Cubic Feet Calculator
Calculate cubic feet from length, width, and height measurements, or convert between different volume units.
Calculate Your Cubic Feet Calculator
What is a Cubic Foot?
A cubic foot (ft³) is a unit of volume in the imperial and US customary measurement systems. It represents the volume of a cube with sides of one foot each. One cubic foot equals 1,728 cubic inches or approximately 28.32 liters. Cubic feet measurements are commonly used in construction, shipping, and real estate to measure space or capacity.
How to Calculate Cubic Feet
The basic formula for calculating cubic feet is:
Cubic Feet = Length × Width × Height
(where all dimensions are in feet)
If your measurements are in a different unit, you'll need to convert them to feet first, or use the appropriate conversion factor after multiplication.
Converting from other units:
- From inches: Multiply L × W × H, then divide by 1,728
- From centimeters: Multiply L × W × H, then divide by 28,316.85
- From meters: Multiply L × W × H, then multiply by 35.31
- From yards: Multiply L × W × H, then multiply by 27
Common Cubic Feet Conversion Factors
Cubic Feet to Other Volume Units:
- 1 cubic foot = 1,728 cubic inches
- 1 cubic foot = 0.037037 cubic yards
- 1 cubic foot = 28,316.85 cubic centimeters
- 1 cubic foot = 0.0283168 cubic meters
- 1 cubic foot = 28.3168 liters
- 1 cubic foot = 7.48052 US gallons
- 1 cubic foot = 6.22884 Imperial gallons
Other Volume Units to Cubic Feet:
- 1 cubic inch = 0.000579 cubic feet
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
- 1 cubic meter = 35.3147 cubic feet
- 1 liter = 0.0353147 cubic feet
- 1 US gallon = 0.133681 cubic feet
- 1 Imperial gallon = 0.160544 cubic feet
- 1 US bushel = 1.2445 cubic feet
Practical Applications of Cubic Feet
Construction and Building
Used to measure concrete, soil, gravel, and other building materials. For example, a standard concrete truck holds about 8-10 cubic yards (216-270 cubic feet) of concrete.
Shipping and Freight
Shipping rates often depend on cubic footage (dimensional weight). The cubic feet of a package influences shipping costs, especially for lightweight but bulky items.
Home and Real Estate
Used to measure room sizes, storage spaces, and appliance capacities. For instance, refrigerator capacity is typically measured in cubic feet, with standard models ranging from 18 to 25 cubic feet.
Landscaping and Gardening
Used to calculate how much mulch, soil, or other materials are needed to cover an area to a specific depth. For example, one cubic yard (27 cubic feet) of mulch typically covers about 100 square feet at 3 inches deep.
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Frequently Asked Questions
To convert cubic feet to cubic meters, multiply the volume in cubic feet by 0.0283168. For example, 100 cubic feet × 0.0283168 = 2.83168 cubic meters. Conversely, to convert from cubic meters to cubic feet, multiply by 35.3147.
There are 27 cubic feet in 1 cubic yard. This is because a yard is 3 feet, and a cubic yard is 3 feet × 3 feet × 3 feet = 27 cubic feet. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide the cubic feet value by 27. To convert cubic yards to cubic feet, multiply by 27.
Calculating cubic feet for irregularly shaped objects can be approached in several ways:
- Water displacement method: Submerge the object in water and measure the volume of water displaced. Convert this volume to cubic feet (1 gallon = 0.133681 cubic feet).
- Divide into simple shapes: Break down the irregular object into combinations of simpler shapes (cubes, cylinders, etc.), calculate the volume of each, and add them together.
- Bounding box method: Measure the maximum length, width, and height of the object, calculate the volume of this rectangular prism, then estimate a percentage of this volume that the object actually occupies.
Standard refrigerators for households typically range from 10 to 25 cubic feet in total capacity: - Compact refrigerators: 1.7 to 4.5 cubic feet - Small refrigerators: 7 to 18 cubic feet - Standard-size refrigerators: 18 to 25 cubic feet - Large side-by-side or French door models: 22 to 33 cubic feet This measurement includes both the refrigerator and freezer compartments combined. When shopping for a refrigerator, the cubic footage is an important specification to consider based on your household size and storage needs.
1 cubic foot of water equals approximately 7.48052 US gallons. This conversion is important for calculating water storage capacity, fish tank volumes, and water usage. For example, a standard bathtub holds about 42 gallons of water, which is approximately 5.61 cubic feet. Conversely, if you have a water tank with a capacity of 100 cubic feet, it can hold approximately 748 gallons of water.
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