How much concrete for a 10×10 slab?
A 10 × 10 ft slab 4 inches thick needs 1.23 cubic yards of concrete (33.3 cubic feet), or 1.36 cubic yards with 10% extra. In bags that is 62 bags of 80 lb, or 82 of 60 lb.
How to work it out
- 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft
- 100 sq ft × 4 in ÷ 12 = 33.3 cu ft ÷ 27 = 1.23 cu yd
- + 10% extra = 1.36 cu yd = 36.7 cu ft
- 36.7 cu ft ÷ 0.6 cu ft per 80 lb bag = 62 bags
One hundred square feet is the size people picture when they think “patio slab”: room for a table and chairs, a grill pad with a margin, or a base for a small hot tub. It sits right on the line between mixing bags yourself and calling a truck.
Adjust for your project
More options: Extra · Price
- Or bags of mix (incl. extra)
- 62 bags · 80 lb bag
- Concrete before the extra
- 1.23 cu yd (33.3 cu ft)
- Slab area
- 100 sq ft
- Weight of the concrete (≈ 145 lb/cu ft)
- 4,833 lb (2 tons)
- 62 bags is a lot of mixing. Compare a ready-mix delivery (ask about minimum loads and short-load fees) with the bags vs ready-mix calculator.
- Total to buy counts this as ready-mix. Switch “How will you buy it?” to bags if you are mixing it yourself.
- Plan control joints about 1 in deep every 6–8 ft (Quikrete’s guidance) so shrinkage cracks follow your lines.
10×10 slab by thickness (10% extra included)
| Thickness | Concrete to order | Or bags of mix (incl. extra) | Weight of the concrete (≈ 145 lb/cu ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 in | 1.19 cu yd | 54 bags | 4,229 lb |
| 4 in | 1.36 cu yd | 62 bags | 4,833 lb |
| 5 in | 1.7 cu yd | 77 bags | 6,042 lb |
| 6 in | 2.04 cu yd | 92 bags | 7,250 lb |
Ordering a 10×10 pour
If you call a ready-mix plant, ask for 1.5 yards rather than 1.25. The slab needs 1.23 yards on paper, but the extra quarter yard covers a base that sits a little low and the concrete left in the chute and wheelbarrow. Many plants also charge a short-load fee on small orders, so ask what their minimum is before you decide. Bagged, the same pour is about 62 of the 80 lb bags — just under 5,000 lb of mix, which is more than most pickups should carry in one trip.
The word “cement” shows up in a lot of searches for this size. The bags you want are concrete mix (cement, sand and gravel together), not bags of portland cement, which is only the binder. See cement vs concrete for the difference.
Forms and joints
Building the forms from 2×4s on edge gives a 3½ inch slab, which drops the order to about 1.19 yards with the extra. For a full 4 in, use 2×6 forms and set the top of the compacted gravel 4 in below the form edge. At 10 ft on a side, one control joint each way splits the slab into four 5 ft squares, inside Quikrete’s 6–8 ft spacing. The 12-foot version of this slab is on how much concrete for a 12×12 slab, and a smaller equipment pad on how many bags of concrete for a 4×4 slab.
Different size? Use the full Concrete Calculator.
What you’ll need
- Aluminum screedMid-range price
A straight, light screed strikes off the concrete level with the forms. A straight 2×4 works too if it really is straight.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Magnesium hand floatBudget price
Closes the surface and pushes stones down after screeding, and prepares the slab for a broom or trowel finish.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Concrete edger and groover setBudget price
The edger rounds slab edges so they don’t chip; the groover cuts control joints while the concrete is still soft.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How much concrete for a 10×10 slab 6 inches thick?
1.85 cubic yards before extra, 2.04 cubic yards with 10%. That is 92 bags of 80 lb, so a truck makes more sense.
How many 60 lb bags of concrete for a 10×10 slab?
About 82 bags of 60 lb for a 4 inch slab, including 10% extra.
How much concrete for a 10×10 slab formed with 2×4s?
A 2×4 form is 3½ inches deep: 1.19 cubic yards with 10% extra, or 54 bags of 80 lb.
Other common sizes
- How much concrete for a 12×12 slab — 1.96 cu yd with 10% extra (order 2 yd)
- How much concrete for a 20×20 slab — 5.43 cu yd with 10% extra at 4 in
- How many yards of concrete for a 24×24 slab — 7.82 cu yd with 10% extra at 4 in
- How much concrete for a 30×40 slab — 16.3 cu yd with 10% extra at 4 in
- How many bags of concrete for a 4×4 slab — 10 bags of 80 lb (14 of 60 lb), 4 in thick
- How many bags of concrete for an 8×8 slab — 40 bags of 80 lb, 4 in thick
- How much concrete for a 10×12 shed — 1.63 cu yd with 10% extra; about 2 cu yd with a thickened edge
Sources
- Quikrete Concrete Mix (No. 1101) data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Yields: 40 lb ≈ 0.30, 50 lb ≈ 0.375, 60 lb ≈ 0.45, 80 lb ≈ 0.60, 90 lb ≈ 0.675 cu ft; unit weight ≈ 140 lb/cu ft; for pours 2 in thick or more; 6–9 pints of water per 80 lb bag; control joints every 6–8 ft; cure 5 days at 70 °F or above, 7 days at 50–70 °F; protect from freezing for 48 hours.
- NRMCA Concrete in Practice 31 — Ordering Ready Mixed Concrete (opens in a new tab) — Truck mixers carry 8 to 12 cubic yards (about 6 to 9 m³); order 4–10% more than the plan estimate; a loaded truck weighs about 80,000 lb; fresh concrete can cause severe chemical burns.
- NRMCA Concrete in Practice 2 — Scaling Concrete Surfaces (opens in a new tab) — Order air-entrained concrete (about 6% air) for exterior slabs exposed to freezing and de-icers; avoid de-icing chemicals in the first winter.
- Iowa DOT Instructional Memorandum 340 — Weight per cubic foot, yield and air content of concrete (opens in a new tab) — Normal-weight concrete is typically 140–150 lb per cu ft at 5 to 8 percent air.
- OSHA 3351 — Preventing Skin Problems from Working with Portland Cement (opens in a new tab) — Wet portland cement can cause caustic burns that may not hurt at first and in severe cases reach the bone.
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C — General Tables of Units of Measurement (opens in a new tab) — 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet; 1 cubic foot = 1,728 cubic inches.