Small construction projects that require a limited amount of concrete can usually be done with one bag of concrete. A single bag of concrete will fill up about 0.6 cubic feet, which is enough for small projects like setting fence posts or pouring a small walkway slab.
While larger construction projects require a large truckload of concrete, some may get away with a few bags of concrete that can be loaded into a pickup truck or trunk of your car.
Trucks have different weight capacities according to their size, ranging from half-ton to 32 tons, whereas the weight capacity of a car varies from 100 to 1100 lbs. as per its size and type.
To safely transport concrete in a car or smaller truck, keep the weight of the concrete to no more than 1/4th of your vehicle’s total weight capacity.
For example, if you have a pickup truck with a 2000 lb. capacity and you want to transport three 80 lb. bags of concrete, it should be doable without any issues.
Vehicle type and Concrete Weight Capacity
| Name/Type Of Car/Truck | Weight Capacity In Tons Or Lbs | No. Of 40 lbs bag | No. Of 50 lbs bag | No. Of 60 lbs bag | No. Of 80 lbs bag | No. Of 90 lbs bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most Of the cars including SUV cars | 100 to 1000 lbs | 2 to 25 bags | 2 to 20 bags | 1 to 16 bags | 1 to 12 bags | 1 to 11 bag |
| Half ton truck | 1000 lbs | 25 bags | 20 bags | 16 bags | 12 bags | 11 bags |
| Quarter ton truck | 1500 lbs | 37 bags | 30 bags | 25 bags | 18 bags | 16 bags |
| One ton truck | 2000 lbs | 50 bags | 40 bags | 33 bags | 25 bags | 22 bags |
| Kia Rio Compact Car | 849 lbs | 21 bags | 16 bags | 14 bags | 10 bags | 9 bags |
| Chevrolet Sonic compact car | 895 | 22 bags | 17 bags | 14 bags | 11 bags | 9 bags |
| Toyota Camry Mid Size car | 925 lbs | 23 bags | 18 bags | 15 bags | 11 bags | 10 bags |
| Ford fusion mid size car | 850 lbs | 21 bags | 17 bags | 14 bags | 10 bags | 9 bags |
| Hyundai Sonata mid size car | 904 lbs | 22 bags | 18 bags | 15 bags | 11 bags | 10 bags |
| Chevrolet Impala full size car | 944 lbs | 23 bags | 18 bags | 15 bags | 11 bags | 10 bags |
| Ford Taurus Full size car | 950 to 1335 lbs | 23 to 33 bags | 19 to 26 bags | 15 to 22 bags | 11 to 16 bags | 10 to 14 bags |
| Chevy colorado class 1 pickup | payload 1530 lbs | 38 bags | 30 bags | 25 bags | 19 bags | 17 bags |
| Ford Bronco | payload 1170 lbs to 1370 lbs | 29 to 34 bags | 23 to 27 bags | 29 to 22 bags | 14 to 17 bags | 13 to 15 bags |
| Dodge Ram 1500 class 2A pickup | payload 2300 lbs | 57 bags | 46 bags | 38 bags | 28 bags | 25 bags |
| Dodge Ram 2500 class 2B | payload 4010 lbs | 100 bags | 80 bags | 66 bags | 50 bags | 44 bags |
| Dodge Ram 3500 class 3 | payload 4640 lbs | 116 bags | 92 bags | 77 bags | 58 bags | 51 bags |
| Ford F-450 class 4 pickup | payload 6210 lbs | 155 bags | 124 bags | 103 bags | 77 bags | 69 bags |
| Box Vans class 6 pickup | 19501 lbs to 26000 lbs | 487 to 650 bags | 390 to 520 bags | 325 to 433 bags | 243 to 325 bags | 216 to 288 bags |
Note: Extra/Additional weight in the vehicle should be taken into consideration while loading bags of concrete. It’s recommended to spread the weight evenly and not overload the car or truck with too much weight on one side.
How To Calculate The Number Of Concrete Bags For One Truck Or Car?
The process involves two simple steps by which you will get the exact concrete bags to count for your chosen truck or car.
But before diving into the steps to evaluate the number of concrete bags, you need to consider a few things that may add to the weight load of a truck or car.
Person’s Weight
If you like to maximize the number of bags, remember that you also need to take into account the weight of the person or people who’ll be sitting in the car or truck. This may significantly affect the overall weight-loading capacity. This includes the driver and passenger(s), so make sure you keep the weight of each person in mind.
Pallets
Concrete and cement bags are usually delivered and transported using pallets. Pallets are mostly made of wood and have a standard weight of 30 to 70 lbs.
This can add up quickly, so make sure to consider how many pallets you’ll need for your project when calculating the total weight capacity for your vehicle. You need to subtract the weight of the pallets from the vehicle’s total loading capacity.
Other Equipment
Depending on the type of project, you may need to bring along other tools and equipment like shovels, hoses, stakes, or a mixer. This is another factor that needs to be taken into account when determining how many bags can fit in your car or truck.
Now that you have an understanding of the weight-loading capacity and other factors to consider, let’s dive into the steps needed to determine how many bags of concrete can fit in your car or truck.
Step 1: Get The Maximum Weight Capacity Of Your Car Or Truck
As we mentioned before, the maximum weight capacity of a vehicle can vary according to its size and type. To find the maximum weight capacity of your car or truck, you can consult the vehicle’s manual for more information.
Most of the time, the weight capacity is in tons – so you have to convert tons to pounds. One US ton is equivalent to 2,000 lbs, so all you need to do is to multiply X tons by 2,000 lbs.
Step 2: Calculate The Weight Of Concrete Bags
Once you have the maximum weight capacity of your car or truck, it’s time to calculate the total weight of concrete bags that you need for your project. To do this, simply multiply the number of cement bags required by the bag weight (usually in lbs).
For example, if you need to transport 10 bags of concrete with a weight of 80 lbs. each, the total weight will be 800 lbs.
Step 3: Calculate The Total Weight Of Your Load
The last step is to add up the total weight of your car and truck load including other equipment like tools and pallets.
For example, if you are carrying 10 bags of concrete which weigh a total of 800 lbs. and two pallets with a weight of 50 lbs., the total load will be 850 lbs.
Step 4: Calculate The Maximum Number Of Bags That Can Fit In Your Vehicle
Now that you have the maximum weight capacity of your vehicle and the total weight of your load, you can divide the total load by the bag weight. This will give you the maximum number of bags that you can fit in your car or truck.
For example, if you have a vehicle with a maximum weight capacity of 2,000 lbs. and your total load is 850 lbs., then you can fit a maximum of 10.625 bags (850/80 = 10.625).
How Many Bags Of Concrete Can You Put In A Quarter-Ton Loading Truck?
Once you’ve had a good understanding of the concrete bag count, you can determine if the number of bags that you need to transport will fit in a quarter-ton loading truck. A quarter-ton truck has a maximum weight capacity of 2,000 lbs., but this is only enough for 10 to 12 bags of concrete.
So, if your project requires more than 10 or 12 bags, then another type of vehicle might be needed to transport the amount of concrete that is required.
Final Thoughts
Transporting concrete bags can be a challenging task if you don’t know the weight capacity of your car or truck and how many bags it can fit.
By keeping in mind the maximum weight capacity of your vehicle, calculating the total weight of your load, and understanding the types of materials that you will be transporting, you’ll have an easier time determining how many bags of concrete can fit in your car or truck.
With this knowledge, you can ensure that the job is done safely and efficiently!
