Convert Concrete Yards to Bags in Seconds

Whether you’re pouring a small patio, footing, or driveway, one question comes up on nearly every job site: “How many bags of concrete do I need per cubic yard?”

Bagged concrete is easy to transport and mix, but unless you’re using ready-mix trucks, you need to know how to convert yards of concrete into the exact number of bags — fast and accurately.

This guide gives you quick math, field examples, and lookup tables so you can size any pour in seconds. It’s based on real contractor methods, not textbook theory.

Why Convert Yards to Bags?

Concrete volume is usually measured in cubic yards, but material is sold in bags — 40, 50, 60, or 80 lb (or 20 kg in metric markets). If you’re working from a plan that specifies volume in yards, you’ll need to convert that to bags to know how much mix to buy.

Quick conversions help when you:

Order concrete for small projects under 2 yd³
Compare the cost of bagged vs. ready-mix delivery
Estimate labor and mixing time
Avoid over- or under-ordering materials

You can also check your estimates instantly using the Concrete Bags Calculator.

Step 1 — The Basic Conversion Formula

Each bag of concrete yields a known volume when mixed with water. Once you know that yield, converting from yards to bags is simple:

Bags = (Cubic Yards × 27) ÷ Bag Yield (ft³)

Since 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet, you just divide that total volume by the yield per bag.

Typical bag yields from manufacturer data:

Bag Weight	Yield (ft³)	Bags per Yard
40 lb	0.30	90
50 lb	0.375	72
60 lb	0.45	60
80 lb	0.60	45
20 kg	0.33	82

Contractor tip: The heavier the bag, the fewer bags per yard. Larger bags save time but are tougher to lift repeatedly.

Step 2 — Example Conversion

Let’s walk through a simple example.

Example:

You need 2.5 cubic yards of concrete for a slab and plan to use 60 lb bags.

Each 60 lb bag yields 0.45 cubic feet of concrete.

Bags = (2.5 × 27) ÷ 0.45 Bags = 67.5 ÷ 0.45 = 150 bags

So, you’ll need 150 of the 60 lb bags.

If you switch to 80 lb bags (0.6 ft³ each):

Bags = (2.5 × 27) ÷ 0.6 = 112.5 → round to 113 bags

That’s a 25% reduction in total bags, saving time on mixing and handling.

Step 3 — Quick Reference: Yards to Bags Chart

Here’s a ready-to-use table for converting any yardage to bag count. It’s rounded to nearest whole numbers for field practicality.

Cubic Yards	40 lb Bags	50 lb Bags	60 lb Bags	80 lb Bags
0.25	23	18	15	11
0.50	45	36	30	23
0.75	68	54	45	34
1.00	90	72	60	45
1.25	113	90	75	56
1.50	135	108	90	68
2.00	180	144	120	90
3.00	270	216	180	135
4.00	360	288	240	180
5.00	450	360	300	225

Always round up to the next full bag, and add 5–10% extra for spillage, leveling, and waste.

This table works for general-purpose 3000–3500 psi mixes. Specialty mixes (fiber-reinforced, high-strength, or fast-set) may yield slightly less volume — check the bag’s data sheet.

Step 4 — When to Switch from Bags to Ready-Mix

Bagged concrete is ideal for small to moderate pours, but for large projects, it becomes inefficient. Use this quick guideline:

Total Volume	Recommended Option	Reason
Up to 1 yd³	Bag mix	Easy to manage, low cost
1–2 yd³	Bag mix or small mixer truck	Depends on manpower
2–3 yd³	Consider ready-mix	Labor and time increase sharply
3+ yd³	Ready-mix delivery	Faster, more consistent mix quality

Example:
At 3 cubic yards, you’d need 180 of the 60 lb bags. That’s over 10,000 pounds of material — roughly half a truckload of manual handling. A single ready-mix truck can pour that in minutes.

Step 5 — Real-World Applications

Here’s how the conversion applies to common concrete projects:

Project Type	Typical Volume	80 lb Bags Needed
Fence post (12" dia × 3' deep)	0.25 ft³	1 bag
Deck pier (12" dia × 4' deep)	0.39 ft³	1 bag
10×10 ft patio, 4" thick	1.23 yd³	56 bags
Driveway apron (12×12 ft, 5" thick)	2.22 yd³	100 bags
Shed floor (8×12 ft, 4" thick)	1.19 yd³	54 bags

For larger structures, combine multiple yard conversions. If your total comes to 3.5 yd³, you’ll need about 158 of the 80 lb bags (3.5 × 45 = 157.5 → round up to 158).

Pro Tips / Field Notes

Mix efficiently: One 80 lb bag yields about 0.6 ft³, so a small mixer (3.5 ft³ drum) handles 2–3 bags comfortably.
Measure water carefully: Overwatering weakens the concrete and reduces yield.
Batch by consistency, not color. Concrete darkens as it cures — go by slump and texture.
Keep bags dry before use. Even slight moisture can reduce cement strength.
Plan crew size. Two workers can mix about 1 yd³ per hour manually.
Account for waste. Pouring over rough subgrades can increase volume by 5–10%.

Many pros keep an extra 5% buffer in material orders — that’s just 3 extra bags per 60 needed, but it prevents delays.

Using the Concrete Bags Calculator

Instead of crunching numbers by hand, the Concrete Bags Calculator performs all the math instantly.
Just enter your volume in yards (or feet, inches, or meters), select your bag size, and it outputs:

Total bag count
Equivalent cubic feet and cubic meters
Optional waste percentage

It’s perfect for quick field estimates or confirming supplier orders.

Concrete Bags in a Yard
Concrete Bags Per Yard — Exact Conversions
Convert Concrete Volume into Bags
Reference Guide — Calculating Bags of Concrete for Any Project
Visit Concrete Calculator Max for full calculator tools and project-specific guides.

Conclusion

Converting concrete yards to bags doesn’t have to involve guesswork. Once you know each bag’s yield, simply multiply your total cubic yards by 27, divide by yield, and round up to the nearest bag.

For most projects:

40 lb bags → 90 per yard
60 lb bags → 60 per yard
80 lb bags → 45 per yard

With a few quick calculations — or by using the Concrete Bags Calculator — you can plan your job with confidence, stay on budget, and avoid mid-pour surprises.