Why do metric tin sizes look odd in gallons?

Because the two systems standardised on different container sizes. A 5 litre tin is 1.32 US gallons and a 10 litre is 2.64, so neither maps onto a quart, gallon or five-gallon pail. Order by the volume you need rather than by container equivalence.

Is a litre about a quart?

Close — a US quart is 0.946 litres, so a litre is about six percent more. Useful for a rough mental check and not accurate enough to substitute one container for another on a materials order.

Does temperature affect liquid volume?

Slightly, and it is normally irrelevant for construction materials. It matters for fuel measurement and for large tank calibrations, where volumes are quoted at a reference temperature.

My product label is British — is this the gallon I want?

Probably not. This page gives US gallons of 3.785 litres; a British label or specification means the imperial gallon of 4.546, so the same litre figure reads about a fifth higher here than it would in imperial gallons. For a UK product, use the litres to imperial gallons converter instead.

Measurements & Conversions

Litres to US Gallons Calculator

Convert litres to US gallons for American product sizes, coverage rates and tank ratings.

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Every formula citedNamed published standards
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SettingsSettings for this calculationUS

Market

Imperial · sales tax

Volume (L)

The volume in litres.

Metric paint is commonly sold in 2.5, 5 and 10 litre tins, which do not correspond to the quart and gallon sizes used in the US.

Volume

5.283 US gal

High confidence

1 L = 0.264172 US gallons. Metric and US container sizes do not correspond — order by required volume, not by nearest tin size.

Conversion factor applied: 0.26 US gal per L

Then change the inputs to see how far the answer moves.

Show calculation logic

How this was calculated

Formula source(s)

1 L = 1 / 3.785411784 US gallons = 0.2641720524 US gal

Inputs used

Volume (L): 20

Intermediate steps

Conversion factor applied: 0.26 US gal per L

Final result5.28 US gal

Confidence note: 1 L = 0.264172 US gallons. Metric and US container sizes do not correspond — order by required volume, not by nearest tin size.

Estimated cost — your price

Price per US gal ($)

This site holds no price list for this material — local prices vary too much to publish honestly. Enter your supplier's price and the result is costed with it.

Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Presented in US customary units and US trade terminology. Where a formula follows a published standard, that standard and its edition are cited beside it on this page; where none governs, the page says so. Local amendments override model codes — verify against the code in force where you build.

Sources checked 2026-08-26 · in the site-wide review of 2026-09-06 · v1.0.0

Regulatory standards & verification citations1

1 L = 1 / 3.785411784 US gallons = 0.2641720524 US gal

Cite this page

Your workspace

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Metric product sizes being checked against American coverage data need this direction, and the mismatch in container standards is the practical difficulty. A five litre tin is 1.32 US gallons and a ten litre is 2.64, so neither lines up with a quart, a gallon or a five-gallon pail. That means a coverage calculation done in one system cannot simply be met by buying the nearest-looking container in the other; the volume required has to be converted and then made up from whatever sizes the supplier actually stocks, usually with a surplus. A litre is about six percent larger than a US quart, which is close enough to mislead anyone treating the two as interchangeable.

Now that you have the number

These guides cover the work this quantity is for.

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How to calculate litres to US gallons in 2 steps

Volume (L)The volume in litres.
VolumeThe tool computes the volume from those figures and shows the formula, its sources, and a confidence rating alongside it.

Litres to US Gallons at common values

Page defaults, not your figures above.

Volume (L)	Volume (US gal)
2	0.528
5	1.32
10	2.64
20	5.28
50	13.2
100	26.4
200	52.8

Frequently asked questions

Why do metric tin sizes look odd in gallons?: Because the two systems standardised on different container sizes. A 5 litre tin is 1.32 US gallons and a 10 litre is 2.64, so neither maps onto a quart, gallon or five-gallon pail. Order by the volume you need rather than by container equivalence.
Is a litre about a quart?: Close — a US quart is 0.946 litres, so a litre is about six percent more. Useful for a rough mental check and not accurate enough to substitute one container for another on a materials order.
Does temperature affect liquid volume?: Slightly, and it is normally irrelevant for construction materials. It matters for fuel measurement and for large tank calibrations, where volumes are quoted at a reference temperature.
My product label is British — is this the gallon I want?: Probably not. This page gives US gallons of 3.785 litres; a British label or specification means the imperial gallon of 4.546, so the same litre figure reads about a fifth higher here than it would in imperial gallons. For a UK product, use the litres to imperial gallons converter instead.

Preliminary estimate, not certified engineering. This tool produces an indicative quantity calculation for planning purposes only — it is not a certified structural analysis, a guaranteed material takeoff, or a substitute for building department approval. Always verify measurements on-site and have a licensed contractor or structural engineer review any load-bearing, code-sensitive, or safety-critical work before purchasing materials or starting construction. Spotted an arithmetic or standards error? Report it to contact@craftquantities.com with your inputs — a confirmed fix gets a permanent check of its own, so the same mistake cannot come back.