Convert Cubic Foot to Liter (ft³L)

The cubic foot is the American standard for HVAC capacity, natural gas billing, and refrigerator volume.

28.316847
1 ft³28.316847 LNIST · BIPM accuracy

Cubic Foot to Liter Conversion Table

10 common values
Cubic FootLiter
1 ft³28.316847 L
2 ft³56.633693 L
5 ft³141.58423 L
10 ft³283.16847 L
20 ft³566.33693 L
50 ft³1,415.8423 L
100 ft³2,831.6847 L
200 ft³5,663.3693 L
500 ft³14,158.423 L
1,000 ft³28,316.847 L

How to Convert Cubic Foot to Liter Manually

Step by Step

Converting cubic feet to liters is straightforward: multiply by the conversion factor. Follow these three steps to do it by hand or in your head.

  1. 1
    Take your value in cubic feet
    Start with the number of cubic feet (ft³) you want to convert.
  2. 2
    Multiply by 28.316847
    The conversion factor from ft³ to L is 28.316847. Multiply your value by this number.
  3. 3
    Read the result in liters
    The result is your value in liters (L).
Practical Examples
1 ft³
equals
28.316847 L
5 ft³
equals
141.58423 L
10 ft³
equals
283.16847 L
25 ft³
equals
707.92116 L
100 ft³
equals
2,831.6847 L

Formula

Multiply the value in cubic feet by 28.316847. For the reverse direction, multiply by 0.035315.

ForwardL = ft³ × 28.316847
Reverseft³ = L × 0.035315
Example: 10 ft³ × 28.316847 = 283.16847 L

Tips

Use these in everyday conversions
  • 1 ft³ = 28.317 L = 0.0283 m³.
  • CFM to m³/h: multiply CFM by 1.699.
  • 1 m³ ≈ 35.3 ft³.

Common Mistakes

Avoid these
  • Confusing ft³ with ft² in US real-estate contexts.
  • Using 28 L instead of 28.32 L in precision HVAC calculations.
  • Mixing CCF (100 cubic feet) with CFM (cubic feet per minute) on utility bills.

About Cubic Foot and Liter

What is the Cubic Foot?

The cubic foot equals approximately 28.317 liters (or exactly 1,728 cubic inches) and is the American standard volume unit for HVAC capacity, natural-gas billing, refrigerator interior volume, and bulk material like concrete or mulch. American gas utilities measure delivered gas in 'CCF' (hundred cubic feet) or 'MCF' (thousand cubic feet), even when the customer thinks in terms of monthly bills. Refrigerators are advertised by their interior cubic-foot capacity (typical home unit: 18–25 ft³). Air-conditioning systems are rated in CFM (cubic feet per minute) airflow. Concrete is sometimes priced by the cubic yard (27 ft³), and mulch and topsoil are often sold by cubic foot bags. The cubic foot relates to the cubic yard (27 ft³ = 1 yd³), the cubic inch (1,728 in³ = 1 ft³), the cubic meter (1 ft³ ≈ 0.0283 m³), and the gallon (1 ft³ ≈ 7.481 US gal).

  • US air-conditioning and ventilation flow (CFM)
  • US natural gas consumption
  • Refrigerator and freezer capacity in the US
Real-world examples

A typical US fridge is 20 cu ft (566 L). US HVAC flow rated in CFM. US residential gas billed per 100 cu ft (CCF).

What is the Liter?

The liter equals exactly 1 cubic decimeter (1 dm³ = 0.001 m³) and is the everyday metric unit for liquids worldwide. Adopted as part of the metric system in the 1790s, the liter is used universally for beverages, fuel, household chemicals, and cooking liquids — except in the United States where gallons and fluid ounces dominate. The liter has special connection to mass: pure water at 4°C has almost exactly 1 kg per liter, a relationship designed into the metric system. Soda, milk, and water bottles in metric countries come in 0.5 L, 1 L, 1.5 L, and 2 L sizes. The liter relates to the milliliter (1,000 mL = 1 L), the cubic meter (1,000 L = 1 m³), the US gallon (1 L ≈ 0.264 gal), and the UK gallon (1 L ≈ 0.220 imp gal). Although not strictly an SI base unit, the liter is one of the most-used metric units globally.

  • Bottled beverages and milk in Europe
  • Petrol and diesel pricing in metric countries
  • Engine displacement (car engines rated in litres)
Real-world examples

A standard European petrol-car fuel tank is 50–60 L. A 2.0 L engine has a 2 litre displacement. A typical home boiler holds 150 L of hot water.

Learn About Both Units

🧪 Reference

What is the Cubic Foot?

Read the unit page →
🧪 Reference

What is the Liter?

Read the unit page →

Cubic Foot to Liter FAQ

5 questions
How many liters in a cubic foot?
One cubic foot equals 28.316847 liters.
How do I convert cubic feet to liters?
Multiply the cubic foot value by 28.316847 to get the equivalent in liters.
What is 100 cubic feet in liters?
100 cubic feet equals 2,831.6847 liters.
Is a cubic foot bigger than a liter?
Yes. 1 cubic foot equals 28.316847 liters, so one cubic foot is larger.
How to convert cubic feet to liters without a calculator?
Multiply by 28.32 for a quick estimate; use a calculator for precise results.

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