How Much Cement Is in One Cubic Yard of Concrete?

Small Jobs

• If less than 1 cubic yard of concrete is required, you can mix your own on-site using a portable concrete mixer or by hand using a shovel and a wheelbarrow. Use the same proportions as you would for larger mixes, but you may substitute buckets for cubic feet. A small batch would require 1 bucket of cement, 2 1/4 buckets of sand, 1 1/2 buckets of gravel and 1/2 bucket of water.

Coarse Aggregate Considerations

• The amount of cement needed in a concrete mix is affected by the maximum size of coarse aggregate material used. Smaller-diameter gravel or crushed stone requires more cement so that the cement paste properly coats all the aggregate particles. Since a 94-pound bag of cement equals 1 cubic foot of bulk material, a 3/4-inch maximum coarse aggregate should be mixed with 1 part portland cement, 2 1/2 parts coarse aggregate and 1/2 part water.

Ready Mix or Hand Mix?

• A mixed cubic yard of concrete will weigh almost 2 tons. The raw materials must be handled three to four times from transport, to mixing, to final placement. Thus, hand mixing 2 cubic yards would be the equivalent of handling 12 to 16 tons of material. Ready mix can be delivered by concrete truck and delivered by chute to your prepared forms or into waiting wheelbarrows if space is an issue at your work site.

Other Considerations

• Concrete countertops have become an option for kitchen and bathroom applications. Lightweight concrete may be a consideration where weight is an issue. Concrete formulated using pumice, in lieu of sand, will weigh 14.5 pounds per square foot versus 18 pounds per square foot for a standard mix when used in a 1.5-inch-thick pour. The difference may not matter if the mix is poured into properly reenforced forms. Regular concrete is easier to polish, and lightweight concrete may cost twice as much.