(CBM) Cubic Feet Weight Calculator

CBM volume is an essential factor to consider when shipping products or freight over any distance. CBM can drastically affect the cost of shipping freight, and if you’re caught off guard by extra costs, it can be difficult for you or your business. Thankfully, CBM volume isn’t difficult to understand, and with this guide, you can quickly become a master of CBM calculation in freight shipping! You can even learn how to use a cube calculator for shipping.

What is CBM in shipping?

CBM is a common term in the shipping industry. However, it’s a term that is probably unfamiliar to most people. If you’re wondering “what is CBM in shipping” then this page will explain the concept. CBM is actually a fairly simple concept, and once you understand it, you can easily factor it into your shipping process.

CBM Definition

So what is the meaning of CBM in shipping? CBM means cubic meter, and it is a unit of measurement used in the shipping and transportation industry to determine how much should be charged for a package or freight. Essentially, the CBM meaning in shipping tells you how much you can expect to pay to ship your CBM freight from one location to another.

What does CBM stand for in shipping? - CBM is the calculation of size for freight that impacts the cost of shipping. It can be determined by an LTL cubic capacity calculator.

How to Calculate CBM

There are two primary ways to calculate cubic inches for shipping and get your CBM measurement. The first is manual, which can easily get messed up by human error. The second way is to utilize a free CBM shipping cube calculator tool. This reduces the risk of error, making the cubic feet weight calculator the better option. It will help provide accurate measurement and cost for your shipment! Here are the steps for both methods.

How to Manually Calculate CBM

Here’s how to calculate cubic weight for freight the manual way!

1. Measure the length of your product
2. Measure the width of your product
3. Measure the height of your product
4. Multiply the length x width x height for the CBM of one product
5. Multiple the CBM by the number of products being shipped to get the total volume
6. If you are shipping multiple items of different sizes, repeat steps 1-5 for each item and add up the total volumes for the final CBM volume.

For example, if a package is 1’ x 1’ x 1’, it would be 1 cubic foot. If a package were 2’ x 2’ x 2’ it would be 8 cubic feet.

You can convert cubic inches into cubic feet depending on the tool you use to give a better estimate of the total size of your shipment.

Use Our Free Freight Cubic Feet Calculator

The steps for manually calculating cubic meters can be tedious, and should only be used in a pinch. Far simpler is to utilize our free CBM calculator.

1. Input the measurements of your unit into each section of the calculator
2. If you are shipping multiple items of different sizes, click “add item” and repeat step one for each item
3. View your total CBM volume in the bottom right corner!

Our cubic meter calculator really is that simple to use! And if you’re worried about cubic feet calculator shipping tool costs, don’t. Our CBM tool is free to use.

However, it is important to note that you must always round up. So even if your total CBM is 24.1”, you must call it 25”. It is crucial to accurately calculate cubic inches for shipping as it may affect your total cost.

Additionally, If you are shipping something that is round you must square out the measurements. For example, a 60" tall roll that has an Outside Diameter of 33" would be entered as 60" x 33" x 33". This provides you with an accurate CBM volume.

Furthermore, whether you’re utilizing a freight cube calculator, freight cubic calculator, volume shipping calculator, or cubic feet calculator for shipping costs, (all names for the same tool) remember to take accurate measurements to ensure a correct estimate.

How many products fit in a shipping container?

This question is tricky to answer as there are a lot of possible variables. However, we will work with some estimations to help you better understand your total cost for shipping.

Freight isn’t loaded onto a cargo ship or airliner loose, it gets put on pallets and those pallets get placed in shipping containers. A normal-sized pallet can hold around 40 normal-sized boxes. And a 40’ ft container can hold around 20 pallets.

This means you could put about 1,200 normal-sized boxes in an average shipping container. A cubic feet pallet calculator can help determine how much freight you can send.

How does CBM affect shipping costs?

So now that you know how to calculate cube for shipping, what good does it do you? Well, knowing the CBM of your shipment clues you into your estimated shipping costs and will help you financially prepare for any freight movement that needs to take place. A high cube results in a higher freight cost.

Remember what means CBM in shipping. Cubic Meter, which affects the weight of your freight. But you see, there are actually three different weights you need to consider.

Gross Weight - the actual weight in pounds of your package or product when placed on a scale

Volumetric Weight - Also known as dimensional weight or DIM factor, this is estimated with CBM and is usually used for light-weight packages

Chargeable Weight - The weight used by the shipping company to determine how much you’ll be charged. Typically this is whichever weight is higher between your gross weight and your volumetric weight. 

What is the cost of 1 CBM?

Costs for CBM vary depending on the company. Additionally, depending on whether you are shipping on a cargo ship, airliner, or another method, you may expect to pay more or less for the cost of 1 CBM. What’s more, some companies charge a minimum rate, even if you don’t need that much space. So you may end up paying $125 as a 1 CBM shipping cost, even though you only need to ship 0.5 CBM worth of product.

Always work with a reputable freight shipping company to get an accurate quote. If you have any questions or concerns about the size of your freight or how to use our shipping volume calculator, please contact one of our shipping experts. We can easily help guide you through the process so that you can plan ahead and save money where it matters!