How much concrete for 5 steps 4 ft wide up to a porch?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

5 concrete steps 4 ft wide up to an existing porch take 21.4 cu ft (0.79 yd³) — 40 × 80-lb bags with 10% extra.

Formula: 4 ft × [7 × 11 × 4·5 ÷ 2] ÷ 144 = 21.39 cu ft.
Only 4 treads are concrete — your porch is the last step.
Bags: 40 × 80 lb or 53 × 60 lb (3,200 lb). About $259 in bags vs. $485 for 1 yd³ delivered.
Forms: 4 riser boards (2×8, 4 ft long) and two side forms 44 × 28 in.
Code: 7 in risers (max 7.75 in) and 11 in treads (no nosing needed at 11 in). Four or more risers need a handrail.
Five step-ups at 7 in rise 35 in, so a porch this high needs guards on its open sides.

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

You need

40× 80-lb bags

0.87 yd³ of concrete for 5 steps, 4 ft wide, including 10% extra · 3,200 lb of bags

Concrete volume: 0.79yd³21.4 ft³ before waste
Concrete treads: 4the last step-up is your porch
Total rise × run: 35 × 44infootprint 14.7 sq ft
Finished weight: 1.55tons

Volume = width × [rise × tread × (n−1)·n ÷ 2] with n = 5 step-ups: 4 ft × 770 sq in ÷ 144 = 21.39 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).
Handrail required — check thisR311.7.8: 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	79	—
50 lb · 0.375 ft³	63	—
60 lb · 0.45 ft³	53	$257
80 lb · 0.6 ft³	40	$259

Bags or a ready-mix truck?

40 bags

$259

Cheaper ✓ · materials only, before tax

1 yd³ delivered

$485

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.

Four or more risers need a handrail 34–38 in high on at least one side (IRC R311.7.8). Set anchors or sleeves while the concrete is wet.

That's 1.6 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

40 bags Standard 4000 psi mix — 80-lb bags$259
0.5 tons Crusher run / road base (4 in compacted)
4 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, 44 × 28 in)
45 gal Clean water for mixing30–45 gal; start low, never exceed the max

Estimated total$259

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

80-lb Standard 4000 psi mix
40 bags × $
$259

Materials total$259

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 up to a porch, by number of steps

Steps	Cubic yards	80-lb bags	60-lb bags	Bag cost	Ready-mix
2	0.08	4	6	$25.88	$485
3	0.24	12	16	$77.64	$485
4	0.48	24	32	$155	$485
5 ←	0.79	40	53	$259	$485
6	1.19	59	79	$350	$570

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 × 20 ÷ 2 = 770 sq in.

Profile 770 sq in ÷ 144 = 5.347 sq ft × 4 ft wide = 21.39 cu ft. With 10% extra, 23.53 ÷ 0.6 = 39.2 → 40 bags.

At 0.87 yd³ bags are cheaper than a truck at the default prices, but plan the crew: 40 bags (3,200 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

5 concrete steps 4 ft wide up to an existing porch take 21.4 cu ft (0.79 yd³) — 40 × 80-lb bags with 10% extra.

Formula: 4 ft × [7 × 11 × 4·5 ÷ 2] ÷ 144 = 21.39 cu ft.

Only 4 treads are concrete — your porch is the last step.

Bags: 40 × 80 lb or 53 × 60 lb (3,200 lb). About $259 in bags vs. $485 for 1 yd³ delivered.

Forms: 4 riser boards (2×8, 4 ft long) and two side forms 44 × 28 in.

Code: 7 in risers (max 7.75 in) and 11 in treads (no nosing needed at 11 in). Four or more risers need a handrail.

Five step-ups at 7 in rise 35 in, so a porch this high needs guards on its open sides.

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

You need

40× 80-lb bags

0.87 yd³ of concrete for 5 steps, 4 ft wide, including 10% extra · 3,200 lb of bags

Concrete volume: 0.79yd³21.4 ft³ before waste
Concrete treads: 4the last step-up is your porch
Total rise × run: 35 × 44infootprint 14.7 sq ft
Finished weight: 1.55tons

Volume = width × [rise × tread × (n−1)·n ÷ 2] with n = 5 step-ups: 4 ft × 770 sq in ÷ 144 = 21.39 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).
Handrail required — check thisR311.7.8: 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	79	—
50 lb · 0.375 ft³	63	—
60 lb · 0.45 ft³	53	$257
80 lb · 0.6 ft³	40	$259

Bags or a ready-mix truck?

40 bags

$259

Cheaper ✓ · materials only, before tax

1 yd³ delivered

$485

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.

Four or more risers need a handrail 34–38 in high on at least one side (IRC R311.7.8). Set anchors or sleeves while the concrete is wet.

That's 1.6 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

40 bags Standard 4000 psi mix — 80-lb bags$259
0.5 tons Crusher run / road base (4 in compacted)
4 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, 44 × 28 in)
45 gal Clean water for mixing30–45 gal; start low, never exceed the max

Estimated total$259

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

80-lb Standard 4000 psi mix
40 bags × $
$259

Materials total$259

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

0.08

$25.88

$485

0.24

$77.64

$485

0.48

$155

$485

5 ←

0.79

$259

$485

1.19

$350

$570

How this was worked out

Profile 770 sq in ÷ 144 = 5.347 sq ft × 4 ft wide = 21.39 cu ft. With 10% extra, 23.53 ÷ 0.6 = 39.2 → 40 bags.

At 0.87 yd³ bags are cheaper than a truck at the default prices, but plan the crew: 40 bags (3,200 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.