Concrete Step Calculator

Enter the number of steps, rise, run, width and top platform and get the concrete for solid steps in cubic yards and the bags of mix to buy.

Construction & DIYUnited States onlySource: Stair profile geometry; QUIKRETE Concrete Mix 1101 yieldsFree, no sign-up

Number of steps (risers)

Rise per step (in)

Tread run per step (in)

Step width (in)

Top platform depth (in, 0 = none)

Extra allowance (%)

Solid steps on grade, filled with concrete all the way down. The result updates as you type.

Concrete for the steps

1.38 cubic yards · 63 bags of 80 lb

37.22 ft³ (1.054 m³) with your 10% allowance · total rise 21 in, total run 69 in

Side profile area

8.46 ft²

Bag size	Yield per bag	Bags
40 lb	0.3 ft³	125
50 lb	0.375 ft³	100
60 lb	0.45 ft³	83
80 lb	0.6 ft³	63
90 lb	0.675 ft³	56

What this page cannot tell you

Whether the step dimensions meet your building code (riser height and tread depth limits, handrails), or footing and reinforcement needs. Steps formed over gravel fill or with a sloped underside use less concrete than this solid-fill figure.

How to calculate concrete for steps

Count the steps. The number of risers.
Enter rise and run. Height of each step and depth of each tread, in inches.
Enter the width. Side to side, in inches.
Add a platform. The depth of a top landing, or 0.
Read yards and bags. With your allowance for spills and uneven ground.

10 situations where a concrete step calculator helps

Front entry steps

Two or three steps up to a door with a landing.

Bags or ready-mix

See whether the volume is a bag job or a short-load delivery.

Garden and patio steps

Low wide steps between levels.

Replacing crumbling steps

Price the pour before demolition.

Adding a landing

See what a deeper platform adds.

Choosing rise and run

Compare dimensions and their volume.

Planning forms

Total rise and run tell you the form board sizes.

Contractor bids

Material quantity for a quote.

Basement areaway steps

Short runs of steps in a well.

Metric check

The volume is also shown in cubic metres.

How the volume is worked out

Solid steps are a staircase-shaped profile repeated across the width. With n steps of rise r and run t, the bottom step is one rise tall, the next two rises, and so on, so the profile area is r × t × n(n + 1) ÷ 2. A top platform of depth p sits at the full height and adds p × n × r. Volume = profile × width, plus your allowance.

Bags use the yields on the QUIKRETE Concrete Mix (No. 1101) data sheet: 40 lb ≈ 0.30 ft³, 50 lb ≈ 0.375, 60 lb ≈ 0.45, 80 lb ≈ 0.60 and 90 lb ≈ 0.675 ft³.

Limits: this is the solid-fill case. Steps formed over compacted gravel or with a sloped underside use less concrete. The page doesn't check riser and tread limits, handrails, footings or reinforcement, which come from your building code. Everything runs in your browser.

Sources

QUIKRETE Concrete Mix (No. 1101) data sheet — Yield per bag size

Frequently asked questions

How much concrete do I need for 3 steps?

For 3 steps 7 in high, 11 in deep and 36 in wide with no landing: 7 × 11 × 6 = 462 in² of profile × 36 in = 9.6 ft³, about 17 bags of 80 lb.

How do I calculate concrete for stairs?

Profile area = rise × run × n(n+1)/2 plus any platform; multiply by the width.

Does it include a landing?

Enter the platform depth and it's added at full height.

How many bags of concrete per cubic yard?

About 45 bags of 80 lb (27 ft³ ÷ 0.60).

Can I use less concrete?

Filling the inside with compacted gravel reduces it; this page gives the solid-fill figure.

What rise and run should I use?

Your building code sets limits; the page uses what you enter.