Cubic measurements are used for measuring the volume/capacity of items. These measurements are used for open spaces that can hold liquid or compact solid objects.
The primary reference points are cubic centimeters, inches, feet, meters, and many more. Cubic foot measurements are particularly used for bulky objects.
If you cannot find a single object with a capacity of 40 cubic feet, you can combine multiple items that will give the same measurements. Considering how big a 40 ft3 container is, knowing these sizes will help you when moving out or packing stuff.
Here are some of the common items around you that measure 40 cubic feet.
1. Two refrigerators
Standard refrigerators used at home are almost the same size worldwide, considering manufacturers have to stick to international standards. Therefore, the typical volume of a 3ft/4ft refrigerator is around 20/25 ft3.
This is the size of a refrigerator that can be used in a family of 4 or 5 people. So if you have to calculate 40 cubic feet, you will need two standard refrigerators placed side-by-side.
However, there are large fridges for bigger spaces that are about 35-40 ft3.
2. Two freezers
Freezers and refrigerators are used for the same purposes—to preserve food. However, freezers can keep food fresh for a longer period. Both upright and chest freezers are available in different sizes.
Compact freezers are around 5-9 ft3, medium 12-18 ft3, and large 18 ft3. You will need two large chest freezers to get 40 cubic feet.
3. A hot tub
Hot tubs come in various sizes, depending on the number of people they can hold. They are bigger than bathtubs and need more space in a room.
A typical hot tub is around 40 cubic feet and can hold around 300 gallons of water. This tub can hold around four people and consumes less than 3 gallons every day.
Knowing the dimensions of a hot tub allows you to find the best location for it in your house.
4. An aquarium
An aquarium or fish tank can take any shape and size, provided it serves its purpose. Bigger aquariums found in open spaces like malls and fisheries can have volumes of up to 40ft3.
This fish tank holds around 300 gallons of water and can hold up to 300 fish. For safe stocking of the tank, the one inch per gallon rule applies.
5. A water tank
Water tanks can be used for home, educational, engineering, or industrial purposes. These tanks also come in various sizes and are made of different materials.
One of the standard sizes of a water tank is 40 cubic feet. This tank is great for water storage at home or harvesting water.
For industrial purposes, it can be used to store chemicals or for waste treatment.
6. Seven bathtubs
Bathtubs have been built from various materials like terracotta, silver, gold, marble, and iron. However, the sizes and shapes have changed over the 7,000 years.
The capacity of a standard bathtub is 5.70 cubic feet. Therefore, you will have to assemble seven bathtubs of the same size to get 40 cubic feet.
7. 20 car fuel tanks
Cars come in different sizes, meaning that the fuel tanks will also be of different sizes. If you are curious about the size of your fuel tank, the calculation formula is lengths x width x height.
On average, one car fuel tank is about 2.13 cubic feet. Smaller fuel tanks hold around 12 gallons, while larger ones hold 16 gallons when full.
Therefore, if you have 20 fuel tanks, each with a capacity of 16 gallons, you will get 40 cubic feet.
8. 19 beer kegs
One beer keg is around 2.07 cubic feet, the most common keg size sold in the United States by beer sellers.
This half-a-barrel keg type holds around 165 cans of beer, assuming each has a volume of 0.0125 cubic feet.
So, for example, if you have 19 beer kegs, you can use them to calculate a capacity of 40 cubic feet.
9. 100 basketballs
An NBA basketball made by Spalding is size 7 and measures around 0.25 cubic feet.
The size of a packed basketball is about 0.392 cubic feet. Therefore, 40 cubic feet translates to around 100 basketballs packed.
If you are curious about basketballs, the first ball was made in 1894 by James Naismith with the help of A.G Spalding and Bros. Each ball has 4,118 pebbles, each with a 2.5 mm diameter.
10. Shipping pallet boxes
Pallet boxes are used for bulk shipping and are built to meet custom requirements. These boxes provide a reliable and protective means for shipping goods.
Pallet boxes can be made from wood or double-wall cardboard for transporting heavy goods. These boxes also come in different sizes depending on the space you need.
Most pallet boxes used to transport machinery and electronics are around 40 cubic feet.
11. 10 packaging boxes
Packaging boxes always come in handy when moving or sourcing materials from a warehouse. These boxes can also be used to store goods when you are not using them.
Packaging boxes made from cardboard can measure around 4 ft3. If you have ten packaging boxes, you can calculate 40 cubic feet. Knowing the dimensions of the boxes can help you determine the space you need when moving.
12. DIY Treasure chest
Treasure chests have existed since the times of ancient Egyptians in 3000 BC. They were primarily made of wood or woven reeds.
Even though antique chests are becoming rare, people are making their treasure chests. Considering these chests are of different sizes, you can build one according to your size requirements.
For example, to get a 40ft3 treasure chest, you will build one with 5 x 4 x 2 dimensions.
13. Inflatable baby pool
When you want to train babies on how to swim, you can do it in a regular swimming pool. However, considering swimming pools are too big for them, you can use inflatable swimming pools instead.
These pools for kids are available in different sizes depending on the kids’ capacity and age. An inflatable baby pool measure 40 cubic feet, with some reaching over 100 ft3.
14. Vending machine
Vending machines for beverages and snacks vary depending on the manufacturer and capacity. The commercial standard is 6’ x 3.9’x 2.6′, which gives a capacity of 60.84 cubic feet.
Smaller vending machines can be anywhere from 40 cubic feet. These are mostly found in apartment complexes with pools or hotels.
15. Seven oil drums
Contents in an oil rum are measured in oil barrels, whether dry, fluid, or oil barrels. One barrel holds around 42 gallons.
Considering 40 cubic feet holds around 300 gallons, you will need about seven oil drums. One barrel of crude oil will take approximately 19-20 gallons of gasoline.
16. An icebox
Any business that deals with food or perishable products need an icebox. There are smaller iceboxes that can be used at home and bigger ones that serve bigger enterprises.
Standard ice boxes for home uses can measure around 16-20 cubic feet. Bigger ice boxes measure around 40 cubic feet and are perfect for service stations, convenience stores, bottle shops, and any location where large ice bags can be stored.
Even though most of these items are used industrially, it is good to learn one or two things about them.
For example, if you know the volume of an item, you can easily estimate sizes when sorting items in your house or warehouse. However, various formulas are used to calculate the volume, and you should learn one or two of them.
The dimension of stuff has been an interest of mine ever since I was a child. What I believe is most fascinating about the dimension of stuff is how extremely long, tall and wide some objects are both on earth and in the universe.