Volume Calculator: Free Online Volume Converter
Use our free volume calculator to convert between all common volume units instantly. Convert cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, liters, US gallons, and more. Designed for contractors, landscapers, and anyone who needs accurate volume conversions for construction, shipping, or home improvement projects.
How to use this calculator.
- Select your input unit. Choose the unit you are converting from — cubic feet, cubic yards, cubic meters, gallons, or liters.
- Enter the value. Type the volume you want to convert.
- Review all five results at once. The calculator shows the equivalent volume in cubic feet, cubic yards, cubic meters, gallons, and liters simultaneously.
- Pick the figure you need. Use whichever converted value matches the unit on your plan set, delivery ticket, or tank spec sheet.
- Recalculate for a different value. Change the input and unit to run another conversion.
- Note the precision. Results display to two decimal places, which is more than enough accuracy for material ordering or tank sizing.
How do you calculate volume conversions?
This calculator converts every input to cubic feet first, then derives the other four units from that common figure. Each unit pair uses a fixed multiplier based on standard international definitions, so cubic feet acts as the common pivot unit no matter which unit you started from.
Cubic Feet = Input Value × Conversion Factor (to cubic feet)
Cubic Yards = Cubic Feet ÷ 27
Cubic Meters = Cubic Feet ÷ 35.3147
Gallons = Cubic Feet × 7.48052
Liters = Cubic Feet × 28.3168
Where the conversion factor to cubic feet is:
- Cubic feet: 1 (no conversion needed)
- Cubic yards: × 27
- Cubic meters: × 35.3147
- Gallons (US): × 0.133681
- Liters: × 0.0353147
Example calculation.
Scenario: You have a 50-gallon tank and need the volume in every other unit for structural loading and shipping paperwork.
- Convert gallons to cubic feet: 50 × 0.133681 = 6.68 cu ft
- Convert to cubic yards: 6.68 ÷ 27 = 0.25 cu yd
- Convert to cubic meters: 6.68 ÷ 35.3147 = 0.19 m³
- Convert to liters: 6.68 × 28.3168 = 189.27 L
Result: 50 US gallons equals approximately6.68 cubic feet, 0.25 cubic yards, 0.19 cubic meters, or 189.27 liters.
For a construction-scale example, 15 cubic yards of concrete converts the other direction: 15 × 27 = 405 cu ft, 405 ÷ 35.3147 = 11.47 m³, and 405 × 7.48052 = 3,029.6 gallons of volume — the kind of figure a batch plant uses to schedule truck loads.
Tips from the field.
- US and UK gallons are different. A US gallon is 3.785 liters; a UK (imperial) gallon is 4.546 liters. Always verify which gallon system a spec or tank rating uses to avoid a 20% error.
- A standard 5-gallon bucket is your volume benchmark.It holds about 0.67 cubic feet, or roughly 0.025 cubic yards. Use this as a mental reference for quick jobsite estimates.
- Barrels of oil are 42 US gallons. When reading production or spill volumes, 1 barrel = 42 US gallons ≈ 5.61 cubic feet ≈ 0.159 cubic meters.
- Round to match your use case. Round up for material or tank capacity planning; keep full decimal precision for engineering or shipping paperwork.
- Volume alone doesn't tell you weight. To convert volume to weight (or back), you also need the material's density — use a dedicated tons-to-cubic-yards or weight calculator for that step.
Disclaimer: All conversions use legally defined conversion factors per NIST SP 811. PavementCalculator.com provides these conversions for reference only and assumes no liability for their use in critical applications.
Cost, price, and density figures on this page reflect approximate U.S. averages as of August 2026 and vary by region, supplier, and material availability.
Frequently asked questions.
How do I convert cubic feet to gallons?
Multiply cubic feet by 7.48052 to get US liquid gallons. For example, 10 cubic feet equals 74.81 gallons. Our volume calculator above handles this conversion automatically for any value.
How many liters are in a cubic foot?
One cubic foot equals approximately 28.32 liters. This conversion is useful when working with metric measurements for aquariums, water tanks, or international shipping.
What is the difference between US gallons and imperial gallons?
A US liquid gallon equals 231 cubic inches (approximately 3.785 liters), while an imperial (UK) gallon equals 277.42 cubic inches (approximately 4.546 liters). Our calculator uses US liquid gallons, the standard for construction and landscaping in the United States.
How do I calculate the volume of an irregular shape?
For irregular shapes, break the object into simpler geometric forms (rectangles, cylinders, triangles), calculate each volume separately, then add them together. For highly irregular objects, the water displacement method provides the most accurate measurement.
How do I calculate volume in cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × height/depth in feet, then divide by 27. For a 10×10×2 ft area: 200 ÷ 27 = 7.41 cubic yards. This is the universal formula for any rectangular volume. Our calculator handles rectangular and other shapes.
What is the difference between volume and capacity?
Volume measures the three-dimensional space an object occupies. Capacity measures how much a container can hold. Mathematically they are equivalent, but capacity typically uses liquid units (gallons, liters) while volume uses cubic units (cubic feet, cubic meters).
Why do construction materials use different volume units?
Different materials have different standard units based on industry convention. Concrete is ordered in cubic yards in the US, gravel and soil are often sold by the cubic yard or ton, and liquids are measured in gallons or liters. Our converter bridges all these unit systems.
Can I convert between weight and volume?
Volume-to-weight conversion requires knowing the material density. Use our dedicated cubic yards to tons or tons to cubic yards calculators for material-specific weight conversions.