Quick answer
Cylinder volume = π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × height. A cylinder 4 ft across and 6 ft tall holds 75.398 ft³, which is 2.793 yd³, 564 US gallons or 2,135 litres.
Enter the diameter, the height or length and the unit. The calculator returns volume in several units. Use this cylinder cubic footage calculator to check your own figures.
Related tools: Cubic Yards Calculator: Cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters from length, width and height. Aquarium Volume Calculator: Capacity and filled weight of a rectangular aquarium. Pool Volume Calculator: Gallons of water in a rectangular, round or oval pool.
How to use the Cylinder Cubic Footage Calculator
- Enter diameter (above 0).
- Enter height or length (above 0).
- Choose unit: Feet, Inches, Meters and Centimeters.
- Optionally, enter quantity (a whole number, 1 or more).
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | A number | > 0 |
| Height or length | A number | > 0 |
| Unit | Choose one: Feet; Inches; Meters; Centimeters | Starts at Feet |
| Quantity (optional) | A whole number | ≥ 1 |
Formula and method
Formula
V = π × (d ÷ 2)² × h
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Dimensions convert to meters first; 1 US gallon = 3.785411784 L. Plan geometry only; confirm quantities with your supplier and local code before ordering.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Diameter = 4; Height or length = 6; Unit = Feet.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Volume | 75.398 ft³ |
| Cubic yards | 2.793 |
| US gallons | 564.02 |
| Liters | 2,135.04 |
Example 2
Inputs: Diameter = 12; Height or length = 24; Unit = Inches; Quantity = 4.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Volume | 6.283 ft³ |
| Cubic yards | 0.233 |
| US gallons | 47 |
| Liters | 177.92 |
Example 3
Inputs: Diameter = 1.2; Height or length = 3; Unit = Meters.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Volume | 119.82 ft³ |
| Cubic yards | 4.438 |
| US gallons | 896.31 |
| Liters | 3,392.92 |
The first line is the headline result (volume). Below it the cylinder Cubic Footage Calculator lists cubic yards, uS gallons and liters, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Worked example
The radius is 2 ft, so the base area is π × 4 = 12.566 ft². Multiplying by the 6 ft height gives 75.398 ft³. One cubic foot is 7.48 gallons, so the gallons figure is 564.
Capacity versus outside size
Use the inside diameter for capacity. Tanks, pipes and concrete tubes have wall thickness, so outside dimensions overstate the volume. For a horizontal tank only partly full, the volume is smaller.
How the result changes with diameter
Holding every other input at the first worked example, this table changes only diameter. It shows how sensitive the answer is to that one value; each row was produced by running this calculator.
| Diameter | Volume | Cubic yards | US gallons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 18.85 ft³ | 0.698 | 141 |
| 4 | 75.398 ft³ | 2.793 | 564.02 |
| 8 | 301.593 ft³ | 11.17 | 2,256.07 |
| 16 | 1,206.372 ft³ | 44.68 | 9,024.29 |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Diameter: entering "0" shows "Diameter must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
- Height or length: entering "0" shows "Height or length must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Cylinder Cubic Footage Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [Cubic Yards Calculator](/construction/cubic-yards-calculator/) | length, width and height or depth | Volume |
| [Aquarium Volume Calculator](/construction/aquarium-volume/) | length, width and water height | Capacity |
| [Pool Volume Calculator](/construction/pool-volume-calculator/) | shape, length and average depth | Pool volume |
| [Square Feet to Cubic Yards Calculator](/converters/ft2-yd3/) | area and depth | Volume |
| [Volume Converter](/converters/volume-converter/) | value, from and to | US gallon → Litre (L) |
Background: construction estimates
Material quantities are geometry plus a margin. Calculate the exact volume or area, add an allowance for waste, spillage, cuts and uneven ground (calculator pages commonly mention 5 to 10 percent, a rule of thumb that varies by material and job) and round up to whole units. One cubic yard is exactly 27 cubic feet.
Suppliers often have minimum order sizes and may charge for small loads, so confirm quantities, product yields and local code with your supplier or a qualified estimator before ordering.
Assumptions and limitations
- Use the inside diameter for capacity
Quantities are estimates. Add allowances for waste and site conditions, and follow local codes and a qualified professional's instructions for structural or safety-critical work.
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for diameter and height or length to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a pipe's volume?
Use the inside diameter and the pipe length.
What if I know the radius?
Double it for the diameter.
Does it give concrete for a round footing?
Yes, using the footing's diameter and depth.
What does the Cylinder Cubic Footage Calculator calculate?
Volume of a cylinder (pipe, tank, column) in cubic feet, cubic yards, gallons and liters. It returns Volume, Cubic yards, US gallons and Liters.
What formula does the Cylinder Cubic Footage Calculator use?
V = π × (d ÷ 2)² × h. Dimensions convert to meters first; 1 US gallon = 3.785411784 L.
What do I need to enter in the cylinder Cubic Footage Calculator?
You enter Diameter, Height or length and Unit. Optional: Quantity.
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated. Use the inside diameter for capacity.
What does the “Unit” option change?
It sets how the cylinder Cubic Footage is worked out. The choices are Feet, Inches, Meters and Centimeters.
What is an example of a cylinder Cubic Footage result?
With diameter 4, height or length 6 and unit Feet, the volume is 75.398 ft³.
Can I rely on this calculator for a decision?
Quantities are estimates. Add allowances for waste and site conditions, and follow local codes and a qualified professional's instructions for structural or safety-critical work. For this calculator in particular: Use the inside diameter for capacity.
Related calculators
- Cubic Yards Calculator — Cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters from length, width and height.
- Aquarium Volume Calculator — Capacity and filled weight of a rectangular aquarium.
- Pool Volume Calculator — Gallons of water in a rectangular, round or oval pool.
- Square Feet to Cubic Yards Calculator — Cubic yards of material covering an area at a depth.
- Volume Converter — Convert litres, gallons, cups, spoons and more.
- Square Footage Calculator — Area of a rectangular space in square feet, square metres and square yards.
Sources
- OpenStax, Prealgebra 2e (Rice University): perimeter, area, volume, circumference and the Pythagorean theorem
- NIST Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI), Appendix B conversion factors (international foot 0.3048 m, inch 25.4 mm, US gallon 3.785411784 L)
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.