How much does a yard of concrete weigh?
Normal-weight concrete is about 4,050 lb per cubic yard — 150 lb per cubic foot. Here is the conversion, the slab dead load, and what your truck can actually carry.
Concrete weight calculator
pounds
Weight by mix type
| Mix | Density | Per cubic yard | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | 120–135 lb/ft³ | 3,240–3,650 lb | Upper floors, precast panels |
| Normal weight | 145–155 lb/ft³ | 3,915–4,185 lb | Slabs, footings, driveways |
| Heavyweight | 165–200 lb/ft³ | 4,455–5,400 lb | Radiation shielding, counterweights |
Slab dead load
Structural calculations use pounds per square foot. With normal-weight concrete at 150 lb per cubic foot:
| Thickness | Dead load | Weight per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 4 in | 50 psf | 5,000 lb |
| 5 in | 62.5 psf | 6,250 lb |
| 6 in | 75 psf | 7,500 lb |
| 8 in | 100 psf | 10,000 lb |
What can actually haul it?
- Half-ton pickup: 1,000–1,800 lb payload — about 0.3 cu yd. A full yard is 4,000+ lb, which is over the axle rating.
- Single-axle trailer: 3,500 lb GVWR, roughly 0.6 cu yd with the trailer's own weight.
- Dump trailer: 7,000–10,000 lb capacity, 1.5–2.3 cu yd.
- Ready-mix truck: 8–10 cu yd per load; a full truck is over 80,000 lb, which is why delivery has a minimum and access matters.
Why weight matters beyond hauling
On a deck or second-floor slab, the weight becomes dead load that the structure has to carry — lightweight mix exists for exactly this reason. On grade, weight mostly affects delivery and how much a wheelbarrow can take: a cubic foot of normal concrete is 150 lb, which is already a heavy wheelbarrow load.
Dead load is what the structure actually feels
Weight per cubic yard answers a shipping question. Pounds per square foot answers a structural one, and that is the number that decides whether a slab can go where you want it.
A 4-inch slab is 50 psf. Ask a 200 square foot deck or balcony to carry it and the frame is holding 10,000 lb permanently, before a single person stands on it. Residential decks are typically designed for a 40 psf live load. The slab weighs more than the occupancy it was built for.
That is why concrete on a wood-framed floor is usually a bad trade rather than an expensive one: the dead load becomes the governing design case, and unlike furniture it can never be moved out.
Lightweight mix is a structural purchase, not a shipping saving
Lightweight concrete swaps normal stone aggregate for expanded shale, clay, or slate, dropping density from about 150 to between 120 and 135 lb per cubic foot. That is a 15 to 20 percent reduction in dead load, and it is bought at a higher price per yard.
The trade does not stop at density. Lower density means a lower modulus of elasticity, so a lightweight slab deflects further under the same load and creeps more over the years. A floor redesigned around lighter concrete often needs deeper members or more steel, which quietly returns part of the saving. Lightweight mix earns its premium where dead load governs: elevated slabs, precast panels, and toppings added to an existing floor that cannot take more weight.
Fresh concrete is a fluid, and the forms know it
Weight per yard is also form pressure. Until it starts to set, fresh concrete behaves like a liquid of roughly 150 lb per cubic foot, so a 4-foot wall form can see up to 600 psf at its base during the pour.
That is why form ties, walers, and bracing are sized for the pour rather than for the finished wall — and why a fast pour is more demanding than a slow one. Concrete at the bottom has had less time to stiffen before more weight arrives above it, so blowouts tend to happen in the first ten minutes, when the form is full and nothing has set.
Trust the batch ticket, not the average
The 4,050 lb figure is an average for normal-weight mix. Real density moves with air content, aggregate gradation, and water. An air-entrained mix for freeze-thaw exposure runs near 145 lb per cubic foot; a mix with lightweight fines can sit under 140.
For anything structural, the batch ticket carries the design density and the actual yield. Use those numbers. The tables here are for planning, and for deciding whether the truck you have can carry what you ordered.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yard of concrete weigh?
About 4,050 lb for normal weight, 3,000–3,650 lb for lightweight, and over 4,500 lb for heavyweight mixes.
How much does a 10 × 10 slab weigh?
At 4 inches: 1.23 cu yd × 4,050 lb = about 5,000 lb, or 50 psf.
Can I take a yard home in my pickup?
Almost never. One yard is over two tons; a half-ton truck is rated for less than half of that. Use a trailer or delivery.
How much does a yard of lightweight concrete weigh?
About 3,240 to 3,650 lb, against roughly 4,050 lb for normal-weight mix. The saving in dead load is 15 to 20 percent.
How much does a 6-inch slab weigh per square foot?
75 psf. The figure is thickness in feet times 150 lb per cubic foot: 0.5 × 150 = 75.
Does concrete weigh the same wet and dry?
Close enough for planning. A small amount of water leaves the surface during curing, but the difference is a few percent, not a design consideration.
How much pressure does concrete put on wall forms?
Up to hydrostatic — about 150 lb per cubic foot of depth, so 600 psf at the base of a 4-foot form. Form design per ACI 347 reduces this for slow pours and setting time.
Note: Densities vary with aggregate and air content. Use the mix design or batch ticket for structural calculations.
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