Free moving truck size calculator. Enter rooms and boxes to estimate total moving volume and how many small truck trips your move needs.
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Each room is estimated at 150 cubic feet of furniture and each box at 3 cubic feet. Total volume divided by a 400 cubic foot small truck capacity, rounded up, gives the number of small truck trips. Use the truck size chart in the sections below to translate that volume into a rental size, and add a 10 to 15 percent margin for awkward items, since room averages cannot capture every sofa or piano.
Rooms drive the estimate because furniture fills most of a truck, while boxes add a smaller, steadier amount. Three rooms plus 30 boxes give 450 plus 90, or 540 cubic feet, which needs two trips in a 400 cubic foot small truck. The room average is a planning shortcut, not a replacement for measuring very large items.
Competitor size charts agree on the broad bands: a cargo van holds about 200 to 250 cubic feet, a 10 foot truck about 400 to 500, a 15 foot truck about 500 to 800, a 20 foot truck about 815 to 995, and a 26 foot truck about 1015 to 1615 cubic feet. Exact figures vary by rental company, so confirm interior cubic feet with your provider before booking.
Enter the number of rooms you are moving from and the number of boxes you expect. Read the estimated volume and the number of small truck trips, then use the chart above to see which rental size holds that volume in one trip.
A 2 bedroom apartment usually needs a 17 to 20 foot truck, about 1000 cubic feet. A sparse 2 bedroom flat with little furniture may fit a 15 foot truck, while a full second bedroom plus a garage pushes you to the larger size.
A 3 bedroom house usually needs a 26 foot truck, about 1015 to 1615 cubic feet, especially for a long distance move where a second trip is not an option. A lightly furnished 3 bedroom home may fit a 20 to 22 foot truck.
A cargo van vs moving truck comparison comes down to load size: a van suits a dorm room, a closet clear out or a few large items, while any multi room home needs a real truck. Vans are easier to drive and park, which matters for city moves and student housing.
Boxes take less room than people expect. Forty cartons come to only about 110 cubic feet, roughly a tenth of a 1000 cubic foot truck, so sofas, mattresses and dining tables set the size you need, not the box count. That is why this calculator weights rooms far more heavily than boxes.
When you are between two sizes, sizing up is usually safer, since a second trip costs more in time and fuel than a slightly larger truck. Check parking and height clearance at both ends, and confirm licence rules with the rental company: a standard 26 foot rental normally needs no commercial licence in the United States, but height and weight rules still apply.
A 3 bedroom home often needs a 20 to 26 foot truck, depending on furniture and boxes. This calculator estimates volume and small truck trips, so use it to narrow choices before booking.
A 17 to 20 foot truck, about 1000 cubic feet, suits most 2 bedroom apartments. A sparse flat may fit a 15 foot truck, while a full second bedroom and a garage need the larger size.
Divide your estimated volume by 400 cubic feet and round up. Three rooms and 30 boxes give 540 cubic feet, which is 2 small truck trips.
A 10 foot truck holds about 400 to 500 cubic feet, which suits a studio or small 1 bedroom home: a mattress set, a sofa, a dining set and boxes.
A 26 foot truck holds about 1015 to 1615 cubic feet, which suits a 3 to 5 bedroom house in one trip, including large appliances and many boxes.
Yes, if you are between sizes. Making an extra trip with a too small truck is usually more expensive and time consuming than paying slightly more for a larger truck.
For very small loads, yes. A cargo van suits a dorm room or closet sized move, but it cannot hold the contents of a multi room apartment.
Count rooms at 150 cubic feet each and boxes at 3 cubic feet each, then add a 10 to 15 percent margin for bulky items. Measuring your largest furniture pieces separately gives the most reliable check.
Not for a standard rental in most cases, since 26 foot rentals stay below the commercial weight threshold. Always confirm licence and height clearance rules with your rental company.