“A yard” is the unit every concrete conversation happens in — the truck sells by the yard, the price is per yard, the short-load fee kicks in under a few yards. But a yard is a volume, and what you actually care about is area: how much patio, driveway, or sidewalk does that volume become at your slab thickness?
The short answer: one cubic yard covers 81 square feet at 4 inches thick. That single number answers most residential questions, and the table below extends it to every common thickness. The math is simple division — a yard is 27 cubic feet, and you divide by the thickness in feet — but getting it wrong means a short load or a wasted half-yard, so it is worth seeing the numbers laid out.
Coverage per cubic yard by thickness
| Slab thickness | Square feet per yard | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | Thin overlays, mudjacking (rare for new slabs) |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | Patios, walkways, sidewalks, shed pads |
| 5 in | 65 sq ft | Residential driveways, garage floors |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | RV pads, heavy loads, commercial work |
| 8 in | 41 sq ft | Structural slabs, heavy commercial |
Each figure is 27 ÷ (thickness ÷ 12). At 5 inches: 27 ÷ 0.4167 = 64.8, rounded to 65. These are exact geometric coverage — always add 5–10% waste on top for the real order.
Common projects, translated to yards
| Project | Size & thickness | Yards (exact) | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small patio | 10 × 10 ft, 4 in | 1.23 | 1.5 yd |
| Walkway | 4 × 30 ft, 4 in | 1.48 | 1.75 yd |
| 2-car driveway | 20 × 20 ft, 5 in | 6.17 | 6.5 yd |
| Garage floor | 20 × 24 ft, 5 in | 7.41 | 8 yd |
| Shed pad | 8 × 10 ft, 4 in | 0.99 | 1.25 yd |
The “order” column adds roughly 5–10% waste and rounds up to the nearest quarter-yard, which is how ready-mix is billed. Check any of these against our concrete calculator — same math, your exact dimensions.
What a yard costs in 2026
2026 pricing guides put standard residential ready-mix at roughly $125–$180 per cubic yard delivered (allbetterapp.com: $125–$195; buildestimatory.com: $125–$160; metalamericaconcrete.com: $120–$165). Treat these as planning ranges — your county, the mix design, and diesel prices move the real number. Three things that consistently surprise first-time buyers:
- Short-load fees. Order under the supplier’s truck minimum (often 4–5 yards) and expect roughly $30–$60 extra per yard. A 1-yard order can cost nearly double the per-yard rate.
- Strength upgrades are cheap. Going from 3,000 to 4,000 PSI typically adds $10–$25 per yard — trivial against the total, and the right call for driveways.
- Delivery extras add up. Saturday delivery, long chute runs, pump trucks, and wait time are all separate line items. Ask for the all-in price, not the per-yard price.
Frequently asked questions
81 square feet. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet; at 4 inches thick (one-third of a foot), 27 ÷ 0.333 = 81. At 5 inches it covers about 65 square feet, and at 6 inches about 54.
Roughly $125–$180 per cubic yard delivered for standard residential mix, based on 2026 pricing guides (sources vary by region: allbetterapp.com reports $125–$195, buildestimatory.com $125–$160). Small orders under the truck minimum attract short-load fees of roughly $30–$60 per yard extra. Always get a local quote — these are planning ranges, not prices.
About 1.25 cubic yards before waste. 10 × 10 ft at 4 inches is 33.33 cubic feet, ÷ 27 = 1.23 yards. With a 5% waste allowance, order 1.5 yards (trucks bill in quarter-yard increments).
No — a cubic yard is a cubic yard. What changes is waste: footing trenches are irregular, so use 10% waste instead of 5%. The volume math (length × width × depth ÷ 27) is identical.
Related calculators & guides
- Concrete calculator — exact yards for your slab dimensions
- Concrete bag calculator — when the job is too small for a truck
- Quikrete vs. ready-mix — the full cost break-even
- How thick should a concrete slab be?