Concrete Bag Yields & Coverage Chart (40, 50, 60, 80 lb)
Updated August 2026
Every bag of concrete mix has its yield printed on the back, and the numbers are remarkably consistent across brands. This page collects them in every unit you'll use on site.
Yield per bag
| Bag | Yield | Coverage @ 2" | Coverage @ 4" | Coverage @ 6" | Bags per ft³ | Bags per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 0.30 ft³ | 1.8 sq ft | 0.9 sq ft | 0.6 sq ft | 3.3 | 90 |
| 50 lb | 0.375 ft³ | 2.25 sq ft | 1.1 sq ft | 0.75 sq ft | 2.7 | 72 |
| 60 lb | 0.45 ft³ | 2.7 sq ft | 1.35 sq ft | 0.9 sq ft | 2.2 | 60 |
| 80 lb | 0.60 ft³ | 3.6 sq ft | 1.8 sq ft | 1.2 sq ft | 1.7 | 45 |
Why "an 80 lb bag" doesn't make 80 lb ÷ 150 lb/ft³ ≈ 0.53 ft³: you add water, which reacts and fills the mix out to about 0.60 ft³ of placed concrete at ~133 lb of dry mix per cubic foot placed. Trust the printed yield, not intuition.
How many bags of concrete come on a pallet?
Typical full-pallet quantities from Quikrete and Sakrete, with what each pallet makes once it is mixed and placed. The count varies a little by brand and store, so read the pallet tag before you plan a load.
| Bag | Bags per pallet | Concrete per pallet | Pallet weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 80 | 24.0 ft³ (0.89 yd³) | 3,200 lb |
| 50 lb | 64 | 24.0 ft³ (0.89 yd³) | 3,200 lb |
| 60 lb | 56 | 25.2 ft³ (0.93 yd³) | 3,360 lb |
| 80 lb | 42 | 25.2 ft³ (0.93 yd³) | 3,360 lb |
A full pallet of any bag size is about 0.9 cubic yards, just under a yard, and it weighs 3,200 to 3,400 lb, north of 1.5 tons. That is past the payload of most half-ton pickups, so a pallet either rides a delivery truck or comes home in two trips. For a one-yard pour, plan on one pallet plus a few loose bags.
The formula (for odd shapes)
bags = volume in ft³ ÷ yield per bag, rounded up. Volume refreshers:
- Slab:
L(ft) × W(ft) × thickness(in) ÷ 12 - Cylinder/tube:
π × (diameter(in) ÷ 24)² × height(ft) - Post hole: hole cylinder minus the post:
π × (hole ÷ 24)² × depth(ft) − (post width(ft))² × depth(ft)
Add 5% for a clean formed pour, 10% over dirt or an uneven subgrade; running out of concrete mid-pour is the most expensive way to save $13.
Specialty bags
- Fast-setting (red bag): same yields (50 lb → 0.375 ft³); sets in 20–40 min; designed for dry-pour post setting.
- High-strength / 5000 psi: same yields, more cement; use for driveways, footings, anchoring.
- Sand mix / mortar: not concrete: no gravel, different jobs (toppings ≤ 2", laying block). Don't substitute.
- Concrete resurfacer: coverage is by square feet at feather depths, not volume. Read that bag specifically.
Skip the arithmetic entirely: the calculators use these same yields for any shape, slabs, fence posts, sonotubes, and how many bags of concrete in a yard.
The two quantities that aren't measured in bags
A yield chart answers what to buy for the pour itself. Two other piles show up on the same receipt, and neither is priced by the bag:
- How much gravel goes under a concrete slab: about 4 inches of compacted crushed stone under most pads, ordered in cubic yards or tons rather than bags. Most cracked DIY slabs failed in this layer, not in the mix.
- How much rebar a slab needs: bars each way, 20 ft sticks, tie wire, or welded-wire mesh by the sheet. Bar size and spacing are a code call; the quantity is arithmetic.
Thickness moves all three at once, since it scales the concrete straight up while the base stays put: see how thick a concrete slab should be.