What CFT means
CFT is cubic feet — the volume of a box one foot on each side. Timber, sand, stone chips and earthwork are all bought and billed in cft in Bangladesh and India, so being able to turn three measurements into a volume is a daily job on site.
Formula
CFT = length × width × height, all in feetInches ÷ 12 = feet·metres × 3.28084 = feet1 cft = 0.0283 m³·1 m³ = 35.3147 cft
Worked example
A pile of sand 10 ft long, 6 ft wide and 4 ft deep is 240 cft, or 6.80 cubic metres — a little over two 100 cft truck loads. At 60 per cft, that sand costs 14,400.
How to use the CFT calculator
- Measure all three sides and pick the unit you used — mixing feet and inches is the usual source of mistakes.
- Set the number of pieces if you are costing several identical planks or blocks.
- Add the rate per cft to get the bill alongside the volume.
Notes for site work
- Timber is normally measured on the sawn size, not the finished size. Check which one the quote uses.
- Loose sand settles. A truck's 100 cft loaded is less once it is compacted in place, so order a margin.
- For a cylinder, use π × radius² × height instead; this calculator assumes a rectangular shape.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate CFT?
Multiply length by width by height, with every measurement in feet. 10 × 6 × 4 feet is 240 cubic feet.
How many cft are in one cubic metre?
35.3147 cubic feet. Going the other way, one cubic foot is 0.0283 cubic metres.
How many cft is one truck of sand?
It depends on the truck. A common small tipper carries about 100 cft, and larger ones 200 to 300 cft. The calculator shows how many 100 cft loads your volume works out to.