Surface Area of a Cylinder Calculator
Enter a cylinder's radius and height to find its total surface area (two circular bases plus the curved side), lateral area, base circumference and volume.
units
units
Two circular bases + curved lateral surface: 2π r(r + h)
- 1
Base area (one circle)
π × 5² = π × 25 = 78.5398 - 2
Lateral area
2 × π × 5 × 10 = 314.1593 - 3
Total surface area
2 × 78.5398 + 314.1593 = 471.2389Two circular bases plus the curved side wall: TSA = 2πr(r + h).
How does this calculator work?
The total surface area of a right circular cylinder is TSA = 2πr(r + h): two circular ends (πr² each) plus a curved side that unrolls into a 2πr × h rectangle. The lateral area alone is LSA = 2πrh. Volume = πr²h. Enter radius and height in the same unit.
Formula
How this is calculated
A right circular cylinder has two identical circular bases and a curved lateral surface connecting them. The area of each circular base is π r². The lateral surface, when unrolled, forms a rectangle with width equal to the base circumference 2π r and height h, giving a lateral area of 2π r h. Adding both bases gives the total surface area: TSA = 2πr² + 2πrh = 2πr(r + h).
The formula is exact for a right circular cylinder where the axis is perpendicular to the bases. If the radius and height are in the same unit (say centimetres), the area is in cm² and the volume πr²h is in cm³. Oblique cylinders, hollow cylinders or elliptical cross-sections require different formulas.
A common real-world use is estimating the material needed to make a cylindrical can. Multiply the total surface area by the sheet-metal thickness and density to find the mass. Use only the lateral area if the top and bottom caps are open.
Frequently asked questions
Lateral surface area (LSA = 2πrh) covers only the curved side wall — like the label of a can. Total surface area (TSA = 2πr(r+h)) also includes both circular caps. Use LSA when the top and bottom are open; use TSA for a fully enclosed cylinder.
Cutting the cylinder vertically and unrolling it produces a flat rectangle whose width equals the circumference of the base (2πr) and whose height is h. The area of that rectangle is 2πr × h = 2πrh.
In the square of your input unit. If radius and height are in metres, the area is in m². Make sure both inputs use the same unit.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Surface Area of a Cylinder Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/surface-area-of-cylinder-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Surface Area of a Cylinder Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/surface-area-of-cylinder-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Surface Area of a Cylinder Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/surface-area-of-cylinder-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_surface_area_of_cylinder_calculator, title = {Surface Area of a Cylinder Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/surface-area-of-cylinder-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
Did this calculator help you?