Concrete Steps Calculator
Enter your step size and how many steps lead up to the landing. You get the concrete volume, bag counts and a check against the usual code limits for risers, treads and the landing.
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2 What to buy
Updates as you type- ✓ Riser 7" ≤ 7.75" IRC maximum
- ✓ Tread 11" ≥ 10" IRC minimum
- ✓ Landing 36" ≥ 36" deep at an exterior door
- ✓ Width 48" ≥ 36" IRC minimum
| Steps (treads) | 3 |
|---|---|
| Risers | 4 |
| Height at the top | 28" |
| Total run (front to back) | 69" |
| Volume before waste | 40.83 cu ft |
| 40 lb bag | 150 bags |
| 60 lb bag | 100 bags |
| 80 lb bag | 75 bags |
Shopping list
Quick answer
Three 7-inch steps with 11-inch treads, 4 ft wide, up to a 36-inch-deep landing need 1.66 cubic yards of concrete with 10% extra: 75 bags of 80 lb mix. Each step's volume is width × tread depth × its height from the ground, and the landing is width × depth × the full height.
Concrete for common step sizes
| Steps | 3 ft wide, no landing | 4 ft wide, no landing | 4 ft wide + 36" landing | 5 ft wide + 48" landing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 step | 0.07 yd³ · 3 bags | 0.09 yd³ · 4 bags | 0.66 yd³ · 30 bags | 1.06 yd³ · 48 bags |
| 2 steps | 0.20 yd³ · 9 bags | 0.26 yd³ · 12 bags | 1.12 yd³ · 51 bags | 1.75 yd³ · 79 bags |
| 3 steps | 0.39 yd³ · 18 bags | 0.52 yd³ · 24 bags | 1.66 yd³ · 75 bags | 2.55 yd³ · 115 bags |
| 4 steps | 0.65 yd³ · 30 bags | 0.87 yd³ · 40 bags | 2.30 yd³ · 104 bags | 3.47 yd³ · 156 bags |
| 5 steps | 0.98 yd³ · 45 bags | 1.31 yd³ · 59 bags | 3.02 yd³ · 136 bags | 4.49 yd³ · 202 bags |
7" risers, 11" treads, 10% extra. Bags are 80 lb. Use the calculator above for your exact size.
How the steps calculation works
Poured steps on the ground are a staircase of solid blocks. The bottom step is one riser tall, the next is two risers tall, and so on. The calculator adds up each step as width × tread depth × its height, then adds the landing as width × landing depth × the full height to the door.
Worked example: three steps up to a door
- Steps 4 ft wide, 7" risers, 11" treads, 36" landing
- Steps: 11" deep at 7", 14" and 21" tall; landing: 36" deep at 28" tall
- Volume: (11 × 7 + 11 × 14 + 11 × 21 + 36 × 28) × 48 ÷ 1,728 = 40.8 cu ft
- With 10%: 1.66 yd³, or 75 bags of 80 lb mix
The landing is often more than half the concrete. That's normal, and it's why tall stoops are usually poured from a ready-mix truck.
Code limits for steps
| Item | IRC limit |
|---|---|
| Riser height | 7¾" maximum, all risers equal within ⅜" |
| Tread depth | 10" minimum |
| Width | 36" minimum |
| Landing at an exterior door | At least 36" deep in the direction of travel |
| Handrail | Required with 4 or more risers |
Most US towns use the International Residential Code (IRC) for these limits, sometimes with local changes. Check with your building department, especially for frost-depth footings under the landing.
Ways to use less concrete
- Fill the core. On tall steps, builders often fill the inside of the forms with compacted gravel or broken concrete and pour a shell around it. Ask your building department what they allow.
- Pour on a compacted base. A few inches of compacted gravel under the steps helps drainage and stops settling.
- Leave a gap at the house. An expansion joint strip between the landing and the foundation lets each move on its own.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of concrete do I need for 3 steps?
For three 7" steps with 11" treads, 4 ft wide and no landing, about 24 bags of 80 lb mix. Add a 36" landing and it rises to 75 bags.
How thick should concrete steps be?
Solid steps are as thick as each step is tall. If you build with a gravel core, the shell is commonly 4 to 6 inches thick with rebar, but follow your local code and any engineer's plans for tall stoops.
Should concrete steps have rebar?
Rebar or wire mesh helps hold cracks together and is common practice, especially in the landing. Some local codes also require dowels into the house foundation.
Last reviewed 2026-10-23. See how we calculate for our sources and assumptions.