Last updated on June 1, 2022 4:12 am by the writer.
A quick answer
You can generally fit 42 to 80 bags of concrete in a 48-inch x 40-inch pallet when ordering from the common USA hardware store.
The specific number of bags still depends on the weight of the bags and what kind of material the pallet is made of.
The type of concrete does not play a factor in this case and it mostly depends on the weight itself of the bag.
Commercially available concrete commonly comes in 40 pound, 50 pounds, 60 pound, and 80-pound bags.
However, their availability can still vary according to the type of concrete and manufacturer, such as other types of concrete-like mortar mix being available in less conventional sizes such as in 10-pound bags.
Lifting weight limitations
1. Truck-mounted crane
A heavy-duty truck-mounted crane can lift from 20 Ton to 25 Ton or 40,000 pounds to 50,000 pounds. A US Ton is equivalent to 2000 pounds.
Truck-mounted cranes can be used as transportation while also being able to load and unload materials, without the need for additional lifting equipment due to models typically having a boom reach that can be utilized.
2. On-site rolling jacks
An on-site rolling jack is a platform that can lift up to 9,000 pounds since it is typically used for lifting vehicles.
On-site rolling jacks can be used to raise the rear or front of a vehicle, in order to perform brake and wheel services.
It is also used to turn a four-post lift into a full-service car lift. But on the building site, it can be used to lift pallets loaded with concrete bags.
3. Forklift
A forklift has a carrying capacity of 3,000 pounds up to more than 70,000+ pounds, proving to be very strong in lifting weight, having a potentially higher limit.
A forklift is a small industrial truck used for covering a small area, typically used for moving materials around short distances like cement on a pallet.
4. Crane
A crane has 39,600 pounds as its average maximum weight limitation for carrying but of course, there are many cranes with different weight limits.
For a crane to be able to carry more weight, the load must be closer to the mast. A crane is anchored to the ground for stable lifting, standing tall on a construction site.
Landing weight limitations
Make sure the surface or structure you land the pallet with the bags of concrete mix on can safely handle the weight.
Different surfaces and floors have different maximum weight holding capabilities and limitations, considering different materials buildings and floors are made from or built to hold, make sure not to overload a floor.
Newly poured concrete floors require Acrow props underneath where the weight will be loaded and cannot hold additional weight until the concrete has had months of drying time.
If loading heavy pallets with cement on the middle of old concrete or wooden floor make sure to support underneath the floor with Acrow props before you land the heavyweight.
If you land a pallet on a finished surface make sure to protect it with old carpet or something.
Failing to take into consideration risks damaging or breaking structures with the heavyweight of the palette, containing the bags of concrete on it, and even the weight of the vehicle used to transport combined, such as cars and forklifts, so make sure your driveway is strong enough.
What determines the number of concrete bags that can fit on a pallete?
Average lifting weight limitations
When using pallets, their maximum weight and carrying capacity should be considered, which primarily depends on the size of the pallet, the material of the pallet to be used, and its weight ratings.
Pallet dimensions and types
The three most common pallet dimensions are 48 inches x 40 inches, 42 inches x 42 inches, 48 inches x 48 inches.
The 48 inches x 40 inches pallet is the most common pallet size due to its versatility.
There are three common types of pallets, two of them being wooden pallets: block pallets and stringer pallets.
Block pallets are traditionally made of softwood and are most commonly used in Europe, with an average carrying capacity of 4,600 pounds.
Meanwhile, stringer pallets are made of hardwood and are more common in North America, with an average carrying capacity of 2,500 lbs.
The main advantage of stringer pallets is that they are the cheapest pallets and are available for commercial use.
Block pallets’ main advantage is that they can be carried by forklift from all four sides, while a stringer pallet can only be accessed by a forklift from two sides.
The biggest disadvantage of wooden pallets is their eventual degradation due to the wood not being treated [1]; wood degrades in quality over time which affects its carrying capacity.
The third type of pallet is the plastic pallet. Plastic pallets are significantly stronger and more durable compared to wooden pallets.
Plastic pallets can hold up to 5,500 pounds, despite being much lighter. There are no screws or other hardware and each pallet is uniform with every other pallet since plastic pallets are molded in assembly.
How much does concrete weigh in general?
Concrete masonry unit density can be divided into three classifications, as per Standard Specification for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units [2]. Depending on the type of concrete, it can fall under one of the three categories:
Lightweight. Lightweight concrete units have an average density of less than 105 pounds/feet^3 (1,680 kilogram/meter^3).
Medium Weight. Medium-weight concrete units have an average density of more than 105 pounds/feet^3 (1,680 kilogram/meter^3) or more but are less than 125 pound/feet^3 (2,000 kilogram/meter^3).
Normal Weight. Normal weight concrete units have an average density of 125 pounds/feet^3 (2,000 kilogram/meter^3) or more.
Common weights of cement bags
A 40 pound (18.14 kilograms) bag of concrete cement is the average smallest bag available commercially. In a cubic yard, 90 bags of a 40-pound bag of concrete is needed.
A 50 pound (22.67 kilograms) bag of concrete cement is not as commonly available since bag weights tend to rise evenly. 50-pound bags of concrete mix are mostly available as mortar mixes.
A 60-pound (27.21 kilograms) bag of concrete cement is slightly under 30 kilograms, which would leave some leftovers of concrete mix if a project would require 60 kilograms of concrete.
