How Much Does a Bag of Concrete Cover?
An 80 lb bag of concrete mix covers 1.8 ft² at 4 in thick and 3.6 ft² at 2 in; a 60 lb bag covers 1.35 ft² at 4 in. Both come from the yield on the maker's data sheet, before any waste.
Estimates for planning, not professional advice. Read the full notice.
Work it out for your own sizes
Count the bags for your own padExample to try: Length 4 ft, Width 4 ft, Thickness 4 in
Square feet one bag covers, by thickness
Area covered by one bag of the maker's concrete mix at each pour thickness, by bag size
| Bag size | At 2 in thick | At 3 in thick | At 4 in thick | At 5 in thick | At 6 in thick | Yield per bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 1.8 ft² | 1.2 ft² | 0.9 ft² | 0.72 ft² | 0.6 ft² | approx. 0.3 ft³ |
| 50 lb | 2.25 ft² | 1.5 ft² | 1.13 ft² | 0.9 ft² | 0.75 ft² | approx. 0.375 ft³ |
| 60 lb | 2.7 ft² | 1.8 ft² | 1.35 ft² | 1.08 ft² | 0.9 ft² | approx. 0.45 ft³ |
| 80 lb | 3.6 ft² | 2.4 ft² | 1.8 ft² | 1.44 ft² | 1.2 ft² | approx. 0.6 ft³ |
| 90 lb | 4.05 ft² | 2.7 ft² | 2.03 ft² | 1.62 ft² | 1.35 ft² | approx. 0.675 ft³ |
Figures in the Yield per bag column are per QUIKRETE's data sheet, checked Nov 12, 2026.
Product names are trademarks of their owners. HoneyDoMath is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by these makers. Figures come from each maker's published sheets and are shown for information only.
Source: [1]
Each area is the bag's yield spread over that thickness, with nothing added for waste. Your bag's label comes first: if it prints a different yield, the areas change with it.
From square feet to a bag count: the example pad
Bags to buy for the example pad at each thickness, by bag size, with the waste allowance added
| Pad thickness | 40 lb bags | 50 lb bags | 60 lb bags | 80 lb bags | 90 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 10 × 40 lb bags | 8 × 50 lb bags | 7 × 60 lb bags | 5 × 80 lb bags | 5 × 90 lb bags |
| 3 in | 15 × 40 lb bags | 12 × 50 lb bags | 10 × 60 lb bags | 8 × 80 lb bags | 7 × 90 lb bags |
| 4 in | 20 × 40 lb bags | 16 × 50 lb bags | 14 × 60 lb bags | 10 × 80 lb bags | 9 × 90 lb bags |
| 5 in | 25 × 40 lb bags | 20 × 50 lb bags | 17 × 60 lb bags | 13 × 80 lb bags | 11 × 90 lb bags |
| 6 in | 30 × 40 lb bags | 24 × 50 lb bags | 20 × 60 lb bags | 15 × 80 lb bags | 14 × 90 lb bags |
Estimate for planning, from what you entered and the product data shown. Check product labels and your supplier before you buy.
Each count is rounded up once, to whole bags, after the waste allowance is added.
How to read the chart in the aisle
Find the row for the bag in your hands, then the column for how thick the pour will be. That cell is the area one bag fills. Divide the area of your pad by it and round up to whole bags.
Take a pad 4 ft by 4 ft, which is 16 ft², poured 4 in thick. One 80 lb bag covers 1.8 ft² of it, so the pad takes 9 × 80 lb bags with nothing spare, or 10 × 80 lb bags once a waste allowance of 10%[2] is added. In the 60 lb size the same pad takes 14 × 60 lb bags with that allowance.
Why the same bag covers less on a thicker pour
A bag makes a fixed volume of concrete: approx. 0.6 ft³[1] for the 80 lb bag. Spread thinner it reaches further, so the area at 2 in is larger than the area at 6 in. The area is the yield divided by the thickness, so doubling the thickness halves it.
For the same job counted the other way, by volume, see how many bags make a cubic yard. For larger slabs, the common slab sizes table lists cubic yards and bags side by side.
Questions
How much does an 80 lb bag of concrete cover?
It depends on the thickness of the pour, because the bag makes a fixed volume. The chart's row for that bag gives the square feet at each thickness, worked out from the yield on the maker's data sheet.
How much will a 60 lb bag of concrete cover?
Less than the larger bag at every thickness, in step with its smaller yield. Its row in the chart gives the square feet for each thickness.
How many cubic feet does a bag of concrete make?
The last column of the chart gives the yield of each bag size as the maker's data sheet states it. The sheet gives each yield as approximate, so the chart marks it that way.
Does the coverage chart include waste?
No. The chart shows what one bag covers with nothing spare. The second table and the bag calculator add a waste allowance, which you can change in the calculator.
How many bags of concrete are on a pallet?
This page gives no pallet count, because it has no maker's sheet to cite for one. The chart covers what one bag makes, which does not depend on how the bags are stacked.
Calculate it for your project
Enter your own sizes to get the amount to buy or the layout figures, with the working shown and a page to print.
Enter your sizes in the bag calculatorSources (2)
-
QUIKRETE Concrete Mix No. 1101 data sheet (opens in new tab), The Quikrete Companies, Revised October 2022.
Manufacturer data.
“An 80 lb (36.2 kg) bag yields approximately 0.60 ft3 (17 L)”
“A 40 lb (18.1 kg) bag yields approximately 0.30 ft3 (8.5 L)”
“A 50 lb (22.6 kg) bag yields approximately 0.375 ft3 (10.6 L)”
“A 60 lb (27.2 kg) bag yields approximately 0.45 ft3 (12.7 L)”
“A 90 lb (40.8 kg) bag yields approximately 0.675 ft3 (19.1 L)”
Per QUIKRETE's data sheet, checked Nov 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 1) -
CIP 31, Ordering Ready Mixed Concrete (opens in new tab), National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, 2000, 2016, 2023.
Standards or industry body.
“Quantity of concrete ordered should be 4% to 10% more than an estimate calculated from the plan dimensions to account for contingencies.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 2)
These are summaries of what the sources say, not professional advice. Codes and product data change. Check with your building department and the product label about your own project.