Patio base: 4 m × 3 m, 10 cm deep
Depth in centimeters is divided by 100 to get meters, so 10 cm is 0.1 m.
12 m² × 0.1 m = 1.2 m³
That is 1,200 liters, or 1.57 cubic yards.
Cubic Meter Calculator
Free cubic meter calculator: enter length, width and depth in meters, centimeters or feet for nine shapes and get cubic meters, liters and cubic yards in one step.
Enter Your Measurements to Calculate Cubic Meters
Enter your dimensions, then press Calculate.
Calculate a Rectangle Area
3D view- LLength—
- WWidth—
- DDepth / height—
Area = length × width · Volume = area × depth
How to Calculate Cubic Meters
A cubic meter is the space inside a cube 1 meter on each side, written m³ and also spelled cubic metre. Most of the world orders soil, sand, gravel and concrete by the cubic meter, so it is the number a supplier outside the United States will ask for.
- Pick the shape of your area. Rectangle covers most beds, slabs and trenches.
- Measure the length and width. Meters are the default, and centimeters, millimeters or feet work too.
- Measure the depth. Centimeters are the default, because most depths are a few centimeters.
- Press Calculate to see cubic meters, liters, cubic yards and cubic feet together.
Cubic meters = length (m) × width (m) × depth (m)
Depth (m) = depth (cm) ÷ 100
If you are used to feet and yards, the cubic yard calculator runs the same math with US units first. Both give the same volume, just led by a different unit.
Cubic Meter Formulas for Other Shapes
Work out the area in square meters, then multiply by the depth in meters. These are the shapes people ask about most; the calculator handles all nine.
Rectangle: length × width × depth
Circle: 3.1416 × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth
Triangle: base × height ÷ 2 × depth
Ring: 3.1416 ÷ 4 × (outer diameter² − inner diameter²) × depth
For example, a ring of bark around a tree, 4 m across with a 1 m circle left clear and spread 7.5 cm deep, needs 3.1416 ÷ 4 × (16 − 1) × 0.075 = 0.88 cubic meters. For an L shaped area, split it into rectangles, work out each one and add them.
Depth in Centimeters, Converted to Meters
The depth is where most mistakes happen, because it is usually measured in centimeters.
| Depth (cm) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|
| 2.5 | 0.025 |
| 5 | 0.05 |
| 7.5 | 0.075 |
| 10 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.15 |
| 30 | 0.3 |
How Much Area One Cubic Meter Covers
Coverage works backwards from volume: divide 1 by the depth in meters. The thinner the layer, the further a cubic meter goes.
| Depth | Area covered |
|---|---|
| 2.5 cm | 40 m² |
| 5 cm | 20 m² |
| 7.5 cm | 13.33 m² |
| 10 cm | 10 m² |
| 15 cm | 6.67 m² |
| 30 cm | 3.33 m² |
Cubic Meters to Liters, Cubic Yards and Cubic Feet
1 m³ = 1,000 liters
1 m³ ≈ 1.31 cubic yards (1 yd³ ≈ 0.765 m³)
1 m³ ≈ 35.31 cubic feet
The calculator shows all of these at once. If a quote comes in cubic yards, or a bag label in liters, you can compare it with your cubic meter figure straight away.
Typical Weight per Cubic Meter
Suppliers often sell sand, gravel and topsoil by the tonne. Weight depends on the material and how wet it is, so treat these as starting points and ask your supplier for their figure.
| Material | Tonnes per m³ |
|---|---|
| Bark or wood mulch | 0.24–0.47 |
| Topsoil | 1.31–1.54 |
| Sand (dry) | 1.54–1.78 |
| Gravel or crushed stone | 1.54–2.02 |
| Concrete (mixed) | About 2.4 |
Need the weight worked out for you?
The Gravel Calculator, Sand Calculator and Topsoil Calculator accept metric sizes too and show metric tonnes next to the volume, and the Concrete Calculator counts premix bags.
Cubic Meter Calculator Examples
These come from the same code as the calculator above, so you can type in the same numbers and compare.
Raised bed: 2 m × 1 m, 30 cm deep
Six hundred liters of soil, which is how bagged compost is often labeled.
2 m² × 0.3 m = 0.6 m³
That is 600 liters, or 0.78 cubic yards.
Round planter or pond: 3 m across, 50 cm deep
The area of a circle is π × (diameter ÷ 2)², here π × 1.5².
7.0686 m² × 0.5 m = 3.53 m³
That is 3,534 liters, or 4.62 cubic yards.
Concrete slab: 5 m × 4 m, 15 cm thick
Ready mix plants in metric countries quote by the cubic meter, so this is the number to give them.
20 m² × 0.15 m = 3 m³
That is 3,000 liters, or 3.92 cubic yards.
Mixed units: 6 m × 250 cm, 8 cm deep
Each field keeps its own unit, so there is no need to convert before typing.
15 m² × 0.08 m = 1.2 m³
That is 1,200 liters, or 1.57 cubic yards.
Cubic Meter Calculator FAQ
How do I calculate cubic meters?
Multiply the length, width and depth, all in meters. A space 4 m long, 3 m wide and 0.1 m deep holds 4 × 3 × 0.1 = 1.2 cubic meters. If the depth is in centimeters, divide it by 100 first.
How many liters are in a cubic meter?
Exactly 1,000. A liter is a cube 10 cm on each side, and 10 of them fit along each edge of a cubic meter.
How many cubic yards are in a cubic meter?
About 1.308. One cubic yard is about 0.765 cubic meters, so a cubic meter is roughly a third larger than a cubic yard.
How much area does one cubic meter cover?
Divide 1 by the depth in meters. At 5 cm deep one cubic meter covers 20 square meters, and at 10 cm it covers 10.
Is a cubic meter the same as a cubic metre?
Yes. Metre is the British spelling and meter the American one; both mean a cube 1 m on each side, written m³.
How much does a cubic meter of gravel weigh?
Usually about 1.54 to 2.02 tonnes, depending on the stone and how wet it is. Use the Gravel Calculator for the weight, and set the density your supplier quotes.
Related Guides
- What Is a Cubic Yard?A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side, or 27 cubic feet. See how big 2, 5, 10 and 20 yards really are, how they convert and how far they spread.
- How to Calculate Cubic Yards: Complete GuideCalculate cubic yards from length, width and depth with one formula, a shortcut for inches, metric conversions, worked examples and common mistakes.
More Calculators
- CY CalculatorCubic yards, feet and meters for nine common shapes.
- Mulch CalculatorHow much mulch for a bed, in cubic yards and bags.
- Concrete CalculatorConcrete for slabs, footings and columns, in yards and bags.
- Gravel CalculatorGravel for paths and driveways, in cubic yards and tons.
- Topsoil CalculatorTopsoil for lawns and garden beds, in cubic yards and tons.
- Sand CalculatorSand for paver bases, sandboxes and fill, in yards and tons.
- Square Feet CalculatorArea of eight common shapes in ft², yd², m² and acres.
Cite this page
APA style
Khan, M. A. (2026, November 7). Cubic Meter Calculator. CY Calculator. https://cycalculator.com/cubic-meter-calculator