How much does a cubic yard of concrete weigh?

Normal-weight concrete runs about 145–150 lb per cubic foot, so a cubic yard (27 ft³) weighs roughly 3,900–4,050 lb — about two short tons. In metric it is about 2,300–2,400 kg per cubic metre, or 2.3–2.4 tonnes.

How much does a concrete slab weigh per square foot?

Thickness in feet times the density. A 4 in slab is 0.333 ft × 150 lb/ft³ = 50 lb per square foot; a 6 in slab is 75 lb. In metric, a 100 mm slab at 2,400 kg/m³ is 0.1 × 2,400 = 240 kg per square metre.

What density should I use for concrete?

About 150 lb/ft³ (2,400 kg/m³) is the usual figure for ordinary reinforced concrete, and the default here. Lightweight mixes are noticeably lighter and heavyweight mixes heavier — if you know the mix, type the unit weight from the supplier’s ticket.

How heavy is a concrete-filled tube or round pier?

Pick round, type the diameter and the height as the thickness. A 12 in tube 4 ft (48 in) tall is 3.1416 × 0.5² × 4 = 3.14 ft³, about 471 lb at 150 lb/ft³. A 250 mm tube 1.2 m tall is 0.059 m³, about 141 kg at 2,400 kg/m³.

Concrete weight calculator

Show the working — with your numbers

Volume times the density you enter — the weight of the concrete, nothing more. It does not tell you what a floor, a truck, a trailer or a lifting rig can take; check those against their own ratings. Rebar and mesh add a little; voids and lightweight mixes take some away.

Pick rectangle or round, type the size, the thickness and how many identical pieces, and leave the density at the typical figure or type your own. The tool gives the weight in pounds and short tons — or kilograms and tonnes — with the volume beside it.

Worked example

Imperial: a 12 × 10 ft slab, 4 in thick. 12 × 10 × 0.333 = 40 ft³ (1.48 yd³). At 150 lb/ft³ that is 40 × 150 = 6,000 lb — 3 short tons, or about 2,720 kg. An 8 ft round pad 6 in thick is 3.1416 × 4² × 0.5 = 25.1 ft³, about 3,770 lb.

Metric: a 4 × 3 m slab, 100 mm thick. 4 × 3 × 0.1 = 1.2 m³. At 2,400 kg/m³ that is 2,880 kg — 2.88 tonnes, about 6,350 lb.

On the job

Break-out and disposal. Bins and dumpsters carry a weight limit as well as a volume, and broken concrete hits the weight long before the bin looks full. A 12 × 10 ft, 4 in slab is 3 tons of rubble; know the figure before you book the bin or load a trailer.

Precast and lifting. For a step, a block or a panel you plan to move, weigh it on paper first and add the rigging. Then check the machine and the slings against their own rating plates — this page only gives the concrete’s weight.

Density is the lever. The spread between 145 and 150 lb/ft³ is about 3%; a lightweight mix can be a quarter lighter or more. If the ticket gives a unit weight, use it.

What went wrong?

Quick referencefor concrete weight

Per cubic yard: at 150 lb/ft³: 4,050 lb (about 2 short tons)
Per cubic metre: at 2,400 kg/m³: 2.4 tonnes
Slab per ft²: at 150 lb/ft³: 4 in = 50 lb · 6 in = 75 lb
Slab per m²: at 2,400 kg/m³: 100 mm = 240 kg · 150 mm = 360 kg
Density: 1 lb/ft³ = 16.02 kg/m³ · 150 lb/ft³ ≈ 2,403 kg/m³
Tons: short ton 2,000 lb = 907 kg · tonne 1,000 kg = 2,205 lb

The formula

weight = volume × density × pieces

Volume is length × width × thickness for a rectangle and 3.1416 × radius² × thickness for a round piece, with every measurement in feet (or metres). Cubic feet × lb/ft³ gives pounds; cubic metres × kg/m³ gives kilograms. Divide by 2,000 for short tons or 1,000 for tonnes.

Questions

How much does a cubic yard of concrete weigh?: Normal-weight concrete runs about 145–150 lb per cubic foot, so a cubic yard (27 ft³) weighs roughly 3,900–4,050 lb — about two short tons. In metric it is about 2,300–2,400 kg per cubic metre, or 2.3–2.4 tonnes.
How much does a concrete slab weigh per square foot?: Thickness in feet times the density. A 4 in slab is 0.333 ft × 150 lb/ft³ = 50 lb per square foot; a 6 in slab is 75 lb. In metric, a 100 mm slab at 2,400 kg/m³ is 0.1 × 2,400 = 240 kg per square metre.
What density should I use for concrete?: About 150 lb/ft³ (2,400 kg/m³) is the usual figure for ordinary reinforced concrete, and the default here. Lightweight mixes are noticeably lighter and heavyweight mixes heavier — if you know the mix, type the unit weight from the supplier’s ticket.
How heavy is a concrete-filled tube or round pier?: Pick round, type the diameter and the height as the thickness. A 12 in tube 4 ft (48 in) tall is 3.1416 × 0.5² × 4 = 3.14 ft³, about 471 lb at 150 lb/ft³. A 250 mm tube 1.2 m tall is 0.059 m³, about 141 kg at 2,400 kg/m³.

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