Cubic feet calculator
This cubic feet calculator finds the volume of a box, crate or tube from its dimensions in inches, feet, centimeters or meters. Add a quantity to total a whole order, and read the answer in cubic feet, cubic inches, cubic yards and cubic meters.
- Box (length × width × height) or cylinder
- Inches, feet, centimeters or meters
- Total for any number of identical items
Last updated
How to use the cubic feet calculator
- Pick a box or a cylinder, and the unit your tape measure shows.
- Enter length, width and height, or the diameter and height of a tube or drum. Measure the outside if you are shipping it.
- Enter how many identical items there are.
- Read the total in cubic feet, with cubic inches, cubic yards and cubic meters below.
The cubic feet formula
Volume is length × width × height. Work in feet and the answer is in cubic feet; work in inches and divide by 1,728, because a cubic foot is 12 × 12 × 12 inches.
cubic feet = length × width × height (inches) ÷ 1,728
cylinder: cubic feet = π × radius² × height (inches) ÷ 1,728
The radius is half the diameter. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and a cubic foot is 0.0283 cubic meters.
Worked example
A carton measures 24 × 18 × 12 inches.
- Multiply: 24 × 18 × 12 = 5,184 cubic inches.
- Divide by 1,728: 5,184 ÷ 1,728 = 3.00 cubic feet.
- In other units: 3 ÷ 27 = 0.111 cubic yards, and 3 × 0.0283 = 0.085 cubic meters.
A tube 12 inches across and 36 inches long is π × 6² × 36 = 4,072 cubic inches, or 2.36 cubic feet.
Volume conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| Cubic inches | Cubic feet | ÷ 1,728 |
| Cubic feet | Cubic inches | 1,728 |
| Cubic feet | Cubic yards | ÷ 27 |
| Cubic feet | Cubic meters | 0.0283168 |
| Cubic meters | Cubic feet | 35.3147 |
| Cubic centimeters | Cubic feet | ÷ 28,316.8 |
Cubic feet for shipping
Carriers care about volume because a light, bulky box takes as much room as a heavy one. Measure the outside of the box at its widest points and round up, then use the cubic feet to:
- work out freight density and an estimated freight class for LTL,
- find the chargeable weight of an air shipment,
- or total an ocean shipment in cubic meters and see how much of a container it fills.
Common questions
How do I calculate cubic feet?
Multiply length × width × height in feet. If you measured in inches, multiply the three numbers and divide by 1,728. A box 2 ft × 1.5 ft × 1 ft is 3 cubic feet.
How many cubic feet is 12 × 12 × 12 inches?
Exactly 1 cubic foot. 12 × 12 × 12 = 1,728 cubic inches, and 1,728 cubic inches make one cubic foot.
How do I calculate cubic feet from inches?
Multiply length × width × height in inches, then divide by 1,728. A 24 × 18 × 12 inch box is 5,184 ÷ 1,728 = 3 cubic feet.
How do I find the cubic feet of a cylinder?
Multiply π (3.1416) by the radius squared and by the height. In inches, divide by 1,728. A drum 22 in across and 34 in tall is 3.1416 × 11² × 34 = 12,924 cubic inches, or 7.48 cubic feet.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27. A cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft, so divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards.
Related calculators
- CBM calculatorCubic meters for ocean freight, with container fit
- Freight density calculatorPounds per cubic foot and cubic feet for any shipment
- Chargeable weight calculatorActual or volumetric weight for air freight
- Freight class calculatorClass from weight and dimensions, for several pallets at once
Sources
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9 (conversion factors). 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly; 1 lb = 0.4535924 kg; 1 cu ft = 0.02831685 m³.
See the methodology page for how LTL Math builds and checks its calculators.