Bagged concrete vs. ready-mix: how to decide
Around one to two cubic yards, the question stops being "how many bags" and becomes "should I order a truck?". Here's how to compare the two honestly.
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The short answer
- Under about 1 cubic yard — post holes, deck footings, steps, small pads — bags are usually simpler and often cheaper.
- Over about 2 cubic yards — driveways, large patios, garage floors — ready-mix is almost always the better choice.
- In between, do the math with your local prices, and be honest about the labor.
Start by getting the volume from our concrete calculator. It shows the number of bags for each size and the ready-mix order rounded to quarter yards.
What one cubic yard of bagged concrete really means
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. An 80 lb bag of standard concrete mix yields about 0.60 cubic feet, so a single yard takes 45 bags — 3,600 lb that you buy, load, unload, carry, mix and place. With 60 lb bags it's 60 bags.
| Volume | 80 lb bags | Weight to handle | Typical project |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 yd³ | 12 | 960 lb | 4 fence posts in 12 in holes, 2 ft deep |
| 0.5 yd³ | 23 | 1,840 lb | A 4 × 10 ft landing, 4 in thick |
| 1 yd³ | 45 | 3,600 lb | A 9 × 9 ft pad, 4 in thick |
| 2 yd³ | 90 | 7,200 lb | A 12 × 13.5 ft patio, 4 in thick |
A slab should be placed in one continuous pour. If the first batches start to set before the last ones arrive, you get cold joints — weak lines where fresh concrete meets hardening concrete. That's the real limit on bags: how much your crew and mixer can place before the first batch stiffens.
How to compare the cost
Prices vary a lot by region and change often, so call a couple of suppliers and plug in your own numbers:
- Ready-mix is ordered in steps — often quarter or half yards — so round up. The calculator does this for you.
- Short-load fees apply below the plant's minimum load. On a small order they can be a large share of the total, so ask for the delivered price.
- Access matters. If the truck can't reach the forms, add the cost of a line pump or wheelbarrow crew.
Example with made-up round numbers — use your local prices
- Project: 1.5 yd³ including extra → 68 bags of 80 lb, or 1.5 yd³ of ready-mix
- Bags: 68 × $X per bag, plus a day's mixer rental and several trips with a trailer
- Ready-mix: 1.5 × $Y per yard, plus the short-load fee and delivery
- If the two totals are close, ready-mix wins: it's poured in minutes, the mix is consistent and there are no cold joints.
The middle ground: mixer trailers and mini-mix
Some rental yards and suppliers offer tow-behind mixer trailers loaded with up to about a yard of ready-mixed concrete, and some companies deliver small loads with mobile volumetric mixers that batch on site and charge only for what's used. Both are worth a phone call for 1 to 3 yard jobs.
When bags are the right call
- Post holes and footings spread around a yard — you pour one hole at a time, so cold joints aren't an issue.
- Hard-to-reach spots like back yards with no truck access.
- Small repairs and steps where a truck minimum would be mostly wasted.
- Working alone at your own pace on separate small pours.
When ready-mix is the right call
- Any slab over a couple of yards, especially driveways and garage floors.
- Structural pours that need a specified strength or air-entrainment for freeze–thaw climates — the plant can batch exactly what your plans call for.
- Hot weather, when bagged batches set faster and continuous placement gets harder.
Plan the pour either way
- Measure the forms after the base is compacted, not before — see how to measure an irregular area.
- Order 5–10% extra. Running short is far worse than a few leftover bags.
- Line up enough helpers: finishing a slab is a race against the set time.