CBM to CFT (Cubic Meters to Cubic Feet)
One cubic meter (CBM) is 35.315 cubic feet (CFT), so multiply CBM by 35.315. A 1.44 CBM shipment is 50.85 CFT, and a 20ft container's 33.1 CBM is about 1,169 CFT. You need it when a forwarder quotes in CBM but a US warehouse bills by the cubic foot.
1 m³ = 35.3147 ft³
cubic feet (ft³)
Quick reference
How to convert cubic meters to cubic feet
To convert cubic meters to cubic feet, multiply by the conversion factor:
Multiply cubic meters by 35.3147 to get cubic feet. The factor is exact: a foot is defined as 0.3048 m, so 1 m³ = (1 ÷ 0.3048)³ ft³. CFT, CBF, cu ft and ft³ are all the same unit.
| Cubic meters (CBM) | Cubic feet (CFT) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 35.3 |
| 5 | 176.6 |
| 10 | 353.1 |
| 15 | 529.7 |
| 20 | 706.3 |
| 33.1 (20ft container) | 1,168.9 |
| 67.6 (40ft) | 2,387.3 |
| 76.0 (40ft high cube) | 2,683.9 |
| 86.0 (45ft high cube) | 3,037.1 |
Where CFT shows up when your freight is quoted in CBM
Ocean forwarders quote LCL freight in CBM, but the same cargo often gets re-measured in cubic feet further down the chain: US warehouses commonly bill storage per cubic foot, and in Indian domestic logistics CFT is the default unit truckers and packers price by. So a shipment that leaves the port as "4.5 CBM" becomes "158.9 CFT" on the warehouse invoice — same boxes, different unit. Multiplying by 35.3147 is the whole trick.
The factor is exact, not rounded folklore: a foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters, so one cubic meter is (1 ÷ 0.3048)³ = 35.3146667 cubic feet. In container terms, a 20ft holds about 33.1 CBM ≈ 1,169 CFT, a standard 40ft about 67.6 CBM ≈ 2,387 CFT, and a 40ft high cube about 76.0 CBM ≈ 2,684 CFT.
Worked example — and the density unit that trips people up
Say you ship 12 cartons of 60 × 50 × 40 cm. Each carton is 0.6 × 0.5 × 0.4 = 0.12 m³, so the lot is 1.44 CBM. Multiply by 35.3147 and you get 50.85 CFT — the number a cubic-foot-billed warehouse will charge you on.
A related conversion hides inside density: US LTL freight class is based on pounds per cubic foot, while international paperwork uses kilograms per cubic meter. One lb/ft³ equals 16.02 kg/m³ — so cargo at 160 kg/m³ is about 10 lb/ft³. If you're translating a freight-class density break into metric, divide kg/m³ by 16.02 rather than converting volume and weight separately.
Frequently asked questions
How many CFT are in 1 CBM?
35.3147 cubic feet. So 2 CBM is 70.6 CFT and 10 CBM is 353.1 CFT.
Is CBF the same as CFT?
Yes. CBF, CFT, cu ft and ft³ all mean cubic feet. CFT is common in Indian logistics, CBF on some freight forms.
How many cubic feet is a 20ft container?
About 1,169 CFT inside (33.1 CBM). A 40ft is about 2,387 CFT and a 40ft high cube about 2,684 CFT. Real loads use less, because cartons and pallets leave gaps.
Why is 1 CBM exactly 35.3147 cubic feet?
Because the foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters. Cube both sides and 1 m³ = 35.3146667 ft³. It is a definition, so it never changes.