A cubic foot is exactly 0.028316846592 cubic meters.
Cubic feet to Cups Converter — ft3 to cup
Convert Cubic foot (ft3) to Cup (cup) using the exact conversion factor (1 cubic foot = 119.6883117 cup). See the formula, worked examples, conversion table, unit comparison, history, and common uses.
Cubic feet to Cups converter
Converter
Volume Converter
Convert metric, US customary, imperial, cooking, dry, and industrial volume units.
Context values
Some unit families need one extra value for a physically accurate result.
A US customary cup is 236.5882365 milliliters.
Result = input x 0.02831684659 / 0.0002365882365.
Volume uses the cubic meter as the base unit.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Cubic feet to Cups
Cubic foot and Cup appear side by side at fuel pumps and on beverage labels, since the US measures liquids in gallons while most of the world uses liters. Cubic foot is typically associated with united States (construction, HVAC, natural gas billing), while Cup is typically associated with united States (recipes and cooking measurement).
Formula
cups = cubic feet × 119.688311688
This factor comes from each unit's defined relationship to the category's base unit: 1 cubic foot equals 0.028316846592 base units, and 1 cup equals 0.0002365882365 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct cubic foot-to-cup factor of 119.688311688.
Simple example
1 ft3 × 119.6883117 = 119.6883117 cup
1 cubic foot = 119.6883117 cups.
Real-world example
10 ft3 × 119.6883117 = 1,196.883117 cup
10 cubic feet = 1,196.883117 cups.
Conversion table
| Cubic foot (ft3) | Cup (cup) |
|---|---|
| 1 ft3 | 119.6883117 cup |
| 5 ft3 | 598.4415584 cup |
| 10 ft3 | 1,196.883117 cup |
| 25 ft3 | 2,992.207792 cup |
| 50 ft3 | 5,984.415584 cup |
| 100 ft3 | 11,968.83117 cup |
Reverse conversion: Cup to Cubic foot
119.6883117 cup × 0.008355034722 = 1 ft3
119.6883117 cups = 1 cubic feet.
cubic feet = cups × 0.00835503472222
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Cup to Cubic foot.
Cubic foot vs. Cup
| Aspect | Cubic foot | Cup |
|---|---|---|
| Family | US/imperial customary unit | US customary unit (culinary) |
| Typical use | US natural gas utility billing (often in hundreds or thousands of cubic feet) | US recipe and cooking measurement |
| Where it's used | United States (construction, HVAC, natural gas billing) | United States (recipes and cooking measurement) |
Understanding the Cubic foot
Cubic foot (ft3) measures volume. A cubic foot is exactly 0.028316846592 cubic meters, derived from the 1959 international foot. It is classified as a US/imperial customary unit.
Where it's used: United States (construction, HVAC, natural gas billing)
Uses of the Cubic foot today
- US natural gas utility billing (often in hundreds or thousands of cubic feet)
- HVAC airflow and building-volume calculations
- Lumber, concrete, and construction material estimation in the US
History of the Cubic foot
The cubic foot, like the square foot, follows from the standardized foot (exactly 0.3048 m since the 1959 international agreement) rather than having a separate historical definition.
Historical origin. Cubic foot was not the invention of a single named person; it developed through the process described above.
Understanding the Cup
Cup (cup) measures volume. The US customary cup used in cooking is defined as exactly 240 milliliters (a rounded culinary standard, not the older 236.588 mL legal cup). It is classified as a US customary unit (culinary).
Where it's used: United States (recipes and cooking measurement)
Cooking cup vs. legal US cup. US recipes commonly round the cup to 240 mL for convenience, while the precise legal US cup (used to derive fluid ounces, pints, etc.) is 236.588 mL — a small but sometimes noticeable difference in precise baking.
Uses of the Cup today
- US recipe and cooking measurement
- Nutrition labeling serving sizes
- Baking, where volume-based flour/sugar measurement is still common in the US
History of the Cup
The cup as a cooking measure grew out of household and community cookbook conventions in 19th-century America, standardizing what had been ad hoc measurements ('a teacup of flour') into a fixed volume.
The US FDA uses a rounded 240 mL 'metric cup' for nutrition labeling purposes, distinct from the slightly smaller legal/customary cup (236.588 mL, exactly 1/16 of a US gallon) used elsewhere.
Historical origin. Cup was not the invention of a single named person; it developed through the process described above.
Cubic foot — sources
- NIST — International yard and pound (1959) — Basis for the modern foot and its derived volume unit.
Cup — sources
- US FDA — Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed — Uses the 240 mL rounded cup for nutrition labeling.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many cups are in 1 cubic foot?
1 cubic foot equals 119.6883117 cups, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert cubic foot to cup?
Multiply the cubic foot value by 119.6883117. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert cup back to cubic foot?
Use the reverse factor: 1 cup equals 0.0083550347 cubic feet. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
What is a cubic foot?
Cubic foot (ft3) measures volume. A cubic foot is exactly 0.028316846592 cubic meters, derived from the 1959 international foot. It is classified as a US/imperial customary unit.
What is a cup?
Cup (cup) measures volume. The US customary cup used in cooking is defined as exactly 240 milliliters (a rounded culinary standard, not the older 236.588 mL legal cup). It is classified as a US customary unit (culinary).
Is the cubic foot to cup conversion exact?
Yes. The US customary cup used in cooking is defined as exactly 240 milliliters (a rounded culinary standard, not the older 236.588 mL legal cup). That fixed definition is what the converter above uses, so any rounding you see is a display choice, not a limitation of the math.
What is the difference between cooking cup vs. legal us cup?
US recipes commonly round the cup to 240 mL for convenience, while the precise legal US cup (used to derive fluid ounces, pints, etc.) is 236.588 mL — a small but sometimes noticeable difference in precise baking.
Where is the cubic foot still used today?
United States (construction, HVAC, natural gas billing)