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How Much Concrete for an 18x32 Slab?

For an 18x32 slab poured 4 inches thick, plan on about 7.11 cubic yards of concrete. That comes from 576 square feet times 0.333 feet of depth, divided by 27. How much concrete for an 18x32 slab at other thicknesses is in the table below.

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The math for an 18x32 slab

  1. Area: 18 ft × 32 ft = 576 sq ft.
  2. Thickness in feet: 4 in ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft.
  3. Volume: 576 × 0.333 = 192.0 cubic feet.
  4. Cubic yards: 192.0 ÷ 27 = 7.11 yd³.
  5. With 10% extra: 7.82 yd³.

The concrete calculator runs the same steps for any size and thickness.

Concrete for an 18x32 slab by thickness

ThicknessCubic feetCubic yardsYards +10%80 lb bags60 lb bags
4 in192.07.117.82320427
5 in240.08.899.78400534
6 in288.010.6711.73480640

Bag counts assume about 0.60 cubic feet per 80 lb bag and 0.45 per 60 lb bag, rounded up.

How thick to pour it

Four inches is the usual thickness for patios, walks and shed floors. Slabs that carry cars or a heavy hot tub are often poured at 5 to 6 inches, and edges are sometimes thickened where loads concentrate.

Placing the order

Ready-mix is priced and batched by the cubic yard (27 cubic feet). Plants commonly add a small-load fee when an order is under a set minimum, so ask about it when you call. Ordering a little extra costs far less than a second truck.

Prep before the pour

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 slab 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.

Joints, mesh and rebar

Reinforcement does not stop cracks, but it holds them tight. Wire mesh or rebar set mid-depth on chairs is common for a slab that carries vehicles; fiber-reinforced mix is an option for light-duty slabs. Joints about 12 feet apart control where cracks form.

Questions people ask

How many yards of concrete for an 18x32 slab at 4 inches?

About 7.11 cubic yards, or 7.82 with 10 percent extra.

How many yards for an 18x32 slab at 6 inches?

About 10.67 cubic yards.

How many 80 lb bags for an 18x32 slab?

About 320 bags at 4 inches thick, before any waste allowance.

How many square feet is an 18x32 slab?

576 square feet.

How much does a cubic yard of concrete weigh?

Roughly 4,000 pounds, or about 2 tons, for normal-weight concrete.

How thick should the base under the slab be?

About 4 inches of compacted gravel is common for residential slabs, more on soft or poorly drained soil.

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