CBM Calculator
Calculate cubic metres occupied by one or several identical shipping cartons.
How the result changes
Only carton length changes; all other inputs stay at your current values. The line illustrates the formula across the shown range. This is not a forecast of real-world outcomes.
About this calculation
CBM means cubic metres, a common volume measure in freight planning. This calculator multiplies the outer centimetre dimensions of a carton and its count, keeping the per-carton and shipment totals distinct. Calculate CBM when planning transport or delivery.
Formula
CBM = length in cm × width in cm × height in cm × carton count ÷ 1,000,000
Worked example
With Carton length: 60 cm, Carton width: 40 cm, Carton height: 35 cm, Identical cartons: 20, cbm per carton is 0.084 m³.
Inputs and units
Measure the packed outer length, width, and height in centimetres, including cardboard and any protruding protection. Enter a count only for cartons with those same outside dimensions; calculate a second size separately.
- Carton length (cm): Measure the longest outside edge of one packed carton.
- Carton width (cm): Measure the perpendicular outside width.
- Carton height (cm): Measure the remaining outside edge.
- Identical cartons: Count only cartons with the same outer dimensions.
Calculation and worked example
Multiplying three centimetre lengths gives cubic centimetres. One cubic metre contains 1,000,000 cm³, so divide by that factor for one carton, then multiply by the number of cartons for total CBM In compact notation, CBM = length in cm × width in cm × height in cm × carton count ÷ 1,000,000.
A 60 cm by 40 cm by 35 cm carton occupies 84,000 cm³, or 0.084 m³. Twenty such cartons have a combined geometric volume of 1.68 CBM.
How to use the answer
Total CBM is the sum of the cartons' own bounding-box volumes. It does not predict exactly how much container space a stack uses, because gaps, pallet dimensions, orientation, and load restrictions can add unused space.
Compare freight quotations that specify charges per cubic metre, while checking any minimum charge or chargeable-weight rule. Use separate runs for mixed carton sizes before adding their CBM figures.
Assumptions and checks
Each package is a rectangular box with the same outer dimensions and no overhang. Pallets, voids between cartons, special handling, and stacking limits are not part of the volume multiplication.
A frequent conversion error is dividing by 1,000, which converts cm³ to litres, not to m³. Also avoid using internal product dimensions when the freight provider measures the packed outer box.
A 100 cm cube is exactly 1 m³. Four 50 cm cubes have a combined volume of 0.5 m³, not 2 m³, because all three edges scale.
Common questions
What does the cbm per carton result represent?
It is the sum of rectangular outside-carton volumes in cubic metres; one CBM is one cubic metre.
What should I check before relying on this result?
Confirm external packed dimensions and carton count. Add pallets and stacking gaps separately when planning real container occupancy.
Inputs
- Carton length (cm)
- Carton width (cm)
- Carton height (cm)
- Identical cartons