How Much Does A Yard Of Concrete Weigh?

How much does a yard of concrete weigh? A solid slab of concrete has an average weight is 4,050 pounds (2 tons) per cubic yard or 150 pounds per cubic foot. The actual weight per yard can vary based on the ingredients and ratios used to make the dry mix and the amount of water used to mix it. Stronger concrete is heavier per yard because it has more stone than cement. Weaker concrete is lighter per yard because it has less stone and more cement. Water matters too because it weighs about 8 pounds per gallon and you need around 20-25 gallons of water to make a yard of concrete. But it’s a very small amount compared to the total weight of concrete.

Concrete’s weight is based on volume which is a simple calculation to make. Multiple the length x the width x the depth of a slab and you’ll get the volume. Another way to look at it is square footage x depth. From there you can calculate how many yards of concrete it is and then the total weight.

Broken concrete weighs closer to 2,025 pounds (1 ton) per cubic yard, or 75 pounds per cubic foot. When you break up concrete and load it in a dumpster, there will be lots of open space between the chunks. That’s why broken concrete weights so much less per yard then wet or poured concrete.

Slabs will usually weigh more than just the concrete because they include rebar or wire mesh. Take that into consideration when figuring out the weight of your concrete.

If you order bulk concrete in bags, click here to find out how many bags of concrete come on a pallet.

Concrete Weight Per Cubic Foot

A great way to figure out how much concrete weighs is breaking it down into smaller calculations. A solid slab of concrete weighs around 150 pounds per cubic foot, which is around 4,500 pounds per square yard.

This is for average 3500-4000 psi concrete.

If your using stronger or weaker concrete than average then the weight will change.

• A solid slab of concrete weighs 150 pounds per cubic foot.
• A cubic foot of broken concrete weighs 75 pounds.

Concrete Weight Per Cubic Yard

Understanding how much concrete weighs per yard can be important because for large scale jobs it’s typically ordered by the yard.

• A solid slab of concrete weighs 4,050 pounds per cubic yard.
• A cubic yard of broken up concrete weighs 2,025 pounds.

A Cubic Yard Of Concrete Weighs 2.025 Tons

In the U.S. a Ton is equal to 2000 pounds. A yard of concrete weighs 4050 pounds on average. If you do the math you get 2.025 Tons per cubic yard of concrete. That’s about the same weight as an average sized car or midsize SUV.

The Weight Of Wet Vs Dry Concrete?

A yard of average strength concrete weighs about 4050 pounds. Most of that weight comes from the cement, stone and sand but a small amount is from water.

To mix a yard of concrete it takes about 20-25 gallons of water. Any more and you’ll risk over watering and weakening the concrete. 1 gallon of water weighs about 8.34 pounds. So in total, your looking at 166.8 lbs to 208.5 lbs.

When wet concrete dries and hardens, it evaporates about half to 2/3 of this water in the process of hydration and curing. Most of the water evaporates as it cures but some remains in the concrete for days, weeks, and possibly even years. 10-14 Gallons of water evaporates during curing which leaves behind about 10-15 gallons or about 100-120 pounds.

This means that a yard of wet concrete weighs about 4150 pounds because a yard of dry concrete weighs about 4050 pounds. The weight difference is only that 10-14 gallons that evaporates

How Much Does A Cubic Foot Of Concrete Weigh?

A cubic foot of concrete is 12″ wide by 12″ high by 12″ deep. Or 1 foot x 1 foot x 1 foot. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard of concrete. Since we know a cubic yard of concrete weighs about 4050 pounds it’s simple math to figure out the weight per cubic foot. Simply divide 4050 by 27 and you get 150 pounds.

A cubic foot of concrete weighs about 150 pounds.

Keep in mind that this is an average based on 3500-4000 PSI concrete. Actual weight can vary a little bit based on the ingredients used.

How Much Does A Square Foot Of Concrete Weigh?

Square foot is different than a cubic foot because it does not include depth. To calculate a square foot you simply measure the length 12″ by width 12″. Or 1 foot x 1 foot. It’s a measurement of area which by itself does not have any weight. To calculate the weight of any given area you have to add in depth.

If a cubic foot of concrete weighs 150 pounds then each cubic inch weighs 12.5 pounds.

The weight of a square foot of concrete depend on how thick it is:

• 1 square foot x 8″ thick concrete weighs 100 pounds
• 1 square foot x 6″ thick concrete weighs 75 pounds

To find out the weight of 1 square foot of concrete simply multiply it’s depth per inch x 12.5 lbs or it’s depth per foot by 150 lbs.

How Much Does A Yard Of Crushed Concrete Weigh?

The weight of a yard of crushed concrete will vary depending on the crush size. The smaller you crush it the more will fit into a cubic yard container. This is all done by machines that crush demolished concrete into small chunks.

• 1.5″ crushed concrete weighs 2,450 pounds per yard
• 3/4″ crushed concrete weighs 2,550 pounds per yard

If your demolishing concrete by hand and loading into a dumpster then things are very different since the concrete isn’t being crushed. In general, concrete that’s demolished weighs about 1/2 to 1/4 less per cubic yard vs. when it’s solid. That’s about 2025 to 3025 pounds of demolished, uncrushed, concrete per cubic yard.

If you demolish concrete into large chunks it will typically weigh a lot less per cubic yard when put into a dumpster vs crushing it into small chunks. This is mainly due to all the space that doesn’t get filled up when you load up the dumpster with large pieces. Small pieces of concrete fill in a cubic yard dumpster almost completely which can get very heavy.

How Much Concrete Can Fit In A Dumpster?

Most of the time you can load up to 10 tons (20,000 pounds) of concrete into a concrete dumpster. I recommend calculating the weight of your concrete before you rent a dumpster to make sure you don’t overload it. Dumpster can’t be too heavy for the truck that carries them.

Concrete generally can’t be hauled in containers larger than 20 yards. There are usually limits set for how much weight can be safely transported on the road. If you have a lot of concrete to get rid of, rent more than one dumpster. This avoids overage fees and ensures the concrete can be hauled away safely.

Generally speaking, concrete dumpsters are a lot less money per pound then waste dumpsters. This is mainly due to concrete being recycled. When you pay for a general waste dumpster you’ll most likely have to pay a dump fee. here in NJ a 20 yard dumpster is around $700 bucks but a concrete dumpster is only around $300.

Summary: How Much Does A Yard Of Concrete Weigh?

How much does a yard of concrete weigh? A solid slab of concrete has an average weight is 4,050 pounds (2 tons) per cubic yard or 150 pounds per cubic foot. The actual weight per yard can vary based on the ingredients and ratios used to make the dry mix and the amount of water used to mix it. Stronger concrete is heavier per yard because it has more stone than cement. Weaker concrete is lighter per yard because it has less stone and more cement. Water matters too because it weighs about 8 pounds per gallon and you need around 20-25 gallons of water to make a yard of concrete. But it’s a very small amount compared to the total weight of concrete.

Concrete’s weight is based on volume which is a simple calculation to make. Multiple the length x the width x the depth of a slab and you’ll get the volume. Another way to look at it is square footage x depth. From there you can calculate how many yards of concrete it is and then the total weight.

Broken concrete weighs closer to 2,025 pounds (1 ton) per cubic yard, or 75 pounds per cubic foot. When you break up concrete and load it in a dumpster, there will be lots of open space between the chunks. That’s why broken concrete weights so much less per yard then wet or poured concrete.

Slabs will usually weigh more than just the concrete because they include rebar or wire mesh. Take that into consideration when figuring out the weight of your concrete.

If you have any questions or comments about how much concrete weighs E-mail any time.