How Much Is a Cubic Yard of Concrete?
A cubic yard of concrete is 27 cubic feet — a block 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft. It covers 81 square feet at 4 inches thick, weighs about 4,050 lb, and costs roughly $140 to $200 delivered.
Mixed from bags, one cubic yard takes 45 bags of 80 lb concrete mix.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Volume | 27 cubic feet |
| Metric volume | 0.765 cubic metres |
| Weight (wet) | about 4,050 lb / 1,837 kg |
| Coverage at 4 in | 81 sq ft |
| Coverage at 6 in | 54 sq ft |
| Bags of 80 lb mix | 45 bags |
| Bags of 60 lb mix | 60 bags |
| Typical delivered cost | $140–$200 |
Why concrete is sold by the cubic yard
In the US, ready-mix is quoted, batched, and billed in cubic yards, and mixer drums are sized in yards. Every estimate you make has to end in cubic yards or the supplier cannot fill the order.
The conversion that matters: 27 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard. Work out volume in cubic feet, divide by 27, and you have the number to phone through. The full method is on how to calculate yards of concrete.
How far a cubic yard goes
Coverage falls off fast as the slab gets thicker, because volume scales with depth:
- 2 inches — 162 sq ft
- 3 inches — 108 sq ft
- 4 inches — 81 sq ft (a 9 × 9 pad)
- 5 inches — 65 sq ft
- 6 inches — 54 sq ft
- 8 inches — 40.5 sq ft
Going from a 4-inch to a 6-inch slab adds 50% to your concrete bill for the same footprint.
Weight and handling
At a standard density of 150 lb per cubic foot, a cubic yard weighs about 4,050 lb — roughly two tons. That is more than most pickup beds are rated for, which is why even one-yard orders come on a mixer truck. More detail on what a yard of concrete weighs.
Cost per cubic yard
Expect $140–$200 per cubic yard delivered in 2026, moving with mix strength and region. A one-yard order is the expensive case — short-load fees of $100–$180 can push the effective price past $300 for that single yard.
Full pricing breakdown, including surcharges and how to avoid them, is on how much a yard of concrete costs.
Estimating notes
- A cubic yard and "a yard of concrete" mean the same thing — nobody sells concrete by the linear yard.
- Ready-mix is normally batched in quarter-yard increments.
- One cubic metre is 1.31 cubic yards, if you are converting from metric plans.