Free volume calculator
Cubic feet calculator
Enter length, width and height in inches, feet, centimeters, meters or millimeters to get cubic feet, plus cubic meters, cubic yards and liters. Add as many box sizes as you need, switch to cylinders for drums and tubes, and add a weight to see freight density.
Dimensions
Weight is optional. Add it to see freight density and an estimated freight class.
Volume
Enter length, width and height to see the volume.
Shipping it?
Compare live LTL freight rates for pallets and big loads, or discounted parcel rates for boxes.
How to calculate cubic feet
Measure the longest side, the width and the height
Measure the outside of the box or item. Round up to the next half inch; carriers measure the outside too.Multiply the three measurements
Length × width × height gives the volume in cubic units of whatever you measured in.Convert to cubic feet
Divide cubic inches by 1,728, multiply cubic meters by 35.315, or let the calculator convert any unit for you.Multiply by the number of pieces
For several identical boxes, multiply by the quantity. For mixed sizes, add each size on its own line.
Volume terms
- Cubic foot (ft³)
- The volume of a cube 1 foot on each side: 1,728 cubic inches, or about 28.3 liters.
- Cubic meter (m³, CBM)
- The volume of a cube 1 meter on each side, about 35.31 cubic feet. International freight is usually quoted per CBM.
- Cubic yard
- 27 cubic feet. Used for soil, mulch, concrete and dumpsters.
- Freight density
- Weight divided by volume, in pounds per cubic foot. LTL freight class is largely based on it.
- Dimensional weight
- A billable weight based on a package’s size. See the dimensional weight calculator.
Cubic feet FAQ
- How do I calculate cubic feet?
- Multiply length × width × height. If you measured in feet, the result is already in cubic feet. If you measured in inches, divide the result by 1,728 (12 × 12 × 12). For example, a 24 × 18 × 12 inch box is 5,184 cubic inches, or 3 cubic feet.
- How do I convert cubic inches to cubic feet?
- Divide cubic inches by 1,728. One cubic foot is a cube 12 inches on each side, which holds 1,728 cubic inches.
- How many cubic feet are in a cubic meter?
- One cubic meter is about 35.31 cubic feet, and one cubic foot is about 0.0283 cubic meters. The calculator shows both at once.
- How do I find the cubic feet of a cylinder?
- Choose Cylinder, then enter the diameter and the height. The volume is π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × height, converted to cubic feet. This is useful for drums, tubes and round containers.
- How do I calculate the cubic feet of a shipment with different box sizes?
- Add one line for each box size with its quantity. The calculator multiplies each size by its quantity and adds them up. For freight, measure pallets including the pallet and any overhang.
- Why does cubic footage matter for shipping?
- Carriers price bulky parcels by dimensional weight, which is based on volume, and LTL carriers use density (pounds per cubic foot) to set the freight class. Entering a weight shows the density and an estimated class.
Know the size? Get the rate.
Compare live LTL freight quotes for pallets, or discounted parcel rates for boxes.
Free tools
More free space and freight calculators
CBM Calculator
Total cubic meters, air chargeable weight and containers needed for a shipment.
Pallet Calculator
How many cartons fit on a pallet, layer by layer, within height and weight limits.
Freight Class Calculator
Get your NMFC freight class from pallet weight and dimensions.
Dimensional Weight Calculator
Find the billable DIM weight carriers will charge before the invoice lands.
Want us to find the money leaking out of your shipping? Get a free profit-leak audit.
Request a free auditResults are calculated from the measurements you enter and rounded for display. Carriers measure and may round dimensions differently; their measurements determine billing.