How much concrete for 3 steps 4 ft wide with a landing?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

3 concrete steps 4 ft wide with a 36 in landing take 27.4 cu ft (1.02 yd³) — 51 × 80-lb bags with 10% extra.

Formula: 4 ft × [7 × 11 × 2·3 ÷ 2 + 3 × 7 × 36] ÷ 144 = 27.42 cu ft.
The landing is 77% of the concrete (21 cu ft); the steps themselves are 6.4 cu ft.
Bags: 51 × 80 lb or 68 × 60 lb (4,080 lb). About $302 in bags vs. $528 for 1.25 yd³ delivered.
Forms: 3 riser boards (2×8, 4 ft long) and two side forms 58 × 21 in.
Code: 7 in risers (max 7.75 in) and 11 in treads (no nosing needed at 11 in).
The same 21 in rise as a 3 ft wide stoop, but a third more concrete for the extra foot of width.

Adjust it to your exact job

How high?

I know the…

Step-ups (risers)

Rise per step

= 7"

Size

Tread depthfront to back

= 11"

Width

= 4' · 1.22 m

At the top

Landing depth

At an exterior door the landing must be at least 36 in deep and as wide as the door.

You need

51× 80-lb bags

1.12 yd³ of concrete for 3 steps, 4 ft wide with a 36 in landing, including 10% extra · 4,080 lb of bags

Concrete volume: 1.02yd³27.4 ft³ before waste
In the landing: 77%21 ft³ of the total
Total rise × run: 21 × 58infootprint 19.3 sq ft
Finished weight: 1.99tons

Volume = width × [rise × tread × (n−1)·n ÷ 2 + n × rise × landing] with n = 3 step-ups: 4 ft × 987 sq in ÷ 144 = 27.42 ft³.

Code check (IRC)

Riser 7 in — meets the ruleIRC R311.7.5.1: 7¾ in maximum, all risers within ⅜ in of each other.
Tread 11 in — meets the rule11 in or more: no nosing needed (R311.7.5.3 exception).
Landing 36 in deep — meets the ruleR311.3: at least 36 in deep and as wide as the door it serves.
No handrail required — meets the ruleR311.7.8: flights with 4 or more risers need a 34–38 in handrail on one side.

Other bag sizes

Bags needed by size
Bag	Bags	Est. cost
40 lb · 0.3 ft³	101	—
50 lb · 0.375 ft³	81	—
60 lb · 0.45 ft³	68	$330
80 lb · 0.6 ft³	51	$302

Bags or a ready-mix truck?

51 bags

$302

Cheaper ✓ · materials only, before tax

1.25 yd³ delivered

$528

incl. short-load & delivery fees

At these prices a truck becomes cheaper from about 3.25 yd³ (147 bags). Over 1–2 yd³, a truck also saves hours of mixing: plan on 3–4 minutes per bag in a mixer.

That's 2 tons of bags — more than most pickups can carry in one trip. Ask about store delivery.

Freeze–thaw climate?

Steps sit out in the weather. Where winters are moderate or severe, IRC Table R402.2 asks for 3,000–3,500 psi air-entrained concrete (5–7% air) for steps. Regular bagged mix has no added air; Crack-Resistant mix (4–8% air) or air-entrained ready-mix holds up better.

Timeline for standard 4000 psi mix

Walk on: 24 hours
Light loads / posts: 24 hours
Keep moist (cure): 5 days ≥70°F · 7 days at 50–70°F
Protect from freezing: 48 hours

Shopping list

51 bags Standard 4000 psi mix — 80-lb bags$302
0.7 tons Crusher run / road base (4 in compacted)
3 boards 2×8 riser boards, 4' longripped to 7 in; bevel the bottom edge so you can trowel the tread
2 sheets Plywood for side forms (2 pieces, 58 × 21 in)
58 gal Clean water for mixing38–57 gal; start low, never exceed the max

Estimated total$302

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

80-lb Standard 4000 psi mix
51 bags × $Pallet price applied (42+ bags)
$302

Materials total$302

Typical U.S. big-box prices checked October 2026. Tap any price to enter your store's.

Did this answer your question?

Compare

4 ft wide steps with a 36 in landing, by number of steps

Steps	Cubic yards	80-lb bags	60-lb bags	Bag cost	Ready-mix
2	0.6	30	40	$194	$485
3 ←	1.02	51	68	$302	$528
4	1.51	75	100	$445	$613
5	2.09	104	138	$617	$740
6	2.74	136	182	$806	$868

How this was worked out

Treat each step as a solid block sitting on the ground: step 1 is one riser tall, step 2 two risers, and so on. Their side profiles add up to rise × tread × (n − 1)·n ÷ 2 = 7 × 11 × 6 ÷ 2 = 231 sq in. The landing is a full-height block: 3 × 7 × 36 = 756 sq in.

Profile 987 sq in ÷ 144 = 6.854 sq ft × 4 ft wide = 27.42 cu ft. With 10% extra, 30.16 ÷ 0.6 = 50.3 → 51 bags.

At 1.12 yd³ bags are cheaper than a truck at the default prices, but plan the crew: 51 bags (4,080 lb) have to be mixed and placed in one session so the steps bond.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main concrete steps calculator page.

