Volume Calculator
Work out the volume of a box, raised bed, pond or layer of soil in cubic feet, cubic yards, cubic metres or litres.
Volume
0.9 m³
In litres
900 litres
In US gallons
237.8 gal
Please note: The result is an estimate and has been rounded. Actual costs and values may differ, and no rights can be derived from this calculation.
How this number is calculated
The blocks use your input. Change a value above and they update with it.
Step 1 · Volume in cubic metres
Step 2 · Volume
How the calculation works
Work out how much sand, soil, mulch, concrete or water fits in a box, bed, pond or layer. Enter the length, width and depth and see the volume in cubic feet, cubic yards, cubic metres or litres.
The volume of a rectangular box or layer is length times width times depth. The calculator first converts all measurements to metres, multiplies them and converts the result to the unit you choose. With cubic metres it also shows litres; with cubic feet or yards it also shows US gallons.
Formula
Volume = length × width × depth. 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 0.7646 m³; 1 cubic foot = 28.32 litres = 7.48 US gallons.
Assumptions
- The box or layer is rectangular, with the same depth everywhere.
- For loose materials such as soil, mulch or sand, the volume is before compacting; you often need a little more.
- The volume is rounded to three decimals, litres and gallons to one.
Example calculations
The button fills in the calculator above, so you can carry on from there.
-
Sandbox
Volume
0.9 m³
Length 2 m · Width 1.5 m · Depth or thickness 30 cm · m³
-
Layer of topsoil
Volume
1.2 m³
Length 6 m · Width 1 m · Depth or thickness 20 cm · m³
-
Pond in litres
Volume
4,800 litres
Length 3 m · Width 2 m · Depth or thickness 80 cm · litres
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards of concrete do I need?
Multiply length, width and thickness. A slab of 20 by 10 feet and 4 inches thick is 2.469 cubic yards. Suppliers often advise ordering 5 to 10% extra, as the ground is never perfectly level.
How much mulch or soil should I order?
Work out the volume and add a little, as soil and mulch settle once compacted or watered. A bed of 10 by 4 feet filled 2 feet deep holds 80 cubic feet, or 2.96 cubic yards.
How do I work out the volume of a round pond or barrel?
For a cylinder the volume is π × radius × radius × height. A barrel 2 feet across and 3 feet tall holds 3.14159 × 1 × 1 × 3 = 9.4 cubic feet, about 70 US gallons. For a pond with sloping sides, this calculator gives an upper limit.
How many litres are in a cubic metre?
A cubic metre is 1,000 litres: a cube of 1 by 1 by 1 metre. A sandbox of 2 by 1.5 metres and 30 cm deep holds 0.9 m³, or 900 litres.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27: a cubic yard is 3 by 3 by 3 feet. Choose the unit you need under Result in and the calculator converts for you.
Sources and checks
Sources
- NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (BIPM SI Brochure)
How we check it
This calculator has 8 fixed checks: 6 calculations with a result that is fixed in advance, and 2 cases of invalid input that must be rejected. They all run automatically every time we publish; if one fails, the calculator does not go live.
See the calculations
- Length 2 m · Width 1.5 m · Depth or thickness 30 cm · m³ → Volume 0.9 m³
- Length 6 m · Width 1 m · Depth or thickness 20 cm · m³ → Volume 1.2 m³
- Length 3 m · Width 2 m · Depth or thickness 80 cm · litres → Volume 4,800 litres
- Length 10 ft · Width 4 ft · Depth or thickness 2 ft · ft³ → Volume 80 cu ft
- Length 20 ft · Width 10 ft · Depth or thickness 4 in · yd³ → Volume 2.469 cu yd
- Length 2 m · Width 1.5 m · Depth or thickness 0 cm · m³ → Volume 0 m³
Changes
- : First version. Sources added and content reviewed.
Last reviewed: · How we build and check our calculators
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