Dry Volume Converter
Dry volume measurements apply to unprocessed agricultural goods, seeds, grains, and other bulk solids where the traditional imperial system's dry measures are still in use, particularly in the United States. Unlike liquid volume, dry measures have their own distinct units and conversion factors. The US dry quart is larger than the US liquid quart: 1 dry quart equals approximately 1.101 litres, compared to 0.946 litres for the liquid quart. Larger dry measures include the peck (8 dry quarts, or about 8.81 litres) and the bushel (32 dry quarts, or about 35.24 litres), both still used in agricultural commerce for trading grains, produce, and other commodities. These historical units remain important in the United States and are standardized by NIST for consistency in commerce and commodity trading. Converting dry measures to metric units is essential when dealing with bulk goods for export or when recipes specify dry ingredients in imperial units. This calculator displays nine dry volume units: US dry pints, quarts, pecks, bushels, dry gallons, plus cubic inches, litres, cubic feet, and metric cups. Enter a value in any field and all others update instantly with NIST precision.
NIST conversion factors
All conversions below use standard NIST-defined factors, with all units expressed relative to the US dry quart.
| Unit | Symbol | US Dry Quarts |
|---|---|---|
| US dry pint | pt (dry) | 0.5 |
| US dry quart | qt (dry) | 1 |
| US peck | pk | 8 |
| US bushel | bu | 32 |
| US dry gallon | gal (dry) | 4 |
| Cubic inch | in³ | 0.05765 |
| Litre | L | 0.90808 |
| Cubic foot | ft³ | 25.7143 |
| Metric cup | 250mL | 0.22702 |
Dry volume converter: frequently asked questions
What is dry volume?
Dry volume is used to measure unprocessed agricultural goods and solid materials, such as grains, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. It differs from liquid volume measurements, even though both measure space. The US dry quart is larger than the US liquid quart.
Why is dry volume different from liquid volume?
Historically, dry and liquid measures evolved separately for practical commerce. A US dry quart equals 1.101 litres, while a US liquid quart equals 0.946 litres. The distinction matters in agricultural trade, baking, and cooking with bulk ingredients.
What is a peck?
A peck is an old imperial unit for dry goods equal to 8 dry quarts or one quarter of a bushel. It is still used in some agricultural contexts in the United States, particularly for apples and other produce. One peck equals approximately 8.81 litres.
What is a bushel?
A bushel is a traditional unit for measuring bulk dry goods, especially grains and produce. One US bushel equals 32 dry quarts or approximately 35.24 litres. It remains important in agricultural commerce and commodity trading.
How precise are these conversions?
These are NIST-defined standard conversions. The US dry quart is precisely defined relative to cubic inches. All conversions shown are mathematically precise to two decimal places.
Official sources
- NIST Handbook 44: Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices.
- NIST Special Publication 330: The International System of Units.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.