International Forest and Timber (Lumber) Measures Weight and Volume Tables
FAO conversion figures
E.&O.E.

Table No. 1
Weights
(average figures)

Product
Unit
Average weights
FAO conversion
measure figures
Subject
 
kg
lbs
kg/m³
cu.ft
Logs
Coniferous
1.000 bd.ft
1 m³
3.300
650
7.275
1.433
650
41
Hard wood
1.000 bd.ft
1 m³
5.100
975
11.244
2.150
975
61
Sawn timber (lumber)
Coniferous
1.000 bd.ft
1 Standard
1.200
2.400
2.646
5.291
520
32
Hard wood
1.000 bd.ft
1 Standard
1.700
3.400
3.748
7.496
730
46
Sleepers (GER)
Coniferous
1 pc. Type A¹
1 pc. Type B¹
62
52
140
110
620
39
Hard wood
1 pc. Type A¹
1 pc. Type B¹
90
75
200
170
900
57
Pulp wood
1 Cord
1 Stere
1.300
350
2.866
772
500
31
Telegraph poles
(EU)
1 pc.
110
240
650
41
 Plywood
Softwood
1 m³
500
1.102
500
31
Hardwood
1 m³
650
1.433
650
41
Blockboard
1 m³
500
1.102
500
31
Chip board
Partice board
MDF/OSB/LVL
1 m³
600/900
1.322/1.984
600/900
38/56
Hard board
(Masonite)
1 m³
800
1.764
800
50

¹) Type A: 10 sleepers/m³ average
    Type B: 12 sleepers/m³ average
         


Table No. 2
Log Volume
(average figures)

Product
Unit
Solid content of logs without bark (volume) according to FAO
Subject
 
m³ (rm/fm)
cu.ft
Logs (general)
1 m³
1 cu.ft
Load
1
0,0283
1,13
35,3
1
40,0
Saw logs for production of Timber (Lumber)
1.000 bd.ft
1.000 super ft
4,53
160,0
Pulp wood
Cord = 128 cu.ft
Stere coniferous
rm (fm) coniferous
fathom (RUS)
0,70
0,65
2,12
5,66
24,7
23,0
75,0
200,0
Fire wood
Stere coniferous
Stere hardwood
0,70
0,65
24,7
23,0 
Telegraph poles
(US / Canada)
1.000 linear ft
1 pc.
15,4
0,43
545,0
15,2
(EU)
1 pc.coniferous
0,165
5,83

Remarks
- fathom - common volume content based on 6*6*6 ft = 216 cu.ft = 6,116 rm (fm)
- common german and austian measures: rm (Raummeter) / fm (Festmeter) = stacked timber of   1,00*1,00*1,00 m = 1 m³ = 35,3 cu.ft
- 1 m³ (volume) with bark = 0,7 m³ (fix measure) without bark
- 1 m³ (volume) without bark = 0,8 m³ (fix measure) without bark
     
 

Table No. 3
Processed Timber (Lumber)

Product
Unit
Solid content of sawn timber (volume)
Solid content of logs (volume)
Subject
 
m³
cu.ft
Standards
1.000
bd.ft
m³
cu.ft
Sawn timber / Lumber
m³
cu.ft
standard
1,0
0,02832
4,672
35,31
1,0
165,0
0,214
0,00606
1,0
0,424
0,012
1,98
1,67
0,0472
7,79
59,0
1,67
275,0
 
1.000 bd.ft
1.000 super ft

1 load

2,36

1,42

83,0

50,0

0,505

0,303

1,0

0,600

3,96

2,36

140,0

83,3
Sawn Timber / Lumber
Coniferous
Hardwood
1 metric ton
1 metric ton
1,82
1,42
64,3
50,5
0,389
-
0,771
0,606
-
-
-
-
Sleeper (GER)
1 Load
pc. Type A
pc. Type B
1,42
0,1
0,083
50,0
3,53
2,93
0,303
0,0214
0,0178
-
-
-
2,58
0,182
0,142
91,1
6,43
5,00
Lath (Strips)
1.000 pcs
0,195
6,9
0,042
-
-
-
Shingles
1 sq
0,16
5,6
0,034
-
0,453
16,0
Plywood
5 mm
10 mm
3/8 in / 9,53 mm
1.000 m²
1 m²
1.000 sq.ft
5,0
1,0
0,885
177,0
35,3
31,2
-
-
-
-
-
- 
12,5
1,5
1,11
441,0
88,3
39,0
Peeled veneer
2,54 mm
1/10 in
1.000 m²
1.000 sq.ft
2,54
0,235
89,7
8,3
-
-
-
-
5,09
0,473
179,7
16,7
Sliced veneer
(fancy veneer)
1/32 in /0,8 mm
1.000 m²
1.000 sq.ft
0,8
0,074
28,25
2,61
-
-
-
-
1,6
0,149
56,8
5,26
Plywood
1 mm
1/8 in
1 metric ton
1.000 m²
1.000 sq.ft
1,54
1,0
0,295
54,3
35,1
10,42
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Wood based panels
12 mm
1.000 m²
1.000sq.ft
12,0
1,11
423,68
39,36
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Blockboard
16 mm
1.000 m²
1.000 sq.ft
16,0
1,49
565,02
52,49
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Chip board
Particle board
MDF / OSB
 18 mm
1.000 m²
1.000 sq.ft
18,0
1,67
635,63
59,05
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
             
