Cuboid Volume Calculator

How to Calculate the Volume of a Cuboid

A cuboid is a three-dimensional solid with six rectangular faces. It is also called a rectangular prism or rectangular box. The volume tells you how much space the cuboid occupies, or how much it can hold if it is a container.

The formula is straightforward:

Volume = Length x Width x Height

All three measurements must be in the same unit before you multiply. The result is in cubic units of that measurement. For example, if you measure in centimetres, the volume is in cubic centimetres (cm³).

The Formula

V = 5 x 3 x 2 = 30 m³. This is also 30,000 litres, which is useful when sizing water tanks or swimming pools.

Common Unit Conversions

Practical Examples

• Soil or mulch for a raised garden bed: A bed 2 m long, 1.2 m wide and 0.3 m deep needs 2 x 1.2 x 0.3 = 0.72 m³ (720 litres) of material.
• Shipping container: A standard 20-foot ISO container is roughly 5.9 m x 2.35 m x 2.39 m = approximately 33.1 m³ internal volume.
• Room air volume: A room 4 m x 3.5 m x 2.4 m has a volume of 33.6 m³. This matters for air conditioning and ventilation sizing.
• Water tank: A tank 1.5 m x 1.0 m x 1.0 m holds 1.5 m³ = 1,500 litres of water.

Cuboid vs Cube

A cube is a special case of a cuboid where all three dimensions are identical. For a cube with side length s, the volume simplifies to V = s³. For a general cuboid where the three dimensions differ, you must always multiply all three values separately. This calculator handles both cases.

Surface Area vs Volume

Volume and surface area are different properties. Volume measures the space inside, while surface area measures the total area of all six faces. The surface area formula for a cuboid is SA = 2(lw + lh + wh). If you need the surface area as well, use the Rectangular Box (Cuboid) Calculator, which gives both at once.

Related Calculators

• Maths and Stats Calculators: all geometry and maths tools.
• Rectangular Box (Cuboid) Calculator: volume and surface area together.
• Volume Calculator (multi-solid): spheres, cylinders, cones and more.
• Cuboid Calculator: full cuboid properties including diagonal length.
• Cube Surface Area and Volume Calculator: for perfect cubes with equal sides.

Sources and method: Volume formula V = l x w x h is a standard Euclidean geometry result. Unit conversion factors from SI (International System of Units) definitions: 1 m = 100 cm = 1,000 mm; 1 ft = 0.3048 m; 1 in = 0.0254 m. 1 m³ = 1,000 L (BIPM SI Brochure).

This calculator is for informational and educational purposes. For engineering, construction or compliance purposes, verify all measurements and calculations independently.