How much concrete do I need for steps?

Treat the steps as a stack of slabs: step k from the bottom is one tread deep and k risers tall. The volume is width × tread × riser × n(n + 1) ÷ 2, plus the landing: width × landing depth × (n × riser). Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards, then add 10%. Three steps 4 ft wide with 7 in risers and 11 in treads, no landing, take 0.48 cubic yards; adding a 3 ft landing makes it 1.25.

How many bags of concrete for concrete steps?

Divide the cubic yards with waste by the yield of the bag: 0.0222 cu yd for an 80 lb bag, 0.0167 for 60 lb and 0.0111 for 40 lb, rounded up. The example of three steps with a landing is 63 bags of 80 lb mix. Five steps 3 ft wide with a 4 ft landing is 145 bags of 60 lb mix. Pick the bag size in the calculator.

Should I order ready-mix for steps?

Above about 1 cubic yard, ready-mix or a mini-mix delivery is usually cheaper per yard and far less work than mixing dozens of bags, and steps need a continuous pour so the steps and the landing set as one. The example needs 1.38 cubic yards with waste, 63 bags of 80 lb mix. A short-load charge often applies to a small order, so ask your supplier for the minimum. The calculator compares bags and ready-mix under the result.

Do these figures include side walls or a sloped underside?

No. The calculator counts solid steps on grade: concrete runs right down to the ground under every step and the landing. A stair cast with a sloped underside (a soffit) uses less concrete, and a stoop with side or stringer walls and a fill core is built differently. Footings, a gravel base, thickened edges, rebar and the overlap onto a slab or the house wall are also out of scope. Treat the answer as the solid-step volume and ask your building department about the build.

What riser and tread should I use for concrete steps?

Use the dimensions your local code and your site call for: the riser and tread limits and the landing rules are set by the model code and vary by edition and place. This calculator takes whatever riser and tread you enter and does not check them, so check riser and tread against code in the stair calculator, which also works out the number of steps and the exact riser from the total rise. Keep every riser in a flight the same height; a poured step that is off by even a little is a trip hazard.

How do I measure the riser and tread?

The riser is the finished height of one step, from the top of one tread to the top of the next, and the tread is the depth from the front edge to the riser behind it. For a flight from a door or a deck, divide the total rise by the number of risers to get an equal riser. The calculator counts the number of risers as the number of steps; the landing at the top is separate and has no riser of its own.

Does a landing count as a step?

No. Enter the number of risers as the steps, and the landing depth separately: the landing is as wide as the steps and as tall as the top step. A 4 ft wide flight of 4 steps with no landing takes 0.79 cubic yards, while the same flight with a 3 ft landing takes 1.83. Set the landing depth to 0 for steps that run straight onto a slab or a door sill.

How much extra concrete should I order for steps?

Budget 10% extra (standard): the forms bulge, the base is never perfectly level and some mix is lost in the tub or barrow. Use 5% (minimal) only when the forms are tight and you have measured twice. Running short mid-pour leaves a cold joint in the stair, so round up.

How long before you can walk on concrete?

Typically 24 to 48 hours for light foot traffic, once the surface is hard enough not to scuff; edge forms usually come off around the same time. Wait about 7 days before normal traffic, furniture or a loaded wheelbarrow. These are typical figures for ordinary concrete mix kept moist and above 50 °F (10 °C); cold weather slows curing and adds days, so follow the bag or your supplier. Enter a pour date in the calculator to see the dates.

How long does concrete take to cure?

Concrete sets in hours but keeps curing, gaining strength, for weeks. Typical planning figures: light foot traffic after 24 to 48 hours, normal use after about 7 days, and full design strength at 28 days, though it keeps hardening slowly after that. Keep it moist for at least the first 7 days (mist it, or cover it with plastic or a curing compound) and protect it from freezing: moisture and warmth are what let it reach its strength. Below about 50 °F (10 °C) curing slows, so plan on more days.

Concrete Steps Calculator: How Much Concrete for Steps?

Three concrete steps 4 ft wide, each with a 7 in riser and an 11 in tread, plus a 3 ft deep landing at the top, take about 1.25 cubic yards of concrete (12.8 cu ft in the steps and 21 cu ft in the landing). With 10% extra that is 1.38 cubic yards: 63 bags of 80 lb mix, or a small ready-mix order. This counts solid steps poured on grade; side walls and a sloped underside are not included.

Figures based on the sources listed belowUpdated 2026-10-04How we calculate

Step width

Landing depth (0 for none)

Waste allowance

Standard (10%)Minimal (5%)Custom

Number of steps

Count the risers. The landing at the top is not a step.

Riser height (in)

The finished height of each step, 7 in for most stoops. Check it against code in the stair calculator.

Tread depth (in)

The depth of each step from front to back, 11 in for most stoops.

Bag sizeThe bag count and cost range follow the size you pick. High-yield or lightweight mixes make more per bag, so check yours.

