Volume Unit Converter
Cubic metres, litres, gallons and cubic feet — all units at once.
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Result
Formula
| Metric | 1 m³ = 1000 L, 1 L = 1000 mL = 1000 cm³ |
| Imperial | 1 ft³ = 1728 in³ = 0.0283168 m³, 1 yd³ = 27 ft³ |
| Gallons | 1 US gal = 3.78541 L, 1 UK gal = 4.54609 L |
| Barrel | 1 bbl = 42 US gal = 158.987 L |
| Site numbers | 1 m³ of concrete ≈ 2.4 t, 1 m³ of water = 1 t = 1000 L |
One cubic metre is 1000 litres or 35.3147 cubic feet; a full 8 m³ mixer truck holds about 211.9 US gallons.
Volume unit reference
| Unit | Symbol | In m³ | In litres | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cubic metre | m³ | 1 | 1000 | Concrete, earthwork |
| Litre | L | 0.001 | 1 | Paint, oil |
| Cubic foot | ft³ | 0.02832 | 28.32 | Imported plant |
| Cubic yard | yd³ | 0.7646 | 764.6 | Overseas earthwork |
| US gallon | US gal | 0.003785 | 3.785 | Imported pumps |
| UK gallon | UK gal | 0.004546 | 4.546 | British equipment |
| Oil barrel | bbl | 0.15899 | 158.99 | Oil measurement |
FAQ
Why are US and UK gallons different?
The US gallon derives from the wine gallon (231 in³ ≈ 3.785 L) and the UK gallon from the ale gallon (4.546 L), a 20% gap. On imported equipment labelled in gallons, confirm which one — treating US as UK overstates capacity by a fifth.
Why is a cubic metre of water exactly one tonne?
Water is 1000 kg/m³ at 4°C, so engineers simply take 1 t/m³. That only holds for water: concrete is 2.4 t/m³, sand 1.5, gravel 1.5, steel 7.85. Mixing volume and weight when planning haulage is the commonest cause of overloaded trucks.
Are capacity and volume the same thing?
Numerically yes, in use no. Volume is the space an object occupies; capacity is what a container holds, measured inside. A 1 × 1 × 1 m tank with 100 mm walls has 1 m³ of volume but only 0.8 × 0.8 × 0.8 = 0.512 m³ of capacity — half of it.
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Results are estimating aids only and are not a design basis. Construction and final accounts must follow the drawings, the applicable standards and an approved method statement. Anything affecting structural safety, shoring or falsework must be checked by a suitably qualified engineer.