Concrete Bag Calculator

How many bags a pour needs, by product and bag size.

Pour

Unit system

Code references and product data are quoted in the units their source uses.

= 96" (8')

= 48" (4')

= 4"

Waste allowance10%Suggested default

Live

Concrete Bags · Result

Calculated

BAGS TO BUY

20 bags of Quikrete Concrete Mix No. 1101

Volume
0.43 yd³
Yield per bag
0.6 ft³
Exact bags
19.6
Waste
10%

Waste allowance 10%

SUGGESTED DEFAULTChange

Output unit defaulted to cubic yards because at least one dimension was entered in imperial units

SUGGESTED DEFAULT

Ready-mix order increment 0.25 yd³ and minimum 1 yd³ are UI defaults; suppliers differ

SUGGESTED DEFAULT

Bag yields are the manufacturer's printed approximate figures; cubic-metre yields are derived from them

MFR SPEC
Code references & assumptions · 3

How this result is supported

The yield is the manufacturer's own printed figure for the product named above, not an average across brands.
SUGGESTED DEFAULTOutput unit defaulted to cubic yards because at least one dimension was entered in imperial units
ASSUMPTION
SUGGESTED DEFAULTReady-mix order increment 0.25 yd³ and minimum 1 yd³ are UI defaults; suppliers differ
ASSUMPTION
MFR SPECBag yields are the manufacturer's printed approximate figures; cubic-metre yields are derived from them
PRIMARY-VERIFIED
What do these evidence labels mean?
PRIMARY-VERIFIED
directly supported by one authoritative primary source, quoted with section/page/figure
CROSS-VERIFIED
independently supported by two or more appropriate authoritative sources
DERIVED
mathematically derived from PRIMARY-VERIFIED values; the derivation is preserved in data and in code
INTERPRETED
a source exists but translating it into calculator behaviour required interpretation
CONVENTION
recognised trade practice, not a mandatory provision
ASSUMPTION
product/design assumption or useful default with no authoritative basis
UNVERIFIED
insufficient authoritative evidence
Full methodology →

Code references and product data are quoted in the units their source uses.

Reference checks are informational, not compliance determinations.

How concrete bag is calculated

Bag counts come from the yield printed on the product's own data sheet, not from a rounded rule of thumb. That is why the calculator names the product and the yield it used — two 80 lb products can differ, and the difference shows up as whole bags on a small pour.

The count is rounded up, because a part bag is a whole bag when you buy it. The volume before rounding is shown alongside, so you can see how close the last bag was.

Past roughly a cubic yard the mixing time and the number of bags stop being worth it. The calculator does not decide that for you, but it shows the bag count plainly enough that the crossover is visible.

V = length × width × thickness

bags = ceil(V ÷ yield per bag)

Rounded up: a part bag is a whole bag at the till.

Questions

How many 80 lb bags are in a cubic yard?
About 45, from a printed yield of 0.60 cubic feet per bag — 27 ÷ 0.60. The calculator uses the yield for the product you pick rather than that average, because the printed figures differ between products and the difference is whole bags.
Should I use bags or order ready-mix?
Bags suit small pours and awkward access; ready-mix wins on volume and on consistency. The count here is the honest input to that decision — once it runs past a few dozen bags, mixing them is most of the day.