How Much Concrete for a 16x16 Patio?
How much concrete for a 16x16 patio depends on thickness. The patio covers 16 × 16 = 256 square feet, and at 4 inches thick that is about 3.16 cubic yards, or 3.48 yards with a 10 percent allowance. Mixed from bags, it is roughly 143 bags of 80 lb mix.
Concrete calculator →The math for a 16x16 patio
- Area: 16 ft × 16 ft = 256 sq ft.
- Thickness in feet: 4 in ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft.
- Volume: 256 × 0.333 = 85.3 cubic feet.
- Cubic yards: 85.3 ÷ 27 = 3.16 yd³.
- With 10% extra: 3.48 yd³.
The concrete calculator runs the same steps for any size and thickness.
Related: How Much Concrete for a 16x16 Slab?
Concrete for a 16x16 patio by thickness
| Thickness | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | Yards +10% | 80 lb bags | 60 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 in | 85.3 | 3.16 | 3.48 | 143 | 190 |
| 5 in | 106.7 | 3.95 | 4.35 | 178 | 238 |
| 6 in | 128.0 | 4.74 | 5.21 | 214 | 285 |
Bag counts assume about 0.60 cubic feet per 80 lb bag and 0.45 per 60 lb bag, rounded up.
Choosing the thickness
Four inches is standard for a patio that sees foot traffic and furniture. Slope it about 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot away from the house so rain runs off, and go thicker under a hot tub or outdoor kitchen.
Related: How Much Gravel for a 16x16 Patio?
Ordering ready-mix
Concrete is ordered by the cubic yard, and a yard is 27 cubic feet. Ready-mix plants usually sell in quarter- or half-yard steps, so round up to the next step rather than down. Running short in the middle of a pour leaves a cold joint, which is a weak seam in the patio.
Getting the ground ready
Under the slab, most residential pours sit on about 4 inches of compacted gravel. The base spreads the load, drains water away and keeps the patio from cracking as the soil freezes and thaws. Compact the base in thin lifts, and dampen it just before the pour so it does not pull water out of the mix.
Keeping cracks under control
Cut or tool control joints so the slab cracks where you want it to. A common rule is spacing them, in feet, at no more than two to three times the slab thickness in inches, so about 12 feet apart for a 4-inch slab, and about a quarter of the slab depth deep.
Questions people ask
How many yards of concrete for a 16x16 patio at 4 inches?
About 3.16 cubic yards, or 3.48 with 10 percent extra.
How many yards for a 16x16 patio at 6 inches?
About 4.74 cubic yards.
How many 80 lb bags for a 16x16 patio?
About 143 bags at 4 inches thick, before any waste allowance.
How many square feet is a 16x16 patio?
256 square feet.
Should I add extra for waste?
Yes. Adding 5 to 10 percent covers uneven base, spillage and form bulges.
When is bagged concrete practical?
Usually for jobs under about a cubic yard. Beyond that, mixing dozens of bags by hand gets slow and batches may not blend well.
Related guides
- How Much Area Does a Yard of Concrete Cover?
- How Many Bags of Concrete in a Yard? 40, 60, 80 lb
- Gravel Base Under a Concrete Slab: Depth and Tons
- How Many Yards in a Concrete Truck? Mixer Sizes
- Concrete Short Load Fee: What It Is and How to Cut It
- 60 lb vs 80 lb Concrete Bags: Yield, Count, and Cost
- Rebar vs Wire Mesh in a Slab: Which One to Use
- Cost to Pour a Concrete Slab: Per Square Foot
- How Much Concrete for a 14x16 Patio?
- How Much Concrete for a 14x20 Patio?
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