Concrete Yard Calculator

What Is a Cubic Yard of Concrete?

This concrete yard calculator converts your project dimensions into cubic yards — the standard unit for ordering concrete in the United States. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet (3 feet × 3 feet × 3 feet) and at standard concrete density of 145 lb/ft³ weighs approximately 3,915 pounds (about 2 short tons). Ready-mix concrete is priced per cubic yard — typically $110–$165/yd³ delivered — and a standard ready-mix truck carries 8–10 cubic yards.

Getting the cubic yard calculation right is the most important step before calling a supplier. Ordering too little means stopping mid-pour to wait for another truck — the resulting cold joint between the old and new concrete is a structural weak point. Ordering too much wastes $130–$165 per unused yard. A 10% overage is the standard practice to account for uneven subgrade, out-of-square forms, and spillage.

How to Use This Concrete Yard Calculator

This concrete calculator yards tool converts project dimensions directly to cubic yards (CY) — the unit concrete is sold and ordered in. Enter the length, width, and thickness of your slab, wall, or footing and get instant cubic yard results with a 10% waste factor already included. Need to estimate individual bag quantities instead? Use the concrete bag calculator.

How to Round Up and Order the Right Amount

The volume formula is simple — multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27 (a 4-inch slab depth is 0.333 ft, a 6-inch depth is 0.5 ft). The part people get wrong is what to do with the number afterward. Plants do not batch to two decimal places; they sell in quarter- and half-yard increments, so a calculated 2.96 yd³ becomes a 3-yard order and a 7.40 yd³ becomes 7.5 yards.

1. Add 10% waste to your calculated volume for subgrade dips, out-of-square forms, and spillage.
2. Round up to the next quarter or half yard the plant will batch.
3. Check the short-load threshold — if the result is under about 3–4 yards, expect a short-load fee or consider bagged mix instead.

Under-ordering is the costly mistake: running out mid-pour forces a wait for a second truck and a cold joint where fresh concrete meets partially set concrete, which is a permanent weak point. Over-ordering by a fraction of a yard costs far less than that.

Full Loads, Partial Loads and Short-Load Fees

A standard mixer truck carries 8–10 cubic yards, and plants charge the lowest per-yard rate when you fill it. Order less than the plant's efficient minimum — usually around 3–4 yards — and a short-load fee of $30–$75 per yard short kicks in. Here is how common projects fall on that scale:

• 10×10 patio, 4 in — 1.23 yd³: a partial load that will carry a short-load fee
• 12×20 garage floor, 4 in — 2.96 yd³: order 3 yards; likely still a short load
• 20×30 driveway, 6 in — 11.11 yd³: over a full truck, so schedule two deliveries
• 40 ft footing, 16 in × 12 in — 1.97 yd³: combine with another pour to dodge the fee
• 30 ft basement wall, 8 ft × 10 in — 7.40 yd³: round to 7.5; nearly a full truck

For a slab-by-slab breakdown of these jobs, see the concrete slab calculator.

How Much Does a Yard of Concrete Cost?

In 2025–2026, a cubic yard of ready-mix concrete costs $130–$170 delivered, depending on your region, PSI strength, and any mix additives. Most suppliers also charge a short-load fee of $30–$60 per yard if you order less than 5–7 yards (the threshold varies by plant).

Here is what common residential projects cost for concrete material alone:

• 10×10 patio (1.23 yd³) — $160–$210 for concrete + short-load fee = roughly $250–$350
• 12×20 garage floor (2.96 yd³) — $385–$503 for concrete + short-load fee = roughly $450–$625
• 20×30 driveway (11.11 yd³) — $1,445–$1,890 for concrete (no short-load fee)

These numbers cover only the concrete — labor, forming, finishing, and site prep add $4–$12 per square foot on top. For a detailed cost breakdown including labor, visit our concrete cost calculator.

How to Order Ready-Mix Concrete by the Yard

Ready-mix concrete is ordered by phone or online from a local batch plant. Call at least 24–48 hours ahead of your pour date. Have the following information ready when you call:

• Total cubic yards — your calculated amount including the 10% waste factor, rounded up to the nearest half yard
• PSI (strength) — 3,000 PSI for most residential applications; 3,500–4,000 PSI for driveways and exposed slabs; 4,000+ PSI for structural and commercial work
• Slump — how workable the mix is; 4–5 inch slump is typical for slabs and walls; do not add water on site to increase slump, as it weakens the concrete
• Delivery address and pour date and time — allow 60–90 minutes between truck arrivals for multi-load pours
• Special requirements — fiber reinforcement, air entrainment (freeze-thaw climates), accelerators (cold weather), or retarders (hot weather)

Have your crew, forms, and unloading path ready before the truck arrives. Plants allow about 5–7 minutes of unloading time per yard and then bill standby (demurrage) at roughly $90–$150 per hour for time the truck waits beyond that — so a slow setup can quietly add to the bill. For total installed pricing including labor and finishing, use the concrete cost calculator.