When it comes to concrete projects, knowing how much concrete mix you need for the job is crucial for success. One of the most common questions homeowners, contractors, and DIYers have is “How many bags of 60 lb quikrete are in a yard?” Let’s break this question down and arrive at the answer.
What is Quikrete?
Quikrete is a popular brand of concrete mix products manufactured by The Quikrete Companies. Their 60 lb bags contain dry concrete mixes for various applications including:
- Quikrete Original Concrete Mix – general purpose mix for concrete repair, setting posts, floor underlayment, etc.
- Quikrete FastSet Concrete Mix – rapid hardening mix for projects needing quick strength gain
- Quikrete Crack Resistant Concrete Mix – mix designed to resist cracking and improve durability
The most commonly purchased is their original concrete mix. Let’s focus on calculating yards per bag using their standard 60 lb original concrete mix.
How Many Pounds are in a Cubic Yard of Concrete?
To determine how many 60 lb bags are in yard, we first need to know how many pounds of concrete are in 1 cubic yard. Concrete weighs about 150 pounds per cubic foot. Since there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, we can calculate:
- 1 cubic foot concrete weighs 150 lbs
- 1 cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet
- 27 cubic feet x 150 lbs per cubic foot = 4,050 lbs
In summary, 1 cubic yard of concrete weighs 4,050 lbs.
Bags Per Yard Calculation
Now that we know a cubic yard of concrete weighs 4,050 lbs, we can calculate how many 60 lb bags are needed for 1 yard as follows:
- 1 cubic yard weighs 4,050 lbs
- Standard bag size is 60 lbs
- 4,050 lbs ÷ 60 lbs per bag = 67.5 bags
By dividing the total weight by the weight per bag, we find that 67.5 bags of 60 lb Quikrete Concrete Mix are required per cubic yard.
Adjusting Bags Needed for Waste
When doing an actual project, you’ll need to account for waste and overage. It’s typical to add at least 5% extra when calculating how many bags to purchase. Adding 5% to 67.5 bags gives us 71 bags.
So for an actual project, you will need approximately 71 bags of 60 lb Quikrete Concrete Mix per cubic yard.
How Many Yards are in a Bag?
We can also calculate this in reverse – how many cubic yards are in 1 bag? Taking the standard 60 lb bag size and dividing by the 4,050 lbs in a cubic yard gives us:
- 60 lbs per bag
- 4,050 lbs per cubic yard
- 60 lbs ÷ 4,050 lbs = 0.0148 cubic yards
So each 60 lb bag of Quikrete Concrete Mix provides 0.0148 cubic yards of concrete.
Conclusion
To summarize the calculations:
- 1 cubic yard of concrete weighs 4,050 lbs
- The standard Quikrete bag size is 60 lbs
- 67.5 bags of 60 lb Quikrete Concrete Mix are required per cubic yard
- Accounting for waste, you need approximately 71 bags per cubic yard
- Each 60 lb bag provides 0.0148 cubic yards of concrete
So when you need to know exactly how many bags of Quikrete concrete mix to purchase for your project, use 71 bags per cubic yard as your guideline. This will provide the right amount of extra concrete to account for spillage, overages, uneven mixing, and other job site variables. And remember that every bag provides approximately 0.0148 cubic yards of concrete. Follow this handy rule of thumb and you’ll always have just the right amount of Quikrete concrete mix on hand for your project!
Calculating Concrete for a Project
To make things even easier, here is a handy table showing the number of 60 lb bags needed for common project yardages:
| Project Yardage | Bags Needed (at 71 bags per cubic yard) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 yard | 18 bags |
| 1/2 yard | 36 bags |
| 3/4 yard | 53 bags |
| 1 yard | 71 bags |
| 1 1/4 yards | 89 bags |
| 1 1/2 yards | 107 bags |
| 2 yards | 142 bags |
| 3 yards | 213 bags |
| 4 yards | 284 bags |
| 5 yards | 355 bags |
| 6 yards | 426 bags |
| 7 yards | 497 bags |
| 8 yards | 568 bags |
| 9 yards | 639 bags |
| 10 yards | 710 bags |
With this handy reference, you can easily determine how many 60 lb bags of Quikrete concrete mix you’ll need for your next project. Simply lookup the yardage required, and the table provides the calculated bags needed. Keep in mind you may need to adjust slightly depending on your specific project circumstances.
