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Technology & Knowledge > Quantity Definitions Submit a Question & Answer    

Quantity Definitions & Conversions around The Timber Trade

The Formulas of the Experts:
Unit or Measure Formula or Conversian Factor/s Usual use Countries using
Foot Board Measure
(BF, MBF, FBM)
= 12 in. * 12 in. * 1 in. = 1/12th cubic foot
1,980 FBM = 1 standard (of 165 cubic foot).
1,000 FBM = 83.3 cubic feet = 2.36 cubic metres
= 0.505 standards
Log and Lumber
(sawn timber)
measure
North America
Doyle Measure
(DM, DF, MDF)
Method:
A deduction of 4 inches from diameter is made for slabs.
Volume: 
Length(ft) * (diameter(ins) - 4 ins.)² / 16 = board feet
Board feet measure that can be produced from good log North America
Cubic metre
(cbm, m3)
= 35.315 cubic feet
= 423.728 board feet (12 ins.*12 ins.*1 in.) of sawn wood
= 0.214 standards (of 165 cubic feet) of sawn wood
= 35.315 cubic feet of roundwood (Hoppus 113 measure)
= 27.72 Hoppus cubic feet of roundwood (Hoppus 144 measure)
Continental log and timber measure and timber statistics issued by european countries Europe and other countries
Circumference (girth) Measurement
(cbm, m3)
Method:
"True content of cylinder".

The length and mid-circumference of the log are measured
Formular:
Radius² * Pi (3.1416) * length
Volume:
Circumference / 3.1416 / 2 = (Radius)² * 3.14 * length = m3 (cbm)
Example:
1st. step:  203cm(circumf.) / 3.1416(Pi) =64.6cm(diameter)
2nd.step: 0.647 m / 2 = 0.324 m (radius)
3rd. step:  0.324 m (Radius) * 0.324 m (Radius) 
                * 3.1416 (PI) * 3.30 m (length) 
                = 1.088 m3 (cubic metre) volume
Continental log measure Europe, Germany and other countries
Diameter measurement
(cbm, m3)
Method:
"True content of cylinder".

The length and mid-diameter of the log are measured
Formular:
Radius² * Pi (3.1416) * length
Volume:
diameter / 2   = (Radius)²  *  3.1416  *  length  =  m3 (cbm)
Example:
1st. step:  0.647 m (diameter) / 2 = 0.324 m (radius)
2nd. step:  0.324 m (Radius) * 0.324 m (Radius) 
                * 3.1416 (PI) * 3.30 m (length) 
                = 1.088 m3 (cubic metre) volume
Continental log measure Europe, Germany and other countries
Festmeter
(fm)
similar to" true content of cylinder" method of circumference measurement and/or diameter measurement
=      1 cubic metre of roundwood felled, 
   or 1 cubic metre of  standing timber.
Continental log measure Germany
cubic metre
(cbm, m3)
Method:
The thickness,  length and mid-width of the board are mesasured, mid-width includes half of the edges of unedged boards.
Volume:
thickness * length * width = m3 (cbm)
Example:
0.052 m (thick) * 3.10 m (length) * 0.26 m (width) 
= 0.042 m3 (cbm) 
Unedged lumber measure
cubic metre
(cbm, m3)
Method:
The thickness,  length and width of the paralleledged board are mesasured.
Volume:
thickness * length * width = m3 (cbm)
Example:
0.052 cm (thick) * 3.10 m (length) * 0.26 m (width) 
= 0.042 m3 (cbm) 
Edged lumber measure
inch (english) = 25.4 mm = 2.54 cm = 0.0254 metre
foot (english) = 304.8 mm = 30.48 cm = 0.3048 metre
metre (m) = 1000 mm = 100 cm = 1 metre
Board Feet 1,000 Board Feet ( 1 MBF) = 2.36 m3 (cbm)