Price per bag (optional)

Buy 63 bags

1.25 cu yd + 10% waste = 1.38 cu yd

Low

$283.50

Expected

$378.00

High

$504.00

Includes 0.13 cu yd waste

How this number is calculated

1.25 cu yd + 10% waste = 1.38 cu yd ÷ 0.0222 cu yd per bag = 63 bags

1.4 cu yd — ~14% of a standard truck load

Bagged vs. Ready-mix delivery

Bagged (80 lb bags)

63 bags

$283.50–$504.00 (typ. $378.00)

Ready-mix delivery

1.4 cu yd

$192.98–$275.68 (typ. $227.44)

For ~1.4 cu yd, ready-mix delivery is usually cheaper and far less labor.

When can I walk on it?

Pour date (optional)Pick the day you pour to see the dates.

Forms off, light foot traffic24–48 hours
Normal foot traffic and furniture7 days
Full design strength28 days

Typical waits for ordinary concrete mix kept moist and above 50 °F (10 °C). They vary with the mix, temperature and curing: cold weather adds days, and fast-setting mixes shorten some waits. Follow the bag or your supplier.

Shopping list

80 lb concrete mix bag
Mixing tub
Step edger
Magnesium float
Rebar (1/2 inch)
Wheelbarrow

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Concrete for 2 to 6 steps, 7 in riser by 11 in tread

Solid steps with no landing, 36 and 48 in wide, worked by this calculator. Volume is before waste; the bags are 80 lb mix with 10% extra. A landing adds width × depth × the height of the top step.
Steps	Width	Volume (cu yd)	Volume (m³)	80 lb bags (10% waste)
2	36 in	0.18	0.14	9
2	48 in	0.24	0.18	12
3	36 in	0.36	0.27	18
3	48 in	0.48	0.36	24
4	36 in	0.59	0.45	30
4	48 in	0.79	0.61	40
5	36 in	0.89	0.68	45
5	48 in	1.19	0.91	59
6	36 in	1.25	0.95	62
6	48 in	1.66	1.27	83

Concrete curing timeline

Typical waits after pouring ordinary concrete mix kept moist and above 50 °F (10 °C), counted in calendar days from the pour day. They vary with the mix, temperature and curing: cold weather adds days, and fast-setting mixes shorten some waits. Enter your pour date in the calculator for your own dates.
Milestone	Typical wait	Example: poured Sat, Oct 3
Forms off, light foot traffic	24–48 hours	Sun, Oct 4 – Mon, Oct 5
Normal foot traffic and furniture	7 days	Sat, Oct 10
Full design strength	28 days	Sat, Oct 31

Methodology & assumptions

The steps are counted as a solid stepped block poured on grade. Counting up from the bottom, step k is a slab one tread deep and k × riser tall, so the steps hold width × tread × riser × (1 + 2 + … + n) = width × tread × riser × n(n + 1) ÷ 2. For the example, 4 ft × 11/12 ft × 7/12 ft × 6 = 12.83 cu ft. An optional landing (platform) at the top is width × landing depth × (n × riser), the height of the top step: 4 ft × 3 ft × 21/12 ft = 21 cu ft. The total is divided by 27 to give cubic yards, a waste percentage is added (10% standard, 5% minimal, as on the other concrete calculators) and the result is divided by the yield of the bag you pick (80 lb about 0.0222 cu yd, 60 lb about 0.0167, 40 lb about 0.0111) and rounded up to a whole bag. The landing is assumed as wide as the steps. What it does not model: the sloped underside of a cast stair or a stoop with a hollow core (both use less concrete than solid steps), side or stringer walls, footings, a gravel base, thickened edges and the top step overlapping a slab or the house wall. If the core under the steps will be filled with compacted gravel or similar, the concrete volume is lower, so ask your building department what is allowed. Bag yields come from the Quikrete Concrete Mix data sheet; check the bag you buy. The metric toggle shows widths and the landing in m, riser and tread in cm and the volume in m³.

Quikrete Concrete Mix (No. 1101) data sheet: 80 lb ≈ 0.60 cu ft, 60 lb ≈ 0.45 cu ft, 40 lb ≈ 0.30 cu ft
International Residential Code (IRC), Section R311.7 Stairways: the model-code limits on riser height, tread depth and landings, which vary by edition and local amendment; the stair calculator on this site checks them
Solid-step volume: geometry (the sum of the step slabs plus the landing), worked on this page; not a published figure
Typical US ready-mix and bag price ranges, 2026
American Concrete Institute, ACI 308R guide to curing concrete: keep concrete moist for at least the first 7 days (ordinary portland cement mixes)
Portland Cement Association, Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures: moisture and temperature drive strength gain, which slows in cold weather; design strength is commonly specified at 28 days
Concrete Network, How Long Before You Can Drive on New Concrete?

How to calculate how much concrete you need for steps

Measure the steps. Count the number of steps (risers), and measure the riser height, the tread depth and the width of the steps in the finished size.
Add the landing. If there is a landing at the top, measure how deep it is from the top step to the door or edge. Enter 0 if there is none.
Work out the volume. Steps = width × tread × riser × n(n + 1) ÷ 2. Landing = width × depth × n × riser. Add them and divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards.
Add waste. Add 10% for a standard pour, or 5% if your forms are tight and your measurements are exact.
Divide by bag yield and round up. Divide the cubic yards with waste by the yield per bag (about 0.0222 cu yd for an 80 lb bag) and round up. Above about 1 cubic yard, price a ready-mix delivery too.
Check the dimensions against code. Check the riser and tread against your local code in the stair calculator before you build the forms.

