Cylinder Volume Calculator

Calculate the volume of any cylinder β€” pipes, tanks, barrels, cans. Enter diameter and height, get volume in liters, gallons, cubic meters, and more.

Radius = 5 cm

cm
Hollow (pipe/tube)

Subtract wall thickness

%
V = Ο€ Γ— 5Β² Γ— 20 = 1,570.80 cmΒ³
Liters
β€”
US Gallons
β€”
Cubic Meters
β€”
Cubic Feet
β€”

All Units

About This Tool

Need to know how much water fits in a tank? How many liters a pipe holds? The volume of a barrel or a can? This calculator gives you the answer in seconds β€” in every unit you need. Enter the diameter (or radius) and height of any cylinder, and get the volume in liters, gallons, cubic meters, cubic feet, and cubic inches. For pipes and tubes, switch to hollow mode and enter the wall thickness to calculate the internal volume β€” the part that actually holds liquid. Whether you're sizing a water tank, estimating fuel in a barrel, figuring out how much concrete fills a sonotube, or checking if a pot is big enough β€” this is the tool that does the math.

How to Use

1. Choose a preset (pipe, barrel, water tank, etc.) or enter custom dimensions 2. Enter diameter and height in your preferred unit (mm, cm, m, in, ft) 3. For hollow cylinders (pipes), toggle "Hollow" and enter wall thickness 4. Read the volume in multiple units β€” liters, gallons, cubic meters, cubic feet 5. Use "Fill level" to calculate partial volumes (tank half full, etc.) 6. Click "Copy Link" to share your calculation

Formula

V = Ο€ Γ— rΒ² Γ— h Where: r = radius (diameter Γ· 2) h = height (or length for horizontal cylinders) Hollow cylinder: V = Ο€ Γ— (RΒ² βˆ’ rΒ²) Γ— h R = outer radius, r = inner radius Unit conversions: 1 mΒ³ = 1,000 liters = 264.172 US gallons 1 ftΒ³ = 28.3168 liters = 7.481 US gallons

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate the volume of a cylinder?
Multiply Ο€ (3.14159) by the radius squared, then by the height: V = Ο€ Γ— rΒ² Γ— h. If you know the diameter, divide it by 2 to get the radius. For example, a cylinder with diameter 10 cm and height 20 cm: V = Ο€ Γ— 5Β² Γ— 20 = 1,570.8 cmΒ³ = 1.57 liters.
How many liters does a pipe hold?
Use the inner diameter (not the outer) and the pipe length as height: V = Ο€ Γ— (d/2)Β² Γ— length. A 2-inch (5.08 cm) pipe that's 10 meters long holds: Ο€ Γ— 2.54Β² Γ— 1000 = 20,268 cmΒ³ β‰ˆ 20.3 liters. This calculator handles the conversion automatically.
How do I calculate the volume of a horizontal tank?
For a completely full horizontal tank, the formula is the same as a vertical cylinder β€” Ο€ Γ— rΒ² Γ— length. If the tank is partially filled, the math gets complex. Use this calculator's fill level feature: set the fill percentage and it calculates the actual volume of liquid.
How many gallons does a 55-gallon drum actually hold?
A standard 55-gallon drum is 22.5 inches (57.15 cm) in diameter and 33.5 inches (85.09 cm) tall. Using V = Ο€ Γ— rΒ² Γ— h: Ο€ Γ— 11.25Β² Γ— 33.5 = 13,324 inΒ³ = 57.8 US gallons. The '55-gallon' rating accounts for a safe fill level below the brim.
How do I convert cubic centimeters to liters?
Divide by 1,000. 1 liter = 1,000 cmΒ³. So 5,000 cmΒ³ = 5 liters. For cubic meters to liters, multiply by 1,000. For cubic inches to liters, multiply by 0.01639. This calculator shows all conversions automatically.
What is the volume of a cylinder in cubic feet?
Use the same formula V = Ο€ Γ— rΒ² Γ— h with all measurements in feet. Or calculate in any unit and convert: 1 cubic foot = 28.317 liters = 7.481 US gallons = 1,728 cubic inches. A 2 ft diameter Γ— 4 ft tall cylinder = Ο€ Γ— 1Β² Γ— 4 = 12.57 ftΒ³ = 94 gallons.
How do I find the volume of a hollow cylinder or pipe?
Subtract the inner cylinder volume from the outer: V = Ο€ Γ— h Γ— (RΒ² βˆ’ rΒ²), where R is the outer radius and r is the inner radius. For liquid capacity of a pipe, use just the inner diameter. For material volume (e.g., how much metal in the pipe wall), use the hollow cylinder formula.

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