paver Base as a bedding sand, not a base aggregate. Use the yield printed on the bag you buy; for an unknown 50 lb bag of stone or sand, 0.5 cu ft is the safe assumption.

Mulch, topsoil and garden soil

Most of these are sold by volume, and the bag states it.

ProductBagBags per cu ydCovers at 2 inCovers at 3 inSource
Mulch (Scotts Nature Scapes, Timberline hardwood)2 cu ft14 (13.50)12.0 sq ft8.0 sq ft[16][17]
Mulch, smaller bag (Scotts Nature Scapes)1.5 cu ft189.0 sq ft6.0 sq ft[16]
Rubber mulch (Rubberific)0.8 cu ft34 (33.75)4.8 sq ft3.2 sq ft[18]
Rubber mulch (RubberLast)1.15 cu ft24 (23.48)6.9 sq ft4.6 sq ft[19]
Topsoil (Scotts Premium)0.75 cu ft364.5 sq ft3.0 sq ft[20]
Garden soil (Miracle-Gro All Purpose)0.75 cu ft364.5 sq ft3.0 sq ft[21]
Garden soil (Miracle-Gro All Purpose)1 cu ft276.0 sq ft4.0 sq ft[21]
Garden soil (Miracle-Gro All Purpose)1.5 cu ft189.0 sq ft6.0 sq ft[21]
Garden soil (Miracle-Gro All Purpose)2 cu ft14 (13.50)12.0 sq ft8.0 sq ft[21]
Raised bed soil (Miracle-Gro Organic)1.5 cu ft189.0 sq ft6.0 sq ft[22]
Topsoil sold by weight (Timberline 40 lb)40 lbabout 40–65about 0.42–0.68 cu ft per bag[23][24][25]

The Timberline bag states only its weight, so its row is our estimate from bulk topsoil weights of 0.80–1.30 tons per cubic yard; wet soil gives the smaller volume.

Printed coverage is sometimes rounded down. Scotts says a 0.75 cu ft bag of topsoil covers 4 sq ft at 2 inches; the math gives 4.5.[20] RubberLast’s chart gives 6.5 sq ft at 2 inches for a 1.15 cu ft bag, against 6.9 by the math.[19] Plan on buying more garden soil than the bed’s volume: Miracle-Gro says two 1.5 cu ft bags of its raised bed soil fill a 2 × 2 ft bed 6 inches deep, which is 2.0 cu ft of space for 3.0 cu ft of soil.[22]

What one bag covers

Area = bag volume × 12 ÷ depth in inches.

Bag1 in deep2 in deep3 in deep4 in deep
0.5 cu ft6.00 sq ft3.00 sq ft2.00 sq ft1.50 sq ft
0.6 cu ft7.20 sq ft3.60 sq ft2.40 sq ft1.80 sq ft
0.75 cu ft9.00 sq ft4.50 sq ft3.00 sq ft2.25 sq ft
0.8 cu ft9.60 sq ft4.80 sq ft3.20 sq ft2.40 sq ft
1 cu ft12.00 sq ft6.00 sq ft4.00 sq ft3.00 sq ft
1.5 cu ft18.00 sq ft9.00 sq ft6.00 sq ft4.50 sq ft
2 cu ft24.00 sq ft12.00 sq ft8.00 sq ft6.00 sq ft

Questions people ask

How many 60 lb bags of sand make a cubic yard?

SAKRETE Multi-Purpose Sand yields 0.6 cu ft per 60 lb bag, so 45 bags. With 50 lb bags at 0.5 cu ft it is 54.

How many bags of mulch make a cubic yard?

13.5 bags of 2 cu ft (buy 14) or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft.

What sizes do bags of garden soil come in?

Miracle-Gro Garden Soil All Purpose comes in 0.75, 1, 1.5 and 2 cu ft bags, and its Organic Raised Bed Soil in 1.5 cu ft. Scotts Premium Topsoil is 0.75 cu ft.

