Dunnage / Void-Fill Cost Calculator
Enter the box’s inside size, the product, how much of the empty space to fill, and what your fill material costs to estimate the fill volume and cost per package.
Dunnage / Void-Fill Cost Calculator calculates in your browser.
Fill cost per package starts with the space around the product
Void fill — loose fill, air pillows, crinkle paper — is cheap per package but adds up over thousands of orders. Its cost depends on how much empty space each box leaves around the product and what you pay for each cubic foot, liter, or cubic meter of material.
This calculator subtracts the product’s volume from the box’s inside volume, fills the share of that space you choose, and prices it at your rate, per package and for a quantity. It is volume arithmetic, not a packing check: it warns when the product can’t fit or can’t be confirmed to fit, and never says that it does.
How to use the Dunnage / Void-Fill Cost Calculator
- Choose a length unit and enter the box’s inside size.
- Enter one product’s size and how many go in the box, or a known total product volume.
- Set the share of the empty space you fill.
- Choose whether your price is per cubic foot, liter, or cubic meter, and enter it.
- Enter the number of packages for a total.
How the calculation works
Empty volume = max(0, inside box volume − total product volume)
Fill volume = empty volume × fill share
Fill cost = fill volume × cost per volume unit
Total = fill cost per package × packages
A price per bag becomes a price per volume by dividing it by the bag’s volume: an $18 bag holding 20 ft³ is $0.90 per ft³. The calculator uses the price you enter and doesn’t suggest material prices.
| Box (inside) | Product and price | Cost per package | Fill volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 × 10 × 6 in | One 8 × 6 × 3 in item, 100%, $0.40/ft³ | $0.16 | 0.4028 ft³ |
| 12 × 12 × 8 in | Two 6 × 4 × 4 in items, 75%, $0.90/ft³ | $0.38 | 0.4167 ft³ |
| 40 × 30 × 20 cm | 6 L total, 100%, $0.03/L | $0.54 | 0.018 m³ (18 L) |
Calculated on your device
- The calculation runs in your browser as you type; nothing is sent to a server.
- Your sizes, weights, prices, and results are not sent to Looty Tools or stored.
- The calculator area is masked from session-recording analytics.
Limitations
- Volume subtraction doesn’t prove the product fits: it can’t check arrangement, and products that fill most of the box may not go in at all.
- Real material use differs from the empty volume: loose fill settles, air pillows leave corners, and paper compresses.
- With a known total volume, the product’s shape is unknown, so no fit check is possible.
- It estimates material cost only, not labor, box, or tape costs.
Related calculators
- Poly Mailer Size CalculatorSuggest a poly mailer size for a product.
- Box Volume CalculatorFind the volume of a box from its dimensions.
- Packing Paper CalculatorEstimate how much packing paper a move needs.
- Bubble Wrap CalculatorEstimate how much bubble wrap a move needs.
Guides
- Void Fill Cost per PackageHow to estimate the void fill a package needs and what it costs, from the box’s inside size, the product, and your material price per volume.
- Void Fill Materials ComparedHow air pillows, packing peanuts, and paper void fill compare for filling space, how each is priced, and how to turn those prices into a cost per volume.
- Void Fill vs Empty SpaceWhy the void fill a package uses rarely matches the box’s empty volume: settling, compression, gaps, arrangement, and products that don’t really fit.
Dunnage / Void-Fill Cost Calculator FAQ
- How much void fill does a 14 × 10 × 6 in box need?
- The box holds 840 in³. With one 8 × 6 × 3 in product (144 in³) inside, 696 in³ — about 0.4028 ft³ — is empty. Filling all of it at $0.40 per cubic foot costs about $0.16 per package. Real use differs by material, so treat it as an estimate.
- Is the empty space the same as the fill I’ll use?
- Not exactly. Loose fill settles, air pillows can’t fill corners or narrow gaps, and paper compresses, so packers use more or less than the empty volume. Lower the fill share, or test a real pack and adjust.
- How do I get a price per cubic foot from a bag price?
- Divide the bag’s price by the volume it holds. An $18 bag holding 20 cubic feet is $0.90 per cubic foot; filling 0.4028 ft³ at that price is about $0.36 per package.
- Why does the calculator warn that products may not fit?
- Volume subtraction only compares totals. A product can be longer than the box, or several products can add up to less than the box’s volume yet still not arrange inside it. The calculator warns about both and never says the products fit.
- What fill share should I use?
- 100% assumes every empty cubic inch is filled. Use less if some space is meant to stay empty, or if the material leaves gaps. The share only scales the estimate — it doesn’t change the box or product volumes.
- Are the sizes, weights, and prices I enter sent anywhere?
- No. The calculation runs in your browser as you type. Your sizes, weights, prices, and results are not sent to Looty Tools or stored, and the calculator area is masked from session-recording analytics. Refreshing the page clears it.
