CBM to Cubic Feet Converter
Convert cubic meters to cubic feet and cubic feet to CBM for ocean freight, container loads, and warehouse planning
What is CBM?
CBM stands for cubic meter (m³), the volume of a box that measures 1 meter long, 1 meter wide, and 1 meter high. It is the standard unit freight forwarders, ocean carriers, and overseas suppliers use to quote and bill shipments, especially LCL (less than container load) freight. US warehouses, trucking, and storage often work in cubic feet instead, so converting between the two is a routine part of importing. Our free CBM to cubic feet converter handles it in one step, in either direction.
How do you convert CBM to cubic feet?
Every CBM conversion uses one fixed factor. To convert, multiply cubic meters by 35.3147 to get cubic feet. For example, a 12 CBM LCL shipment is 12 × 35.3147 = 423.78 cubic feet.
What is the difference between CBM and cubic feet?
CBM is a metric unit of volume, and cubic feet is an imperial (US customary) unit. One CBM is about 35 times larger than one cubic foot. International freight is quoted almost entirely in CBM, while US carriers, warehouses, and pallet planning typically use cubic feet. Brands importing into the US often need both: the forwarder's quote arrives in CBM, but storage and domestic shipping are planned in cubic feet.
Example: A shipment of 200 cartons, each 50 × 40 × 30 cm, measures 0.06 CBM per carton (2.12 cubic feet). The full shipment is 12 CBM, or about 423.78 cubic feet.
Getting these numbers right protects your margins. A volume error can change your freight quote, your cartons per pallet, and your dimensional weight. Working from carton dimensions? Start with our Cubic Feet Calculator. Need inches, millimeters, pounds, or kilograms? Try our Unit Converter.
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To convert CBM to cubic feet, multiply CBM by 35.3147. One CBM equals 35.3147 cubic feet.
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To convert cubic feet to CBM, divide cubic feet by 35.3147 (or multiply by 0.0283). One cubic foot equals 0.0283 CBM.
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To calculate CBM for a carton, multiply length × width × height in meters. For carton dimensions in centimeters, multiply them and divide by 1,000,000. Multiply by the number of cartons to get the shipment total, or use our CBM per Carton Calculator.
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