An 80-pound (36.28 kilograms) bag of concrete cement is commercially available, also for most concrete mix types as the largest size of the bag. This is appropriate for more extreme and larger projects, but not good for small labor jobs due to the high yield.
A 90-pound (40.82 kilograms) bag of concrete cement is not as commercially available since bags of concrete are only usually available in weights divisible by 20, such as 40, 60, and 80. However, there are cement and masonry mixes available for over 90-pound bags.
How much weight of concrete can a pallet hold?
The average 48 inches x 40 inches wooden block pallet can carry up to 4,600 pounds, which is almost as heavy as the average SUV car.
4,600 pounds can vary in the number of bags, depending on the set weight per bag. Heavier bags on pallets will have fewer bags, while lighter bags on pallets will have more bags.
Weight limit of imperial concrete bags
How many bags of 40 lbs concrete bags sit on a pallet?
On one pallet, around 80 bags of 40-pound concrete can be accommodated. The weight would then total to around 3200 pounds per pallet.
A 40 pound or 18.14 kilograms bag of concrete is the typically smallest bag of concrete mix commercially available.
How many 50 lbs bags of concrete bags sit on a pallet?
Around 64 bags of 50-pound concrete mix bags can fit on one average pallet.
A 50 pound or 22.67 kilograms bag of concrete is not as commonly available compared to many other concrete mixes since bag weights tend to rise evenly
How many 60 lbs bags of concrete bags sit on a pallet?
On one pallet, around 56 bags of 60-pound concrete can be accommodated by it. 60 pounds is slightly less than 30 kilograms, weighing at 27.21 kilograms.
It is slightly smaller than the standard 80 pounds for concrete mix bags.
How many 80 lbs bags of concrete bags sit on a pallet?
Around 42 bags of 80-pound concrete mix bags can fit on one average pallet.
The 80-pound concrete mix bag is the more standard size among the concrete bag sizes. It is heavier and will need more caution when transporting and handling due to its weight.
Weight limit of metric concrete bags
How many bags of 25 kgs concrete sit on a pallet?
On one pallet, around 50 bags of 25-kilogram bags of concrete can be accommodated by a single average pallet.
25 kilograms is not as heavy as the 60-pound bags though heavier than 50 pounds, which is 55.11 when converted to kilograms.
How many bags of 30 kgs concrete sit on a pallet?
Around 48 bags of 30-kilogram bags of concrete mix bags can fit on a single average pallet.
30 kilograms is not as heavy as the 80-pound bags, though heavier than 60-pound bags, which is 66.13 when converted to kilograms.
How do you calculate the number of concrete bags needed for your project?
It’s important to calculate the concrete needed for your project like house renovations in order to avoid wasting and project delays.
Calculating the needed amount of concrete is also needed for knowing the number of bags to be loaded and transported on pallets. It is one of the skills you can learn during your apprenticeship as a builder.
For cement, a 40-pound bag of concrete yields about 0.011 cubic yards of concrete.
A 60-pound bag of concrete yields about 0.017 cubic yards.
An 80-pound bag of concrete yields about 0.022 cubic yards.
A 90-pound bag of concrete yields about 0.025 cubic yards.
To calculate how much concrete you need for your project:
Determine the desired thickness of concrete for the project
Measure the length and width of the area for coverage
Multiply the length by the width to determine the square footage
Convert the thickness from inches to feet
Multiply the thickness in feet by the square footage to determine cubic feet
Convert cubic feet to cubic yards by multiplying by .037
What is concrete MPa?
Concrete MPa is its strength capacity. MPa stands for “megapascal”, measuring the compressive strength of concrete.
One MPa is equal to one million pascals (Pa); as a pascal is one newton of force per square meter, a megapascal is one million newtons per square meter.
Building codes and construction drawings will require a minimum MPa for each concrete building element for strength quality, durability, and safety.
A higher MPa would indicate that the concrete is stronger and less likely to fail, compared to concrete with a lower MPa.
Tips for handling concrete bags on a pallet
Have an on-site Rolling jack to move the pallet around the site.
Protected cement from dampness and moisture
Do not place cement bags directly on concrete or wood floors
Handle cement bags with caution
Protected cement bags during transportation
Store concrete bags separately to avoid contamination
Provide adequate ventilation when stored in pallets in warehouses
Do not drop the pallets to avoid damaging the pallet and the bags of concrete
Be aware of surrounding when handling the pallet of concrete bags
Concrete has many uses for construction and civil projects.
Knowing how to transport bags of concrete and how many bags of concrete per pallet is essential to making a project streamlined and smooth, as well as ensuring the safety of those involved.
Having an on-site rolling jack will aid in lifting the weight of the bags and is simply convenient to have around for construction and mechanic work that would require lifting tons of weight, such as cars.
Pallets of concrete bags, and stacks of wood that would require manual lifting otherwise.
A lifting or rolling jack will be able to help by holding pallets and giving you the ability to move materials fast with no user effort or manual labor.
The on-site Rolling Jack is very powerful, and strong enough to lift cars which can then be used for lifting bags of concrete around.
More information:
Causes and control of wood decay, degradation & stain, a publication from https://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/C29C1E6F-2F5B-4F0D-A963-248E54EB4E83/51180/pub2703WoodDecayLowRes.pdf
Standard Specification for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units, retrieved from https://www.astm.org/c0090-11.html
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