 

Table No. 4
Sawn Timber (Lumber)
(average figures)

Unit
Solid content of saw log
in raw wood m³
Solid content of sawn timber(lumber)
 
m³
Standard
1.000
bd.ft
cu.ft
1 m³
1
0,600
0,128
0,254
21,2
1.000 bd.ft
4,53
2,72
0,582
1,152
96,0
1.000 cu.ft
28,32
17,0
3,64
7,20
600,0
         


Table No. 5
Various Conversion Factors
Common International Measurements

 

Board Foot - for sawn timber (Lumber) only Common Measure in US, Canada, Philippines among others
(only for logs see remarks)
Board foot = bd.ft
Volume of one board of 1 ft. (12 in.) width, 1 in. thickness and 1 ft. (12 in.) length = 144 cu.in = 0,0023597 m³
1.000 bd.ft
2,36 m³ (2,3597)
1.000 super ft
2,36 m³ (2,3597)
424 bd.ft
1 m³
1 MBFT
1.000.000 bd.ft
 
Remarks
Only for conversion of logs FAO use for US statistics 1.000 bd.ft = 4,53 m³
 
psi - Calculation of Pneumatic Pressure
1 kg/cm²
14,2 psi
1 psi
0,0704225 kg/cm²
 
Timber tons - Calculation of log volume (Malaysia)
1 timber ton
50 cb.ft
1,415 m³ (rm/fm)
 
Pulgada - Calculation of sawn timber (Chile)
42,37 Pulgada (in.)
1 m³ sawn timber (lumber)
1 Pulgada
1 board - dimension of:
1 in. x 10 in. 144 in. = 0,0236 m³
 
Calculation of log volume (cylinder) - but without log conicity factor
V = d² * π / 4 * L = volume m³ (rm/fm)
Example: Dia. 1,20 m, L 6,00 m = 1,20 * 1,20 * 3,14 / 4 * 6 = 6,78 m³ (rm/fm)
 
Hoppus measure method (UK among other countries)
Special meassuring method for round saw logs (not for poles and posts)

Hoppus measure, quarter-girth ~ [144 divisor The cubic contents of round timber assessed by the method of multiplying the square of the quarter girth in inches by the length in feet and dividing the result by ~ 144 to get the volume in Hoppus feet (abbrev. H.ft). A log measuring 78,5 H.ft contains 100 cu.ft true measure. The method is used generelly in UK but also in other UK-related countries. In NZ it is used in trade circles, the forest service pratice being true measure. Basal areas are also frequently expressed in Hoppus units (quarter girth in inches squared and divided by ~ 144). Abbrev. q.g. Synonym is 'quarter-girth' measure. 113 divisor. The same method can be used to give the true volume by substituting the divisor 113 for ~ 144. This is known as Hoppus side of square (113 divisor).]

78,54 Hoppus ft contains
100 cu.ft true measure
1 m³ true volume
0,7854 m³ Hoppus volume
 
27,736 cu.ft Hoppus volume
 
332,836 bd.ft Hoppus volume
 
1 m³ Hoppus volume
1,27342 m³ true volume
1 cu.ft Hoppus volume
0,036054 m³ Hoppus volume
1 bd.ft Hoppus volume
0,0030045 m³ true volume
   


Table No. 6
BWG - mm
(BWG = Birmingham Wire Gauge)
Common Measurements for Band Saw Blade Thickness

No.
mm
10
3,40
10 ½
3,23
11
3,048
11 ½
2,91
12
2,769
12 ½
2,59
13
2,413
13 ½
2,26
14
2,108
14 ½
1,97
15
1,829
15 ½
1,74
16
1,651
16 ½
1,56
17
1,473
17 ½
1,36
18
1,245
18 ½
1,16
19
1,067
19 ½
0,98
20
0,889
21
0,8128
22
0,7109
23
0,6347
24
0,5585
25
0,5078
26
0,457
27
0,4
 

Sources
Technisches Taschenbuch (BLANKENSTEIN), HvW-Conversion Factors (1962), Dictionary (BUCKSCH), Holz-Lexikon (DRW-Verlag)
Holzhandbuch (LOHMANN)
among others