Cubic Meter Calculator (CBM)
Calculate cubic meters (CBM) instantly with our free calculator. Calculate the volume of boxes, cylinders, cones, and spheres in cubic meters. Perfect for shipping, freight forwarding, container loading, construction, and logistics planning. Convert between cubic meters, cubic feet, liters, and gallons. Key formulas: Box = L × W × H | Cylinder = π × r² × h | 1 m³ = 35.31 ft³ = 1,000 liters.
Quick CBM Formulas
Master these essential formulas to calculate cubic meters (CBM) for any shape:
Cylinder: Volume = π × radius² × height
Cone: Volume = ⅓ × π × radius² × height
Sphere: Volume = ⁴⁄₃ × π × radius³
💡 Common Sizes
💡 Common Cylinders
💡 Common Cones
💡 Common Spheres
📋 Cubic Meter Conversion Tables
Quick reference tables for converting cubic meters to other volume units:
Cubic Meters to Other Units
| Cubic Meters | Cubic Feet | Cubic Yards | Liters | US Gallons | UK Gallons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 m³ | 3.53 | 0.13 | 100 | 26.42 | 22.00 |
| 0.5 m³ | 17.66 | 0.65 | 500 | 132.09 | 109.98 |
| 1 m³ | 35.31 | 1.31 | 1,000 | 264.17 | 219.97 |
| 5 m³ | 176.57 | 6.54 | 5,000 | 1,320.86 | 1,099.85 |
| 10 m³ | 353.15 | 13.08 | 10,000 | 2,641.72 | 2,199.69 |
| 33 m³ | 1,165 | 43.16 | 33,000 | 8,718 | 7,259 |
| 67 m³ | 2,366 | 87.62 | 67,000 | 17,700 | 14,738 |
| 76 m³ | 2,684 | 99.40 | 76,000 | 20,077 | 16,718 |
Shipping Container Capacities
| Container Type | Internal Dimensions | Cubic Meters | Cubic Feet | Max Payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard | 5.9m × 2.35m × 2.39m | ~33.2 m³ | ~1,172 ft³ | ~28,200 kg |
| 40ft Standard | 12.03m × 2.35m × 2.39m | ~67.7 m³ | ~2,390 ft³ | ~26,500 kg |
| 40ft High Cube | 12.03m × 2.35m × 2.70m | ~76.3 m³ | ~2,694 ft³ | ~26,300 kg |
| 45ft High Cube | 13.56m × 2.35m × 2.70m | ~86.1 m³ | ~3,040 ft³ | ~25,600 kg |
📐 Common CBM Calculations
Standard Pallet Sizes
- Euro Pallet (1.2×0.8×1m) = 0.96 m³
- US Pallet (1.2×1×1.2m) = 1.44 m³
- UK Pallet (1.2×1×1m) = 1.2 m³
- Half Pallet (0.8×0.6×0.8m) = 0.38 m³
- Quarter Pallet (0.6×0.4×0.6m) = 0.14 m³
Shipping Carton Sizes
- Small (30×30×30cm) = 0.027 m³
- Medium (40×40×40cm) = 0.064 m³
- Large (60×40×40cm) = 0.096 m³
- Extra Large (60×50×50cm) = 0.150 m³
- Jumbo (80×60×60cm) = 0.288 m³
Volumetric Weight Factors
- Air Freight: 1 m³ = 167 kg
- Sea Freight (LCL): 1 m³ = 1,000 kg
- Road Freight: 1 m³ = 333 kg
- Courier (DHL/FedEx): 1 m³ = 200 kg
- Express Air: 1 m³ = 250 kg
Cubic Meter Volume Formulas & Conversions
Essential formulas for calculating volume in cubic meters:
• Box/Rectangle: Volume = L × W × H
• Cylinder: Volume = π × r² × h
• Cone: Volume = ⅓ × π × r² × h
• Sphere: Volume = ⁴⁄₃ × π × r³
Unit Conversions:
• Cubic feet to cubic meters: multiply by 0.0283168
• Cubic yards to cubic meters: multiply by 0.764555
• Liters to cubic meters: divide by 1,000
• Cubic meters to US gallons: multiply by 264.172
• Cubic meters to UK gallons: multiply by 219.969
CBM from Centimeters:
• (L cm × W cm × H cm) ÷ 1,000,000 = CBM
Pro Tip: Always convert all measurements to the same unit before calculating!
🔍 People Also Ask About Cubic Meters
How do I calculate cubic meters?
Multiply length × width × height in meters. For centimeters, multiply L × W × H then divide by 1,000,000. Example: A box 50cm × 40cm × 30cm = (50 × 40 × 30) ÷ 1,000,000 = 0.06 m³ (or 60 liters).
How many cubic feet in a cubic meter?
1 cubic meter = 35.3147 cubic feet. To convert cubic meters to cubic feet, multiply by 35.3147. To convert cubic feet to cubic meters, multiply by 0.0283168 (or divide by 35.3147).
How many liters in a cubic meter?
1 cubic meter = 1,000 liters exactly. This is because a liter is defined as 1 cubic decimeter (10cm × 10cm × 10cm), and there are 1,000 cubic decimeters in a cubic meter.
What is CBM in shipping?
