Volume and cubic metre calculator
Work out how much fits in a box, room, tank or cylinder, in cubic metres, litres and cubic feet.
Litres and cubic feet from their legal definitions.
Result
That is 1.5 cubic metres, or 1,500 litres.
cubic metres
| In litres | 1,500 litres |
|---|---|
| In cubic feet | 52.972 cu ft |
Show the workings
| Step | Sum | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 2 m × 1.5 m × 0.5 m | 1.5 m³ |
| In litres | 1.5 × 1,000 | 1,500 litres |
| In cubic feet | 1,500 litres ÷ 28.317 litres a cubic foot | 52.972 cu ft |
Where the figures come from
- Litres in a cubic metre: 1,000 litres per m3. Source: Weights and Measures Act 1985, Schedule 1. Checked 13 November 2026.
- A yard in metres: 0.914 m per yard. Source: Weights and Measures Act 1985, Schedule 1. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Feet in a yard: 3 feet per yard. Source: Weights and Measures Act 1985, Schedule 1. Checked 13 November 2026.
How to work out cubic metres
Multiply the length, width and depth, all in metres. A skip 2 m long, 1.5 m wide and 0.5 m deep holds 2 × 1.5 × 0.5 = 1.5 cubic metres (m³).
For a cylinder, such as a round water butt or a post hole, multiply π by the radius squared, then by the height. The radius is half the diameter.
A cubic metre is 1,000 litres, because a litre is defined in law as a cubic decimetre.