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Calculators & guides

Concrete Yard Calculator

Ready-mix is ordered by the cubic yard. Turn feet and inches into the number your supplier needs — whether you call it yards, yardage or cubic yards, this one page covers it.

Project type

Units

Geometry dimensions — schematic, not to scaleL (length)HW
Schematic · not to scale · quantity repeats the entire solid

Concrete & bag assumptions

Density is the placed concrete density, not dry bag weight. Defaults are examples for normal-weight concrete. Bag weight does not determine yield; use the mixed yield printed on your product.

Estimate cost (optional · USD)

All cost fields are optional and user-entered. Ready-mix and bags are alternatives, never added together. No average or local prices are assumed — use a real quote. Labor per area is available only for shapes with a defined footprint.

Formula & solid model

V = L × W × H × Q

All lengths convert to metres before calculation. Blank waste = 0%. Zero dimensions or quantity produce zero volume. Display values are rounded; costs and bags use unrounded volumes.

Rectangular slab · incl. 10% waste

You need approximately 1.358 cubic yards

36.667 ft³ · 1.038 m³ · 1,038.28 litres

Volume

UnitExact+10% waste
Cubic yards1.2351.358
Cubic feet33.33336.667
Cubic metres0.9441.038
Litres943.8951,038.284

Placed weight · incl. waste

5,500 lb / 2,494.76 kg

Density: 150 lb/ft³ · weight = volume × density

Selected premix bags · incl. waste

62 × 80 lb bags

Yield: 0.6 ft³ / bag · total volume ÷ yield, rounded up.

Above about 1 yd³, ready-mix is often more practical than mixing bags.

Estimate inputs & formula

Length: 10 ft · Width: 10 ft · Thickness (H): 4 in · Quantity (Q): 1

V = L × W × H × Q

Estimate only, not engineering advice. Actual needs vary with subgrade, forms and spillage. Confirm final quantities and product yields with your supplier or contractor before ordering.

What this calculates

This calculator converts any supported shape into cubic yards, the unit US ready-mix plants use for orders, plus cubic feet and cubic metres for reference.

Yard, yardage and cubic yard all mean the same thing here: 27 cubic feet of concrete.

Formula

Cubic yards = (length ft × width ft × depth ft) ÷ 27

1 cu yd = 27 cu ft = 0.7646 m³

Worked example

24 × 24 ft driveway pad, 4 in thick

  1. 1.24 × 24 × 0.333 = 192 cu ft
  2. 2.192 ÷ 27 = 7.11 cu yd
  3. 3.Add 10%: about 7.82 cu yd to order

Common mistakes

  • Dividing cubic feet by 3 instead of 27. A yard is 3 ft, but a cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3.
  • Mixing inches and feet in the same multiplication without converting.

Frequently asked questions

How many square feet does a yard of concrete cover?

At 4 inches thick, one cubic yard covers about 81 square feet. At 6 inches it covers about 54 square feet.

What is a short load?

Many suppliers charge an extra fee when an order is below a minimum, often a few yards. Ask your supplier about their minimum.