CBM stands for Cubic Meter—the standard unit for measuring cargo volume in international shipping. Freight rates for sea, air, and road shipments are often calculated based on CBM. For LCL (Less than Container Load), you pay per CBM.
How many CBM fit in a 20ft container?
A 20ft container holds approximately 33.2 CBM (cubic meters). Internal dimensions are roughly 5.9m × 2.35m × 2.39m. However, practical loading capacity is typically 25-28 CBM due to cargo shapes and stacking limitations.
How many CBM fit in a 40ft container?
A 40ft standard container holds approximately 67.7 CBM. A 40ft High Cube container holds approximately 76.3 CBM. Practical loading is typically 54-60 CBM for standard and 60-68 CBM for High Cube containers.
How do I calculate volumetric weight for air freight?
Multiply CBM by 167 to get volumetric weight in kg for air freight. Example: 2 CBM × 167 = 334 kg volumetric weight. Airlines charge the higher of actual weight or volumetric weight.
How do I convert CBM to weight?
For sea freight: 1 CBM = 1,000 kg (1 metric ton). For air freight: 1 CBM = 167 kg. For road freight: typically 1 CBM = 333 kg. The actual weight depends on cargo density—compare with volumetric weight.
How many gallons in a cubic meter?
1 cubic meter = 264.172 US gallons or 219.969 UK (Imperial) gallons. US gallons are smaller than UK gallons. To convert cubic meters to gallons, multiply by the appropriate factor.
What is 1 cubic meter of water weight?
1 cubic meter of water weighs approximately 1,000 kg (1 metric ton or 2,205 lbs) at 4°C. This is because water has a density of 1 kg/liter, and 1 m³ = 1,000 liters. Seawater is slightly heavier at ~1,025 kg/m³.
How do I calculate concrete in cubic meters?
Multiply length × width × thickness in meters. For a slab 5m × 3m × 0.15m thick = 2.25 m³. Add 5-10% extra for waste. Concrete is sold by the cubic meter (m³) internationally or cubic yard in the US.
What is the difference between CBM and m³?
CBM and m³ are the same thing—both represent cubic meters. CBM (Cubic Meter) is commonly used in shipping and logistics, while m³ is the standard SI unit symbol used in science and construction.
👥 Who Uses Cubic Meter Calculators?
Shipping & Freight
Calculate cargo volume for sea freight, air freight, and road transport. Determine container loading, estimate shipping costs, and calculate volumetric weight.
Logistics & Warehousing
Plan warehouse storage, optimize pallet loading, calculate rack capacity, and manage inventory space efficiently.
Construction
Calculate concrete volume, estimate excavation quantities, determine fill material needs, and plan material orders.
Landscaping
Estimate soil, mulch, gravel, and compost volumes for gardens, driveways, and landscaping projects.
Pool & Tank
Calculate water volume for swimming pools, aquariums, water tanks, and irrigation systems.
Manufacturing
Determine storage capacity, plan production volumes, calculate raw material requirements, and optimize packaging.
❓ Cubic Meter Calculator FAQ
A cubic meter (m³) is the SI unit of volume equal to a cube measuring 1 meter on each side. It's the standard international unit for measuring large volumes in shipping, construction, and industrial applications. One cubic meter equals 1,000 liters, 35.31 cubic feet, or 264.17 US gallons.
Our calculator uses exact mathematical formulas and provides results accurate to multiple decimal places. Accuracy depends on your input measurements—always measure carefully and use the same unit for all dimensions. For irregular shapes, divide them into regular shapes and sum the volumes.
Divide irregular shapes into regular shapes, calculate each separately, then add the volumes. For shipping, use the maximum length, width, and height dimensions. For very complex containers, you can use water displacement method to measure actual volume.
Shipping companies use CBM to calculate freight costs based on volume. For LCL (Less than Container Load) shipments, you pay per CBM. For air freight, CBM is used to calculate volumetric weight: CBM × 167 = kg. Carriers charge the higher of actual weight or volumetric weight.
Multiply L × W × H in centimeters, then divide by 1,000,000. Formula: (Length cm × Width cm × Height cm) ÷ 1,000,000 = CBM. Example: 120cm × 80cm × 100cm = 960,000 ÷ 1,000,000 = 0.96 CBM.
CBM measures volume (space your cargo occupies), while deadweight tonnage (DWT) measures weight capacity. Ships have both volume and weight limits. Light, bulky cargo may "cube out" (fill space before weight limit), while heavy, dense cargo may "weigh out" (reach weight limit before filling space).
A 40ft container typically fits 20-24 Euro pallets (1.2m × 0.8m) in a single layer, or 40-48 if double-stacked. For US pallets (1.2m × 1.0m), you can fit 18-21 pallets per layer. Actual capacity depends on pallet height and stacking ability.
Multiply cubic meters by 1.30795 to get cubic yards. Example: 10 m³ × 1.30795 = 13.08 yd³. To convert cubic yards to cubic meters, multiply by 0.764555. This is useful when ordering materials like concrete or gravel in the US.
This calculator uses standard geometric formulas for volume calculation. All conversions are based on internationally recognized standards: 1 m³ = 35.3147 ft³ (exact), 1 m³ = 1,000 liters (exact), 1 m³ = 264.172 US gallons, 1 m³ = 1.30795 cubic yards.
Last verified and updated: February 15, 2026
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