Cubic Feet From Meters Calculator

How to convert meters to cubic feet

One meter is 3.28084 feet. Cube that and you get the volume conversion factor: 1 cubic meter equals approximately 35.3147 cubic feet. To convert meter dimensions into cubic feet, the cleanest method is to compute cubic meters first, then multiply.

Worked examples

Example 1: A standard 20 ft shipping container

Internal dimensions ≈ 5.9 × 2.35 × 2.39 m = 33.13 m³. In cubic feet: 33.13 × 35.3147 ≈ 1,170 ft³. (A 20 ft container is sometimes specified at 1,170 ft³ or 33 CBM.)

Example 2: A 1.5 × 1 × 0.8 m freight pallet load

1.5 × 1 × 0.8 = 1.2 m³. Multiply by 35.3147 = 42.38 ft³.

Example 3: A 2.4 × 0.6 × 1.8 m wardrobe

2.4 × 0.6 × 1.8 = 2.592 m³ → 2.592 × 35.3147 ≈ 91.54 ft³.

CBM (cubic meters) and freight

Ocean and air freight rates are quoted per CBM, where 1 CBM = 1 m³ = 35.3147 ft³. The volumetric weight conversion for international air freight typically uses 6,000 cm³ per kg, while ocean freight bills the greater of weight (per ton) or volume (per CBM). Knowing both ft³ and CBM lets you compare US-style and metric-style quotes apples-to-apples.

Common uses

• International shipping and freight quotes (CBM ↔ ft³)
• European appliance specs (washers, fridges) listed in m or L
• Architectural plans drawn in metric units
• Engineering and scientific volume calculations
• Aquariums and pool capacities given in liters or m³

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cubing the conversion factor incorrectly. 1 m = 3.28084 ft, but 1 m³ = 35.3147 ft³ (which is 3.28084³). If you accidentally use 3.28 as the volume factor, your answer is way off.
• Mixing meters with centimeters. A 2 m × 50 cm × 30 cm box should be calculated as 2 × 0.5 × 0.3 = 0.3 m³, not 2 × 50 × 30 = 3,000.
• Using square meter conversions on volumes. Square meters and cubic meters convert with different factors. Make sure you are using m³ → ft³ factors for volume.

Expert tips

1. Multiply your meter answer by 35.3147 — once, at the end.Calculate volume in cubic meters first (m × m × m), then convert. This is faster and less error-prone than converting each dimension to feet first.
2. Or convert each side: m × 3.28084 = ft. If you prefer to work in feet from the start, multiply every meter dimension by 3.28084 first, then multiply the three foot values together.
3. For freight, the unit you actually need is CBM. CBM (cubic meters) is the standard for international shipping. If your supplier quotes m³ or CBM, see the cubic feet to CBM converter.
4. Round to two decimal places for practical use. 35.3147 has six digits but most measuring tapes have ±1 mm precision, so the third decimal of your cubic feet answer is meaningless.
5. For European appliances, expect liters as the spec. A 200-liter fridge is about 7.06 ft³. Use the cubic feet to litersconverter for direct comparisons.