How Much Does a Yard of Concrete Weigh?
A cubic yard of concrete weighs about 4,050 pounds, or roughly 2 tons, based on the standard density of 150 pounds per cubic foot used in US structural design. Most ready mixed concrete falls between 3,600 and 4,220 pounds per cubic yard depending on the mix, and the number shifts with rebar, aggregate type and how much water evaporates as the slab cures. Below is the math, how weight changes by mix, what a loaded concrete truck weighs, and how to turn that figure into a load estimate for your own pour.
Key takeaways
- A cubic yard of concrete weighs about 4,050 pounds (2.025 tons), based on the standard density of 150 pounds per cubic foot.
- One cubic foot of standard concrete weighs 150 pounds, so a 4 inch slab weighs about 50 pounds per square foot.
- Reinforced concrete with rebar weighs about 4,200 pounds per cubic yard, roughly 4% more than plain concrete.
- A fully loaded 10 cubic yard mixer truck weighs close to 72,000 pounds, near the federal 80,000 pound highway limit.
- Lightweight concrete mixes can weigh as little as 2,360 to 3,120 pounds per cubic yard, while heavyweight shielding mixes can top 6,000 pounds.
How much does a cubic yard of concrete weigh
A cubic yard of concrete weighs about 4,050 pounds, or roughly 2 tons, based on the industry standard density of 150 pounds per cubic foot. Since a cubic yard holds 27 cubic feet, the math is simply 150 times 27, which lands right at 4,050 pounds for a typical structural mix.
Most ready mixed concrete falls in a range of 3,600 to 4,220 pounds per cubic yard, depending on the aggregate, water content and how much air is entrained. For quick planning, 4,000 pounds, or 2 tons, is the round number most suppliers and haulers use.
That weight matters for more than curiosity. It sets how many yards a mixer truck can legally carry, how a slab loads the ground beneath it, and what a disposed slab costs to haul away. Get the exact volume for your job first in the concrete calculator, then use the weight per yard below to estimate the total load.
Concrete weight per cubic foot, yard and cubic meter
The 150 pound per cubic foot figure comes from ACI 318, the structural code most US engineers use for concrete design. That single number scales cleanly to any volume you are working with, in either imperial or metric units.
One cubic foot weighs 150 pounds. One cubic yard, which is 27 cubic feet, weighs about 4,050 pounds. One cubic meter, the unit used in Canada and Europe, weighs about 2,400 kilograms.
Weight (lb) = Volume (ft3) x 150Weight (lb) per yard = Volume (yd3) x 4,050| Unit of volume | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cubic foot | 150 lb |
| 1 cubic yard | 4,050 lb (2.025 tons) |
| 1 cubic meter | 2,400 kg (about 5,290 lb) |
Wet concrete vs cured concrete weight
Freshly mixed concrete, the kind delivered by the truck, weighs close to the full 4,000 to 4,050 pounds per cubic yard because it still holds all its mixing water. That wet weight is what matters for truck loads and pour planning.
As the slab cures, some of the water that was not chemically bound to the cement evaporates from the surface. That drops the finished weight by roughly 5 to 10%, putting a fully cured cubic yard closer to 3,700 to 3,800 pounds.
Engineers still design with the conservative 150 pound per cubic foot figure, since it accounts for reinforcement, moisture reabsorption and a safety margin. For structural load calculations, use the full 4,050 pound number, not the lighter cured estimate.
How rebar and mix type change the weight
Adding steel reinforcement makes concrete heavier. Rebar increases density by about 4%, pushing a reinforced cubic yard to roughly 4,200 pounds instead of 4,050.
Lightweight concrete, made with aggregates like expanded clay, shale or pumice instead of gravel, can weigh as little as 2,360 to 3,120 pounds per cubic yard. It shows up in tilt-up panels and insulating fill where cutting dead load matters.
On the other end, high density mixes used for radiation shielding or counterweights use heavy aggregate like barite or iron ore, and can weigh 4,720 to 6,740 pounds per cubic yard. Standard residential and driveway work uses the ordinary 150 pound per cubic foot mix in almost every case.
How much a loaded concrete truck weighs
A standard ready mix drum can physically hold 11 to 15 cubic yards, but federal highway rules cap it well below that. The Federal Highway Administration sets an 80,000 pound gross vehicle weight limit for trucks on the interstate system.
An empty mixer truck already weighs 25,000 to 33,000 pounds. Loaded with 10 cubic yards of concrete at roughly 4,000 pounds each, the truck comes in near 72,000 pounds total, close to that legal ceiling.
That is why most suppliers dispatch trucks carrying 9 to 11 cubic yards per load, even when the drum could hold more. Large pours need multiple trucks staged back to back rather than one oversized load.
Using concrete weight to plan your pour
Weight per cubic foot is also a fast way to estimate the load a slab puts on the ground below it. A 4 inch slab weighs about 50 pounds per square foot, 150 pounds per cubic foot times a third of a foot, and a 6 inch slab runs closer to 75 pounds per square foot.
That figure matters for anything built over a deck, a basement ceiling or soft fill, where the structure below has a load limit. Get the total volume right first, since weight follows directly from it. The guide on how much concrete you need walks through the volume formula for slabs, footings and columns.
For footings specifically, where the pour is a long narrow strip rather than a flat slab, the footing calculator converts your footing dimensions straight into cubic yards and pounds.
For a flat slab, patio or driveway, the slab calculator does the same using square footage and thickness, so you get the yardage and the load per square foot in one step.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yard of concrete weigh in tons?
How much does a cubic foot of concrete weigh?
Is wet concrete heavier than cured concrete?
How much does a truckload of concrete weigh?
Does rebar make concrete heavier?
References
- ACI 318: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
- NRMCA: Ready Mixed Concrete Industry Data
- Concrete (Wikipedia)
- FHWA: Truck Size and Weight Limits