Cubic Feet Calculator
Find volume in cubic feet from length, width, and height.
Enter length, width, and height in feet to get the volume in cubic feet, along with cubic yards and cubic meters. Handy for boxes, containers, appliances, and storage space.
How it works
Cubic feet is simply length × width × height when all three are in feet. To convert, divide by 27 for cubic yards or multiply by 0.0283 for cubic meters. For measurements in inches, divide each by 12 first.
Worked example
To find the capacity of a 4 ft × 2 ft × 3 ft storage chest: 4 × 2 × 3 = 24 cubic feet. Need it in yards? 24 ÷ 27 = 0.89 cubic yards. In metric? 24 × 0.0283 = 0.68 cubic meters. If your tape measure read in inches (say 48 × 24 × 36 in), divide each by 12 first to get 4 × 2 × 3 ft — don't multiply the inches together, or you'll be off by a factor of 1,728.
What changes your estimate
- Mixed units are the #1 mistake. All three dimensions must be in the same unit before you multiply. Convert inches to feet (÷12) or centimeters to meters (÷100) first.
- Irregular shapes. For an L-shape or a stepped volume, split it into rectangular boxes, find each one's cubic feet, and add them up.
- Usable vs. gross volume. Appliance and container ratings are interior capacity; the outside dimensions give a larger gross figure that includes the walls.
- Rounding. For ordering bulk material, round the final cubic-foot figure up — running short mid-project costs more than a small surplus.