How Much Does a Yard of Concrete Cover?
One cubic yard of concrete covers 81 square feet at 4 inches thick, 65 sq ft at 5 inches and 54 sq ft at 6 inches. Thinner pours cover more, thicker ones less.
- At 3 in108 sq ft
- At 4 in81 sq ft
- At 5 in65 sq ft
- At 6 in54 sq ft
Concrete needed
1.10 cubic yards
29.7 ft³ · 0.84 m³ · includes 10% extra
You need about 1.10 cubic yards of concrete, or 50 bags of 80 lb mix.
Bags of premix
- 9940 lb bags
- 8050 lb bags
- 6660 lb bags
- 5080 lb bags
- —20 kg bags
- —25 kg bags
- Before extra1.00 yd³ (27.0 ft³)
- Weight of bags4,000 lb
- Per hole—
- Ready-mix costAdd a price per yd³
- Bagged costAdd a price per bag
One 80 lb bag makes about 0.60 ft³ (manufacturer's published yield). Bags are rounded up.
At 1.10 yd³ (50 × 80 lb bags, 4,000 lb), bags and a small ready-mix load are both reasonable. Ask local suppliers for their minimum load and short-load fee before deciding.
Estimate only, not a quote or engineering advice. Disclaimer
Coverage of one cubic yard
| Thickness | Sq ft | About the same as a square of | m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 162.0 | 12.7 × 12.7 ft | 15.05 |
| 3 in | 108.0 | 10.4 × 10.4 ft | 10.03 |
| 3.5 in | 92.6 | 9.6 × 9.6 ft | 8.60 |
| 4 in | 81.0 | 9.0 × 9.0 ft | 7.53 |
| 5 in | 64.8 | 8.0 × 8.0 ft | 6.02 |
| 6 in | 54.0 | 7.3 × 7.3 ft | 5.02 |
| 8 in | 40.5 | 6.4 × 6.4 ft | 3.76 |
| 10 in | 32.4 | 5.7 × 5.7 ft | 3.01 |
| 12 in | 27.0 | 5.2 × 5.2 ft | 2.51 |
That 324 is handy: divide it by your thickness in inches for the coverage of one yard, or divide your area by it (and multiply by the thickness) for the yards you need.
Reality check
Real pours cover a little less than the table. Bases dip, forms bow and some concrete stays in the chute. That is why the calculator adds 10% by default. A 4-inch slab on a rough base can easily average 4½ inches, which alone uses 12.5% more concrete.
Metric
One cubic meter covers 10 m² at 10 cm, 8 m² at 12.5 cm and 6.67 m² at 15 cm. Switch the calculator to meters for metric pours.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet does a yard of concrete cover at 4 inches?
81 square feet, for example a 9 × 9 ft square.
How many square feet does a yard of concrete cover at 6 inches?
54 square feet, for example a 6 × 9 ft area.
How many yards of concrete do I need for 1,000 square feet?
At 4 inches, 1,000 ÷ 81 = 12.35 yd³; at 6 inches, 18.52 yd³. Add 5 to 10% for waste.
Related
Sources
- Inch Calculator: Concrete calculator (Last modified Oct 30, 2026; checked Nov 11, 2026)