How Much Does a Yard of Concrete Weigh?
A cubic yard of concrete weighs about 4,050 lb — roughly 2 tons. That comes from the standard density of 150 lb per cubic foot × 27 cubic feet.
Lighter mixes without reinforcement run closer to 3,900 lb, and lightweight concrete can be as low as 2,700 lb per yard.
| Concrete type | Density | Per cubic yard | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | 100 lb/ft³ | 2,700 lb | 1,225 kg |
| Plain, unreinforced | 145 lb/ft³ | 3,915 lb | 1,776 kg |
| Standard reinforced | 150 lb/ft³ | 4,050 lb | 1,837 kg |
| Heavyweight / high-density | 165 lb/ft³ | 4,455 lb | 2,021 kg |
Wet vs cured weight
Fresh concrete is heaviest, because it still holds all the mix water. As it cures, some of that water is chemically bound into the cement paste and some evaporates, so a cured yard ends up 2–3% lighter than it was leaving the truck.
The difference is small enough that most estimating uses one figure: 4,050 lb per cubic yard, or 150 lb per cubic foot.
What the weight means in practice
- You cannot haul it in a pickup. One yard is 4,050 lb, well past the payload of any half-ton truck. Even a single yard arrives on a mixer.
- Trucks hit weight limits before drum limits. Ten yards is 40,500 lb of payload, which is why loads are often capped at 8–9 yards.
- Formwork has to hold it. Wet concrete exerts serious lateral pressure — a 4 ft wall pour pushes hard enough to blow out under-braced forms.
- Structures have to carry it. A 4-inch slab weighs 50 lb per square foot, which matters for decks, balconies, and upper floors.
Slab weight by thickness
Per square foot of finished slab, at 150 lb/ft³:
- 3 inches — 37.5 lb/sq ft
- 4 inches — 50 lb/sq ft
- 5 inches — 62.5 lb/sq ft
- 6 inches — 75 lb/sq ft
- 8 inches — 100 lb/sq ft
A 20 × 20 patio at 4 inches weighs 20,000 lb — 10 tons sitting on the subgrade, which is exactly why base preparation matters.
Working out weight for your pour
Multiply your volume in cubic feet by 150, or your cubic yards by 4,050. The concrete volume calculator returns weight alongside volume, and lets you change the density if you are using a lightweight or high-density mix.
Estimating notes
- Density varies with aggregate type — crushed granite mixes run heavier than river gravel.
- Rebar and mesh add roughly 1–2% to the weight of a typical residential slab.
- Broken-out concrete for disposal weighs less per yard because of the air gaps between chunks — figure 2,000–2,700 lb.