Factors That Can Change Bag Requirements
It’s important to keep in mind that the yardage and bag estimates provided above are rules of thumb and guidelines. The actual number of bags needed can vary based on several factors, including:
- Added aggregate – Adding additional rocks or gravel to the mix can alter the yield per bag.
- Waste – As mentioned, waste factors due to spillage, overages, etc can change bag requirements.
- Mixing methods – Hand mixing vs. mechanical mixing can change yield per bag.
- Project variables – Unique characteristics like intricate shapes, forming methods, equipment, etc.
It’s always smart to have a few extra bags beyond your estimated needs on hand to account for any variables or discrepancies. Checking your actual yield part way through the project and making adjustments is advised.
Estimating Concrete for Your Projects
Tips for Estimating Bags Needed
Here are some helpful tips when estimating the number of concrete bags needed for your project:
- Get the exact yardage or volume required. Measure carefully or have a contractor provide a quantity estimate.
- Use 71 bags per cubic yard as a baseline, but adjust up for waste factors.
- Add at least 5-10% extra as a buffer if it is a complex project.
- For vertical projects, estimate volume in terms of forms filled.
- Start with the calculations, but also check manufacturer guidelines.
- For slabs, determine square footage needed x thickness.
- Have some extra bags available for discrepancy or changes.
Estimating Concrete for Common Projects
Here are some common project examples with concrete quantity estimates:
Driveway (12 ft x 50 ft x 4 in)
- Volume = Length x Width x Thickness
- = 12 ft x 50 ft x (4 in/12 in) = 16.67 cubic yards
- Bags = 16.67 yards x 71 bags/yard = 1,184 bags
Patio (15 ft x 15 ft x 4 in)
- Volume = 15 ft x 15 ft x (4 in/12 in) = 5.56 cubic yards
- Bags = 5.56 yards x 71 bags/yard = 395 bags
Footings (36 in wide x 24 in deep x 50 ft)
- Volume = Width x Depth x Length
- = 3 ft x 2 ft x 50 ft = 300 cubic feet = 11.11 cubic yards
- Bags = 11.11 yards x 71 bags/yard = 789 bags
Posts (15 posts, hole 12 in diameter x 3 ft deep)
- Volume per hole = πr2h = 0.39 cubic yards
- Total volume = 0.39 yards x 15 posts = 5.91 cubic yards
- Bags = 5.91 yards x 71 bags/yard = 420 bags
These examples demonstrate how you can calculate the concrete needs for a range of common projects using the yardage guidelines provided above.
Other Concrete Mix Bag Sizes
In addition to 60 lb bags, Quikrete concrete mix also comes in 80 lb bags which are handy for larger projects. The table below shows the number of bags needed per cubic yard for both bag sizes:
| Bag Size | Bags Needed Per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|
| 60 lb | 71 bags |
| 80 lb | 54 bags |
As you can see, the larger 80 lb bags require fewer bags per yard. Other Quikrete products like mortar mix and stucco cement are also available in 60 and 80 lb bags. Use the same calculation method to determine quantities needed, just adjust for the different bag size weight.
Key Takeaways
Estimating concrete needs for DIY projects can be challenging. To summarize the key takeaways:
- There are approximately 71 x 60 lb bags of Quikrete Concrete Mix per cubic yard
- Always round up bags needed for waste and spillage
- Use 5-10% extra bags for complex projects
- Measure carefully, calculate volume, convert to yards
- Validate with manufacturer directions when possible
- Have extra bags available for discrepancies
- Use cubic feet for volumes under 1 yard
- Refer to the handy tables for common projects
By following these guidelines, you can accurately estimate how many bags of Quikrete you need for any concrete project using the calculation of 71 x 60 lb bags per cubic yard. This will ensure you have the right amount of concrete mix on hand to complete your project efficiently and avoid shortages.
