How many square feet in 55 gal drum?

Answer 1

None, since there can be no conversion.

A gallon is a measure of volume in 3-dimensional space while a square foot is a measure of area in 2-dimensional space. The two measure different characteristics and, according to the most basic principles of dimensional analysis, any attempt at comparisons or conversions between the two are fundamentally flawed.

Answer 2

The dimensions of an average 55 gal drum are 24in in diameter and 36in in height.

So, you simply take the formula for the circumference of a circle, which is

Cir = 2πr, where π=3.14 and r is the radius or half the diameter

AND multiply this number by the height.

This will give you the overall square inches of the surface of the drum.

THEN, divide this number by 144 sq in/sq ft. This will give you the square footage of the surface.

Here we have:

(2 x 3.14 x 12in) = 75.36in

75.36in x 35 in = 2637.6 sq in.

2637.6 sq in ÷ 144 sq in/sq ft = 18.32 sq ft.