The world of logistics is divided.
- International Shipping (Sea/Air): Uses CBM (Metric System).
- US Domestic Trucking (LTL): Uses Cubic Feet (Imperial System).
If you are importing goods to the USA, you need to speak both languages. Your freight forwarder will bill you in CBM, but your trucker who delivers to Amazon will ask for Cubic Feet. Here is how to convert between them easily.
The Magic Number: 35.315
The conversion factor between a Cubic Meter and a Cubic Foot is 35.315.
1. Converting CBM to Cubic Feet (CFT)
If you know your CBM and need to book a US truck:
Formula: CBM × 35.315 = Cubic Feet
Example:
- You have a shipment of 2 CBM.
- 2 * 35.315 = 70.63 Cubic Feet.
2. Converting Cubic Feet to CBM
If you measured your boxes in inches and need to get a sea freight quote:
Formula: Cubic Feet ÷ 35.315 = CBM
Example:
- Your pallet is 60 Cubic Feet.
- 60 / 35.315 = 1.70 CBM.
Calculating Cubic Feet from Inches
If you have box dimensions in inches, you don’t need to convert to meters first.
Formula: (Length” × Width” × Height”) ÷ 1728 = Cubic Feet
Why 1728? Because 12 * 12 * 12 = 1728 (inches in a cubic foot).
Example:
- Box is 18″ x 18″ x 18″.
- 18 * 18 * 18 = 5,832.
- 5,832 / 1728 = 3.375 Cubic Feet.
Why Does This Matter?
When your goods arrive at the Port of Los Angeles, the rules change.
- Customs looks at value ($).
- Truckers look at Density (lbs per Cubic Foot).
If you give a US trucker dimensions in Meters, they might miscalculate your quote. Always provide Cubic Feet for domestic transport.
Tip: Our Homepage Tool automatically displays both CBM and Cubic Feet results side-by-side.