Similar jobs

Other sizes people check

Sources

Data behind this answer

Quikrete Concrete Mix No. 1101 — technical data sheet — bag yields (80 lb = 0.60 cu ft, 60 lb = 0.45, 50 lb = 0.375, 40 lb = 0.30), water per bag, curing times; post method: 6 in of dry mix in the hole bottom, 24 h before strain · checked October 2026
Quikrete Crack-Resistant No. 1006 — technical data sheet — 4–8% entrained air for freeze–thaw exposure; same yields per bag weight · checked October 2026
Home Depot & Lowe's listings — Quikrete 80 lb Concrete Mix — $5.98–$6.98 per 80-lb bag; $5.93 bulk tier at 42+ bags; 42 bags per pallet; Fast-Setting 50 lb $7.97 · checked October 2026
Published 2026 ready-mix plant price sheets (e.g. Gehring Concrete) — $146–$285 per yd³ before fees; short-load fees $50–$200 · checked October 2026
International Residential Code — R311.7.5 stair treads & risers (Boise IRC handout #437) — 7¾ in maximum riser, 10 in minimum tread, 3/8 in variation; no nosing needed at 11 in treads · checked October 2026
IRC 2021 R311.3 landings at exterior doors (UpCodes) — landing ≥ door width and ≥ 36 in deep, ≤ 2% slope, up to 7¾ in below the threshold if the door does not swing over it · checked October 2026
IRC R311.7.8 handrails & R312.1 guards (Knox County IRC stair handout) — handrail 34–38 in high on flights with 4 or more risers; guards where a surface is more than 30 in above grade · checked October 2026
International Residential Code 2021 — R506 & Table R402.2 (model text) — 3.5 in minimum slab, 4 in base course, 6-mil poly vapor retarder under heated slabs (not patios, walks, driveways or garages), minimum strength and air by exposure · checked October 2026

Short answer

3 concrete steps 4 ft wide with a 36 in landing take 27.4 cu ft (1.02 yd³) — 51 × 80-lb bags with 10% extra.

Formula: 4 ft × [7 × 11 × 2·3 ÷ 2 + 3 × 7 × 36] ÷ 144 = 27.42 cu ft.

The landing is 77% of the concrete (21 cu ft); the steps themselves are 6.4 cu ft.

Bags: 51 × 80 lb or 68 × 60 lb (4,080 lb). About $302 in bags vs. $528 for 1.25 yd³ delivered.

Forms: 3 riser boards (2×8, 4 ft long) and two side forms 58 × 21 in.

Code: 7 in risers (max 7.75 in) and 11 in treads (no nosing needed at 11 in).

The same 21 in rise as a 3 ft wide stoop, but a third more concrete for the extra foot of width.

Adjust it to your exact job

How high?

I know the…

Step-ups (risers)

Rise per step

= 7"

Size

Tread depthfront to back

= 11"

Width

= 4' · 1.22 m

At the top

Landing depth

At an exterior door the landing must be at least 36 in deep and as wide as the door.

You need

51× 80-lb bags

1.12 yd³ of concrete for 3 steps, 4 ft wide with a 36 in landing, including 10% extra · 4,080 lb of bags

Concrete volume: 1.02yd³27.4 ft³ before waste
In the landing: 77%21 ft³ of the total
Total rise × run: 21 × 58infootprint 19.3 sq ft
Finished weight: 1.99tons

Volume = width × [rise × tread × (n−1)·n ÷ 2 + n × rise × landing] with n = 3 step-ups: 4 ft × 987 sq in ÷ 144 = 27.42 ft³.

Code check (IRC)

Riser 7 in — meets the ruleIRC R311.7.5.1: 7¾ in maximum, all risers within ⅜ in of each other.
Tread 11 in — meets the rule11 in or more: no nosing needed (R311.7.5.3 exception).
Landing 36 in deep — meets the ruleR311.3: at least 36 in deep and as wide as the door it serves.
No handrail required — meets the ruleR311.7.8: flights with 4 or more risers need a 34–38 in handrail on one side.

Other bag sizes

Bags needed by size
Bag	Bags	Est. cost
40 lb · 0.3 ft³	101	—
50 lb · 0.375 ft³	81	—
60 lb · 0.45 ft³	68	$330
80 lb · 0.6 ft³	51	$302

Bags or a ready-mix truck?

51 bags

$302

Cheaper ✓ · materials only, before tax

1.25 yd³ delivered

$528

incl. short-load & delivery fees

At these prices a truck becomes cheaper from about 3.25 yd³ (147 bags). Over 1–2 yd³, a truck also saves hours of mixing: plan on 3–4 minutes per bag in a mixer.

That's 2 tons of bags — more than most pickups can carry in one trip. Ask about store delivery.

Freeze–thaw climate?

Timeline for standard 4000 psi mix

Walk on: 24 hours
Light loads / posts: 24 hours
Keep moist (cure): 5 days ≥70°F · 7 days at 50–70°F
Protect from freezing: 48 hours

Shopping list

51 bags Standard 4000 psi mix — 80-lb bags$302
0.7 tons Crusher run / road base (4 in compacted)
3 boards 2×8 riser boards, 4' longripped to 7 in; bevel the bottom edge so you can trowel the tread
2 sheets Plywood for side forms (2 pieces, 58 × 21 in)
58 gal Clean water for mixing38–57 gal; start low, never exceed the max

Estimated total$302

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

80-lb Standard 4000 psi mix
51 bags × $Pallet price applied (42+ bags)
$302

Materials total$302

Typical U.S. big-box prices checked October 2026. Tap any price to enter your store's.

Steps

Cubic yards

80-lb bags

60-lb bags

Bag cost

Ready-mix

0.6

$194

$485

3 ←

1.02

$302

$528

1.51

100

$445

$613

2.09

104

138

$617

$740

2.74

136

182

$806

$868

How this was worked out

Profile 987 sq in ÷ 144 = 6.854 sq ft × 4 ft wide = 27.42 cu ft. With 10% extra, 30.16 ÷ 0.6 = 50.3 → 51 bags.

At 1.12 yd³ bags are cheaper than a truck at the default prices, but plan the crew: 51 bags (4,080 lb) have to be mixed and placed in one session so the steps bond.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main concrete steps calculator page.