This lumber volume converter changes wood volume between board feet, thousand board feet (MBF), cords, cubic meters, cubic feet and cubic inches. Formula: 1 board foot = 1/12 ft³ = 0.002359737216 m³. A board foot is 144 in³, exactly 0.002359737216 m³, and a cord is 128 ft³, about 3.6246 m³.
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How to use the lumber volume converter
- Enter the volume, for example 500 board feet.
- In the lumber volume converter, choose its unit and the target unit, such as board feet to cubic meters.
- Read the lumber volume converter result: 500 fbm ≈ 1.18 m³.
For board feet to cubic meters, multiply by 0.00235974; for cubic meters to board feet, multiply by 423.776. For cord to cubic feet, multiply by 128.
What is lumber volume?
Lumber is sold by the board foot in the US: a piece 12 in × 12 in × 1 in, or 144 cubic inches. Firewood is sold by the cord, a stack 4 ft × 4 ft × 8 ft, or 128 cubic feet.
Conversion formula
The lumber volume converter stores every unit as a multiple of the base unit, the cubic meter (m³). To convert:
value in target unit = value × (factor of source unit ÷ factor of target unit)
where each factor is the size of the unit in cubic meters.
Common lumber volume conversions
| From | To | 1 unit equals |
|---|---|---|
| board foot (fbm) | cubic meter (m³) | 0.002359737 m³ |
| thousand board feet (MBF) | cubic meter (m³) | 2.359737 m³ |
| cord (cd) | cubic meter (m³) | 3.624556 m³ |
| board foot (fbm) | cubic foot (ft³) | 0.08333333 ft³ |
Lumber volume converter worked example
Convert 25 board feet to cubic feet:
- Factor of fbm = 0.0023597372 m³
- Factor of ft³ = 0.028316847 m³
- 25 × 0.0023597372 ÷ 0.028316847 = 2.083333 ft³
Lumber volume unit reference
| Unit | Symbol | Group | Equals (m³) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cubic Meter | m³ | Metric | 1 |
| Board Foot | fbm | Lumber | 0.002359737216 |
| Thousand Board Feet | MBF | Lumber | 2.359737216 |
| Cord | cd | Lumber | 3.624556364 |
| Cubic Foot | ft³ | US/Imperial | 0.02831684659 |
| Cubic Inch | in³ | US/Imperial | 1.63871 × 10−5 |
Reverse factors for each lumber volume unit
The reference table gives each unit in cubic meters. To go the other way, divide by that factor; the list below does the division for you.
- Board Foot (fbm), Lumber: 1 fbm = 0.002359737 m³, so 1 m³ = 423.776 fbm.
- Thousand Board Feet (MBF), Lumber: 1 MBF = 2.359737 m³, so 1 m³ = 0.423776 MBF.
- Cord (cd), Lumber: 1 cd = 3.624556 m³, so 1 m³ = 0.2758958 cd.
- Cubic Foot (ft³), US/Imperial: 1 ft³ = 0.02831685 m³, so 1 m³ = 35.31467 ft³.
- Cubic Inch (in³), US/Imperial: 1 in³ = 1.63871 × 10−5 m³, so 1 m³ = 61,023.61 in³.
Board foot formula and nominal sizes
Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12. Softwood lumber is billed on nominal sizes, which are larger than the dried, surfaced sizes set by the American Softwood Lumber Standard (PS 20):
| Nominal size | Actual dry size (in) | Board feet per 8 ft | Board feet per 12 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × 6 | ¾ × 5½ | 4 | 6 |
| 2 × 4 | 1½ × 3½ | 5.33 | 8 |
| 2 × 6 | 1½ × 5½ | 8 | 12 |
| 2 × 10 | 1½ × 9¼ | 13.33 | 20 |
| 4 × 4 | 3½ × 3½ | 10.67 | 16 |
A 2 × 4 that is 8 ft long is 5.33 board feet even though its actual volume is smaller.
Firewood: the cord
NIST Handbook 130 defines a cord as 128 ft³ of wood ranked and well stowed, for example a stack 4 ft high, 4 ft deep and 8 ft long. Terms such as face cord or rick are not standard volumes, so ask for the dimensions. Because the stack includes air gaps, a cord holds roughly 70 to 90 ft³ of solid wood. Use the volume converter for other units.
Nominal sizes and a worked order
Board feet use nominal dimensions for softwood framing lumber. A 2×4 is actually about 1.5 × 3.5 inches once dried and planed, but it is billed as 2 × 4. Ten 2×6 boards 12 feet long are 2 × 6 × 12 ÷ 12 = 12 board feet each, or 120 board feet in total.
Hardwood is sold rough in quarters: 4/4 is one inch thick, 8/4 two inches. In metric markets the lumber volume converter gives one board foot as about 0.00236 m³, so one cubic meter is roughly 424 board feet. Allow for waste from defects and offcuts, often 10 to 20% for hardwood projects.
Related converters and calculators
Related tools:
- Volume converter: L, gal, m³
- Area converter: m² and ft²
- Length converter: all length units
- Density converter: kg/m³ and g/cm³
- Weight converter: kg, lb, oz
Sources
NIST Special Publication 811, Appendix B; NIST Handbook 130; ALSC: American Softwood Lumber Standard PS 20.
Questions about this calculator
How many cubic inches are in a board foot?
144 in³ exactly: 12 in × 12 in × 1 in.
How do I convert board feet to cubic meters?
Multiply by 0.00235974. For example, 1,000 fbm ≈ 2.36 m³.
How do I convert cubic meters to board feet?
Multiply by 423.776. For example, 2 m³ ≈ 847.6 fbm.
How many cubic feet are in a cord?
128 ft³, a 4 × 4 × 8 ft stack.
How many board feet is an 8 ft 2 × 4?
2 × 4 × 8 ÷ 12 ≈ 5.33 board feet, using nominal size.
Check the assumptions and units before relying on a result. Financial, tax and health estimates do not replace advice for your individual circumstances.
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