How is concrete sold?

• A. By volume and measured in cubic yards
• B. By weight
• C. By area
• D. By color

Answer: (A)

Concrete is sold by volume, typically in cubic yards (or cubic meters in many other countries). This matches how the material is batched and placed: you’re buying a certain amount of concrete that will occupy a specific space, not a fixed weight or a surface area. To determine how much you need, you multiply the length, width, and thickness of the pour to get the volume, then convert to cubic yards. For example, a slab 20 ft long, 12 ft wide, and 6 inches thick has a volume of 20 × 12 × 0.5 = 120 cubic feet, which is about 4.44 cubic yards. Ready-mix suppliers quote and deliver based on that cubic-yard quantity.

This approach is practical because the mix proportions and the strength required are designed for a given volume to be placed, and trucks are sized to deliver a specific volume. It isn’t priced by area, by weight, or by color, since those don’t directly represent how much concrete is being poured.