Cubic yards of concrete to square feet
Enter a volume and a thickness to see how much area the concrete covers — handy for a leftover partial load or checking a quote.
Enter your measurements
- As a square slab
- 9 × 9 ft
- Same volume in 80 lb bags
- 45 bags
1 cu yd × 27 = 27 cu ft ÷ (4 in ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft) = 81 sq ft
Shortcut: 324 ÷ 4 in = 81 sq ft per cubic yard
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many square feet a yard of concrete covers | 81 sq ft at 4 in (54 at 6 in) |
Area covered by this volume at other thicknesses
| Thickness | Area covered | As a square slab |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 12.7 × 12.7 ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 10.4 × 10.4 ft |
| 3.5 in | 92.6 sq ft | 9.6 × 9.6 ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 9 × 9 ft |
| 5 in | 64.8 sq ft | 8 × 8 ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | 7.3 × 7.3 ft |
| 8 in | 40.5 sq ft | 6.4 × 6.4 ft |
Coverage is volume ÷ thickness. Because a cubic yard is 27 cu ft and there are 12 inches in a foot, the US shortcut is 324 ÷ thickness in inches = square feet per cubic yard. In metric, 1 m³ covers 10 m² at 10 cm.
| Thickness | Sq ft per cubic yard | m² per m³ |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in / 5 cm | 162 | 20 |
| 3 in / 7.5 cm | 108 | 13.3 |
| 3½ in | 92.6 | — |
| 4 in / 10 cm | 81 | 10 |
| 5 in / 12.5 cm | 64.8 | 8 |
| 6 in / 15 cm | 54 | 6.7 |
| 8 in / 20 cm | 40.5 | 5 |
The common case is worked through on how many square feet a yard of concrete covers.
Using it the other way round
Coverage is the inverse of the slab calculation. If you know the slab size, the concrete calculator gives the yards to order with waste included; this page answers “I have X yards — how far will it go?”, which comes up with a leftover load, a minimum order or a truck that arrives short.
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) - Bull float with handleMid-range price
Smooths and levels a slab you can’t reach across, right after screeding. Rent or buy one for anything wider than about 6 ft.
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 many square feet does 10 yards of concrete cover?
810 sq ft at 4 in, 648 at 5 in and 540 at 6 in — ten times the one-yard figures.
How many square feet does a yard of concrete cover at 3 inches?
108 sq ft. Quikrete’s standard concrete mix is for pours 2 in thick or more; 3 in is thin for anything carrying weight.
Does the coverage include waste?
No — it is the exact geometric figure. Plan on 5–10% less in practice, because bases are never perfectly flat and some concrete stays in the chute and wheelbarrows.
Sources
- 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.
- 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.