Ready-mix vs bagged concrete calculator
Enter how much concrete the job needs to see what a ready-mix order looks like next to the same pour in bags.
Enter your measurements
More options: Extra · Bag $ · Ready $ …
- Truckloads
- 1 truck
- Or bags of mix (same volume)
- 99 bags · 80 lb bag
- Weight of those bags
- 7,920 lb (4 tons)
- Weight of the delivered concrete
- 8,809 lb (4 tons)
- Mixer batches at 2 bags each
- 50 batches
2 cu yd + 10% = 2.2 cu yd → round up to the next ¼: 2.25 cu yd
2.25 cu yd ÷ 10 cu yd per truck = 1 truck
Same job in bags: 59.4 cu ft ÷ 0.6 cu ft per 80 lb bag = 99 bags (7,920 lb)
- 99 bags means lifting about 7,920 lb of dry mix. Unless the truck can’t reach, ready-mix is usually far less work and gives a more even slab.
- Total to buy counts this as ready-mix. Switch “How will you buy it?” to bags if you are mixing it yourself.
- Ask the plant about its minimum order, any short-load fee, how long the driver can wait, and whether the truck can reach your forms — a pump or buggy costs extra.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much concrete does a truck hold | 8 to 12 cubic yards (about 6 to 9 m³) |
Bags vs truck at other volumes
| Concrete needed (before extra) | Ready-mix to order | Or bags of mix (same volume) | Weight of those bags | Truckloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 cu yd | 0.75 cu yd | 25 bags | 2,000 lb | 1 truck |
| 1 cu yd | 1.25 cu yd | 50 bags | 4,000 lb | 1 truck |
| 2 cu yd | 2.25 cu yd | 99 bags | 7,920 lb | 1 truck |
| 3 cu yd | 3.5 cu yd | 149 bags | 11,920 lb | 1 truck |
| 5 cu yd | 5.5 cu yd | 248 bags | 19,840 lb | 1 truck |
| 10 cu yd | 11 cu yd | 495 bags | 39,600 lb | 2 trucks |
Every concrete job starts with the same question: bags or a truck? Bags win for small pours, places a truck can’t reach and jobs spread over days. A ready-mix truck wins on effort and on consistency as soon as the bag count climbs — one cubic yard is 45 bags of 80 lb, about 3,600 lb to lift, open and mix.
What a ready-mix truck holds
NRMCA’s guide to ordering ready-mixed concrete puts the capacity of truck mixers at 8 to 12 cubic yards (about 6 to 9 m³), and a loaded truck weighs about 80,000 lb. That weight is why the driver may refuse to cross a lawn, a septic field or a thin driveway — plan a route on firm ground, or budget for a pump or a power buggy. See how much concrete a truck holds for the numbers in bags and tons.
How to decide
| Job size | Bags (80 lb) | Usually |
|---|---|---|
| Under ½ yd (posts, a small pad, steps) | up to 23 | Bags — mix in a tub or small mixer |
| ½–1 yd | 23–45 | Either. Bags with a rented mixer, or a small-load delivery if available |
| 1–2 yd | 45–90 | Price both; ask about short-load fees |
| Over 2 yd | 90+ | Ready-mix, unless the site is truly unreachable |
Ordering tips
- Order a little extra. NRMCA suggests 4–10% more than the volume from the plan dimensions, to cover spillage, form bulge and an uneven base. Running short is far more expensive than a few wheelbarrows left over.
- Ask about minimums and fees. Many plants charge extra on small loads or on time the truck waits past an allowance. Get the numbers when you book.
- Tell them the job. The plant will suggest a mix (strength, slump, air for freeze-thaw) for a patio, footing or driveway. NRMCA notes slumps of 3 to 5 in suit most applications.
- Be ready before the truck arrives. Forms checked, base damp but without puddles, tools and helpers on site. NRMCA notes concrete normally sets and hardens within two to eight hours after mixing, sooner on a hot day.
If you go with bags
Quikrete says to allow at least 1 cu ft of mixer capacity per 80 lb bag mixed at once, so a small electric mixer handles one or two bags at a time and a towable rental three or more. Line the bags up beside the mixer, keep a hose with a shut-off nozzle handy, and work continuously so each batch joins the last before it stiffens. The bag yield chart lists bags per yard for every size.
What you’ll need
- Portable electric concrete mixerPremium price
A small drum mixer turns a long day of hand-mixing into batches of two or three 80 lb bags. Check the drum size against the bag count you need.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Contractor wheelbarrowMid-range price
A 6 cu ft steel or poly tray with a pneumatic tire moves concrete from the mixer to the forms. Never load it to the brim with wet concrete.
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) - 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)
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
What is a short load of concrete?
A ready-mix order smaller than the plant’s standard minimum. Many plants still deliver it but add a short-load fee; the threshold and fee vary, so ask when you call. The calculator has an optional field for the fee so you can compare honestly.
Is it cheaper to buy bags or ready-mix?
It depends on local prices. Enter your bag price and the plant’s price per yard (plus any fee) and the calculator compares them. Even when bags cost about the same, ready-mix usually saves a day of labor on anything over a yard or so.
How many bags of concrete equal a yard of ready-mix?
About 45 bags of 80 lb, 60 of 60 lb or 90 of 40 lb, using Quikrete’s data-sheet yields. See how many 80 lb bags of concrete in a yard.
How far will a ready-mix truck chute reach?
Not far — chutes extend several feet from the back of the truck. Beyond that you need wheelbarrows, a power buggy or a pump truck. Ask the plant what its chutes reach and plan the truck’s parking spot before you book.
Related guides
Sources
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- NIOSH Applications Manual for the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (Pub. 94-110) (opens in a new tab) — Load constant of 51 lb (23 kg) — the most nearly all healthy workers should lift under ideal conditions; real lifts allow less.