CBM to CFT (Cubic Meters to Cubic Feet)
Convert CBM (cubic meters) to CFT (cubic feet) for shipping volume. One cubic meter equals about 35.31 cubic feet.
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:
In freight, this conversion comes up whenever your paperwork, carrier, or marketplace quotes volume or weight in different units than you measured. Getting it right keeps your dimensions and volume consistent across every quote.
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 do you convert cubic meters to cubic feet?
Multiply the number of cubic meters by 35.3147 to get cubic feet. For example, 10 m³ = 353.1467 ft³.
How many cubic feet are in one cubic meter?
One m³ equals 35.3147 ft³.
Is cbm to cft the same conversion?
Yes — cbm to cft, cbm to cbf, cbm to cuft, cbm to cubic feet, cubic meter to cubic feet all refer to converting cubic meters to cubic feet. The calculator above handles it instantly.
How many CFT fit in a 20ft or 40ft container?
A 20ft container has about 33.1 CBM ≈ 1,169 CFT of internal volume and a 40ft about 67.6 CBM ≈ 2,387 CFT. Real-world stuffing rarely uses it all — irregular cartons typically fill 85–90% of the nominal volume, so plan on roughly 28 CBM (≈990 CFT) usable in a 20ft.
Why is 1 CBM exactly 35.3147 cubic feet?
Because the foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters. Cube both sides: 1 m³ = (1/0.3048)³ ft³ = 35.3146667 ft³. It's a definition, not a measurement, so it never changes.