📦 Cubic Feet Calculator: Find Volume in Cubic Feet
By ToolNimba Editorial Team · Updated 2026-06-20
Volume = length x width x height, with every side converted to feet first.
This cubic feet calculator finds the volume of any box-shaped space from its length, width, and height. Pick your measurement unit (feet, inches, centimeters, or meters) and the tool converts every side to feet before multiplying, so the answer is always correct cubic feet. It also shows the same volume in cubic yards and cubic meters, and lets you multiply by a quantity for several identical boxes at once.
What is the Cubic Feet Calculator?
Cubic feet is a measure of volume, the amount of three-dimensional space inside an object. For any rectangular box or room the formula is simply volume = length x width x height, with all three measurements in feet. A crate that is 4 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 2 feet high holds 4 x 3 x 2 = 24 cubic feet. The single most important rule is that all three sides must be in the same unit before you multiply, which is why this calculator converts your inputs to feet behind the scenes whenever you switch units.
Measurements rarely arrive in feet. Shipping boxes are labeled in inches, soil and gravel bags are sized in liters or cubic meters, and appliance specs are often metric. To turn inches into cubic feet you can convert each side by dividing by 12, or, more simply, multiply the three side lengths together in inches and divide that product by 1728. The number 1728 is just 12 x 12 x 12, the count of cubic inches in one cubic foot. For centimeters there are 30.48 cm in a foot, and for meters there are 0.3048 m in a foot, so this tool applies the right factor automatically.
Once you have the volume in cubic feet, two related units are often handy. Cubic yards are used for ordering concrete, gravel, mulch, and topsoil in the US, and there are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard, so divide cubic feet by 27. Cubic meters are the metric standard for shipping and freight, and one cubic foot equals about 0.0283 cubic meters. The calculator reports all three at once so you can read whichever your supplier or carrier expects.
Real projects often involve more than one identical container or a repeated shape, such as a stack of boxes or a row of raised beds. Use the optional quantity field to multiply a single computed volume by the number of identical items, giving a fast total without repeating the math. For irregular shapes, break the object into rectangular blocks, calculate each block on its own, and add the results together for the grand total.
When to use it
- Working out the volume of a moving box, crate, or storage unit before a move or shipment.
- Ordering soil, mulch, gravel, or concrete by converting cubic feet to cubic yards.
- Checking the interior capacity of a refrigerator, freezer, or oven in cubic feet.
- Estimating airflow or duct sizing where room volume in cubic feet is the starting point.
How to use the Cubic Feet Calculator
- Choose the unit your measurements are in: feet, inches, centimeters, or meters.
- Enter the length, width, and height of the box or space.
- Optionally set a quantity to multiply the volume by several identical items.
- Read the volume in cubic feet, cubic yards, and cubic meters, and click Copy result to save it.
Formula & method
Worked examples
A storage crate measured in feet: 4 ft long, 3 ft wide, 2 ft high.
- volume = length x width x height
- volume = 4 x 3 x 2 = 24 cubic feet
- in cubic yards: 24 divided by 27 = 0.889 yd3
- in cubic meters: 24 x 0.0283168466 = 0.679 m3
Result: 24 cubic feet (about 0.889 yd3 or 0.679 m3)
A shipping box measured in inches: 24 in long, 18 in wide, 12 in high.
- multiply the sides in inches: 24 x 18 x 12 = 5184 cubic inches
- divide by 1728 to convert to cubic feet: 5184 divided by 1728 = 3
- so the box is 3 cubic feet
Result: 3 cubic feet
Common volume unit conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| Cubic inches (in3) | Cubic feet (ft3) | divide by 1728 |
| Cubic feet (ft3) | Cubic yards (yd3) | divide by 27 |
| Cubic feet (ft3) | Cubic meters (m3) | 0.0283168466 |
| Cubic meters (m3) | Cubic feet (ft3) | 35.3147 |
| Cubic feet (ft3) | US gallons | 7.48052 |
| Cubic feet (ft3) | Liters | 28.3168 |
How each input unit converts to one foot
| Input unit | In one foot | Side factor to feet |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | 12 inches | divide by 12 |
| Centimeters | 30.48 cm | divide by 30.48 |
| Meters | 0.3048 m | divide by 0.3048 |
| Feet | 1 foot | no change |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting to divide inches by 1728. Multiplying three sides in inches gives cubic inches, not cubic feet. Divide that product by 1728 (or convert each side to feet first) to get the correct cubic feet.
- Mixing units between the three sides. A length in feet times a width in inches gives a meaningless result. Convert all three measurements to the same unit before multiplying. This tool keeps every side in one unit for you.
- Confusing cubic feet with square feet. Square feet measure flat area (length x width). Cubic feet measure volume and need a third dimension, the height. Do not use an area figure where a volume is required.
- Dividing cubic feet by the wrong number for cubic yards. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, not 3 or 9. A yard is 3 feet, but a cubic yard is 3 x 3 x 3 = 27 cubic feet, so divide cubic feet by 27.
Glossary
- Cubic foot (ft3)
- A unit of volume equal to a cube one foot on every side. It is the standard volume unit for storage, appliances, and shipping in the US.
- Volume
- The amount of three-dimensional space an object occupies, found for a box by multiplying length, width, and height.
- Cubic yard (yd3)
- A cube three feet on every side, equal to 27 cubic feet. Used to order concrete, gravel, soil, and mulch.
- Cubic meter (m3)
- The metric unit of volume, a cube one meter on each side. One cubic meter equals about 35.31 cubic feet.
- 1728
- The number of cubic inches in one cubic foot, equal to 12 x 12 x 12. Divide cubic inches by 1728 to get cubic feet.
- Quantity multiplier
- A count of identical items used to scale a single computed volume, so several equal boxes can be totaled at once.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic feet?
Multiply length by width by height with all three measured in feet. For example, a 4 ft by 3 ft by 2 ft box is 4 x 3 x 2 = 24 cubic feet. This calculator does the multiplication and unit conversion for you.
How do I find cubic feet from inches?
Multiply the three sides in inches, then divide by 1728. For example, 24 x 18 x 12 = 5184 cubic inches, and 5184 divided by 1728 = 3 cubic feet. Select Inches in the tool and it divides by 1728 automatically.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard, because a yard is 3 feet and 3 x 3 x 3 = 27. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27. The calculator shows both figures at once.
How do I convert cubic feet to cubic meters?
Multiply cubic feet by 0.0283168466 to get cubic meters, or divide by 35.3147. For example, 24 cubic feet x 0.0283168466 is about 0.679 cubic meters. This tool reports cubic meters alongside cubic feet.
What is the difference between cubic feet and square feet?
Square feet measure area, a flat surface (length x width). Cubic feet measure volume and include a third dimension, height (length x width x height). Use cubic feet whenever you need the space inside a box or room.
How do I calculate the volume of an irregular shape?
Split the object into rectangular blocks, calculate the cubic feet of each block separately, and add the results together. For repeated identical shapes, use the quantity field to multiply one volume by the count.