Related calculators and guides

Prepared by the Yard & Build editors. Every table on this page is computed from the values listed under Sources, or from our own estimates where the page says so. Worked examples are calculated from the same data files as the calculators. Values checked September 26, 2026.

Sources

  1. 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.
  2. SAKRETE, High-Strength Concrete Mix technical data sheet. Bag yields match QUIKRETE at 40, 60 and 80 lb. Checked 2026-09-26.
  3. SAKRETE, 5000 Plus Concrete Mix technical data sheet. Bag yields 50 lb 0.38, 60 lb 0.47, 80 lb 0.6 cu ft. Checked 2026-09-26.
  4. SAKRETE, Maximizer Concrete Mix technical data sheet. Lightweight mix: 40 lb 0.46 cu ft, 80 lb 0.92 cu ft; 105–120 lb per cu ft. Checked 2026-09-26.
  5. QUIKRETE, HardScapes products (dealer page). Bagged stones, pebbles and sands sold in 0.5 cu ft bags. Checked 2026-09-26.
  6. QUIKRETE, Sand & Gravel Products data sheet (rev. 2020). Checked 2026-09-26.
  7. QUIKRETE, Mason Sand data sheet (rev. Oct 2023). About 0.5 cu ft per 50 lb bag. Checked 2026-09-26.
  8. SAKRETE, Paver Base technical data sheet (rev. 05/16). 0.5 cu ft per 50 lb bag; the sheet describes the product as a bedding sand. Checked 2026-09-26.
  9. SAKRETE, Multi-Purpose Sand technical data sheet. About 0.6 cu ft per 60 lb bag. Checked 2026-09-26.
  10. SAKRETE, All-Purpose Gravel technical data sheet. Checked 2026-09-26.
  11. SAKRETE, Mason Sand product page. 0.6 cu ft per 50 lb bag, 0.8 cu ft per 80 lb bag. Checked 2026-09-26.
  12. Lowe’s (product listing), Kolor Scape 0.5 cu ft pea gravel, 48 lb. Bag weight and volume. Checked 2026-09-26.
  13. Lowe’s (product listing), Kolor Scape 0.5 cu ft river rock, 50 lb. Bag weight and volume. Checked 2026-09-26.
  14. Lowe’s (product listing), Kolor Scape 0.5 cu ft red lava rock, 18 lb. Bag weight and volume. Checked 2026-09-26.
  15. SAKRETE, All-Purpose Gravel product page. A bag covers 3 sq ft at 2 in. Checked 2026-09-26.
  16. ScottsMiracle-Gro, Scotts Nature Scapes mulch, 2 cu ft. Checked 2026-09-26.
  17. Lowe’s (product listing), Timberline 2 cu ft black hardwood mulch. 2 cu ft bag; covers 12 sq ft at 2 in. Checked 2026-09-26.
  18. Lowe’s (product listing), Rubberific 0.8 cu ft rubber mulch. Checked 2026-09-26.
  19. Mahantango Enterprises (RubberLast), Rubber mulch products. Rubber mulch about 26 lb per cubic foot; lay at least 2 in. Checked 2026-09-26.
  20. ScottsMiracle-Gro, Scotts Premium Topsoil, 0.75 cu ft. Checked 2026-09-26.
  21. ScottsMiracle-Gro, Miracle-Gro Garden Soil All Purpose (0.75, 1, 1.5, 2 cu ft). Checked 2026-09-26.
  22. ScottsMiracle-Gro, Miracle-Gro Organic Raised Bed Soil. Checked 2026-09-26.
  23. Lowe’s (product listing), Timberline 40 lb all-purpose topsoil. Checked 2026-09-26.
  24. Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WHRP), Weight-Volume Relationships and Conversion Factors for Soils and Aggregates (Project 0092-22-05, 2023). Unit weights of base aggregate, and FHWA/Church loose, bank and compacted weights of topsoil, loam and clay. Checked 2026-09-26.
  25. Topsoil.com (supplier blog), Cubic Yard of Topsoil Weight: 1,500–3,000 lbs Explained. Dry, moist and saturated topsoil weights (secondary source). Checked 2026-09-26.