Worked examples

Project	Result
3 steps of 7 × 11 in, 4 ft wide, with a 3 ft landing, standard waste	1.25 cu yd + 10% waste ≈ 1.38 cu yd → 63 bags
4 steps of 7 × 11 in, 4 ft wide, no landing, standard waste	0.79 cu yd + 10% waste ≈ 0.87 cu yd → 40 bags
5 steps of 7 × 11 in, 3 ft wide, with a 4 ft landing, standard waste, 60 lb bags	2.19 cu yd + 10% waste ≈ 2.41 cu yd → 145 bags
2 steps of 6 1/2 × 12 in, 5 ft wide, no landing, minimal waste	0.3 cu yd + 5% waste ≈ 0.32 cu yd → 15 bags

Frequently asked questions

How much concrete do I need for steps?: Treat the steps as a stack of slabs: step k from the bottom is one tread deep and k risers tall. The volume is width × tread × riser × n(n + 1) ÷ 2, plus the landing: width × landing depth × (n × riser). Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards, then add 10%. Three steps 4 ft wide with 7 in risers and 11 in treads, no landing, take 0.48 cubic yards; adding a 3 ft landing makes it 1.25.
How many bags of concrete for concrete steps?: Divide the cubic yards with waste by the yield of the bag: 0.0222 cu yd for an 80 lb bag, 0.0167 for 60 lb and 0.0111 for 40 lb, rounded up. The example of three steps with a landing is 63 bags of 80 lb mix. Five steps 3 ft wide with a 4 ft landing is 145 bags of 60 lb mix. Pick the bag size in the calculator.
Should I order ready-mix for steps?: Above about 1 cubic yard, ready-mix or a mini-mix delivery is usually cheaper per yard and far less work than mixing dozens of bags, and steps need a continuous pour so the steps and the landing set as one. The example needs 1.38 cubic yards with waste, 63 bags of 80 lb mix. A short-load charge often applies to a small order, so ask your supplier for the minimum. The calculator compares bags and ready-mix under the result.
Do these figures include side walls or a sloped underside?: No. The calculator counts solid steps on grade: concrete runs right down to the ground under every step and the landing. A stair cast with a sloped underside (a soffit) uses less concrete, and a stoop with side or stringer walls and a fill core is built differently. Footings, a gravel base, thickened edges, rebar and the overlap onto a slab or the house wall are also out of scope. Treat the answer as the solid-step volume and ask your building department about the build.
What riser and tread should I use for concrete steps?: Use the dimensions your local code and your site call for: the riser and tread limits and the landing rules are set by the model code and vary by edition and place. This calculator takes whatever riser and tread you enter and does not check them, so check riser and tread against code in the stair calculator, which also works out the number of steps and the exact riser from the total rise. Keep every riser in a flight the same height; a poured step that is off by even a little is a trip hazard.
How do I measure the riser and tread?: The riser is the finished height of one step, from the top of one tread to the top of the next, and the tread is the depth from the front edge to the riser behind it. For a flight from a door or a deck, divide the total rise by the number of risers to get an equal riser. The calculator counts the number of risers as the number of steps; the landing at the top is separate and has no riser of its own.
Does a landing count as a step?: No. Enter the number of risers as the steps, and the landing depth separately: the landing is as wide as the steps and as tall as the top step. A 4 ft wide flight of 4 steps with no landing takes 0.79 cubic yards, while the same flight with a 3 ft landing takes 1.83. Set the landing depth to 0 for steps that run straight onto a slab or a door sill.
How much extra concrete should I order for steps?: Budget 10% extra (standard): the forms bulge, the base is never perfectly level and some mix is lost in the tub or barrow. Use 5% (minimal) only when the forms are tight and you have measured twice. Running short mid-pour leaves a cold joint in the stair, so round up.
How long before you can walk on concrete?: Typically 24 to 48 hours for light foot traffic, once the surface is hard enough not to scuff; edge forms usually come off around the same time. Wait about 7 days before normal traffic, furniture or a loaded wheelbarrow. These are typical figures for ordinary concrete mix kept moist and above 50 °F (10 °C); cold weather slows curing and adds days, so follow the bag or your supplier. Enter a pour date in the calculator to see the dates.
How long does concrete take to cure?: Concrete sets in hours but keeps curing, gaining strength, for weeks. Typical planning figures: light foot traffic after 24 to 48 hours, normal use after about 7 days, and full design strength at 28 days, though it keeps hardening slowly after that. Keep it moist for at least the first 7 days (mist it, or cover it with plastic or a curing compound) and protect it from freezing: moisture and warmth are what let it reach its strength. Below about 50 °F (10 °C) curing slows, so plan on more days.

Handy tools

Stair Calculator: Check riser and tread against code, or work out the number of steps and the exact riser from the total rise.