How to calculate the cubature of lumber

It is essential to understand the materials you are working with when it comes to heating and insulating your home. A popular material for building and remodeling projects, lumber has a big impact on how comfortable and energy-efficient your living area is overall. In order to make sure you have the proper amount of lumber for your project—whether you’re building furniture, adding insulation, or building a new room—you must first calculate the cubature of the lumber.

So what is cubature exactly, and why is it important? A three-dimensional object’s total volume or capacity, like a piece of lumber, is referred to as its Cubature. In essence, what we mean when we talk about calculating the cubature of lumber is determining the amount of length, width, and height that it takes up. This computation assists us in figuring out how many lumber pieces we’ll need for a specific project, enabling us to make informed plans and cut down on waste.

Insulation is one of the most popular applications for lumber in home renovation projects. Maintaining a comfortable interior temperature and cutting energy expenses require proper insulation. You can make sure that your house is adequately sealed against heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter by precisely estimating the cubature of lumber required for insulation. This not only makes you more comfortable, but it also helps save energy and reduces your utility costs.

It’s crucial to take into account a number of variables that may have an impact on the precision of your measurements when determining the cubature of lumber. These variables include the lumber’s measurements, the kind of wood used, and any flaws or irregularities in the substance. For adequate insulation and coverage, you should also take into consideration any gaps or spaces that may exist between the lumber pieces. With the appropriate methods and consideration of these variables, you can get accurate calculations for your project.

In the realm of home heating and insulation, understanding how to calculate the cubature of lumber is crucial. Cubature refers to the volume of a three-dimensional object, and in this context, it"s about determining how much space a stack of lumber occupies. By mastering this calculation, homeowners can accurately estimate the amount of lumber needed for insulation projects, ensuring they purchase just the right amount without overspending or underestimating. This knowledge also aids in optimizing storage space and planning efficient transportation of materials. Whether it"s for building a new wall, insulating an attic, or any other home improvement project, knowing the cubature of lumber is a fundamental skill for any homeowner looking to enhance their living space"s comfort and energy efficiency.

Number of planks and beams in 1 cube for 6 m lumber

Trimmed board 6 m

Size (mm)	Volume of one board (m3)	Number of boards in 1 cube (pcs.)
20 mm
20x100x6000	0,012	83
20x120x6000	0,014	69
20x150x6000	0,018	55
20x180x6000	0,021	46
20x200x6000	0,024	41
20x250x6000	0,03	33
25 mm
25x100x6000	0,015	66
25x120x6000	0,018	55
25х150х6000	0,022	44
25x180x6000	0,027	37
25x200x6000	0,3	33
25x250x6000	0,037	26
30 mm
30x100x6000	0,018	55
30х120х6000	0,021	46
30x150x6000	0,027	37
30x180x6000	0,032	30
30x200x6000	0,036	27
30x250x6000	0,045	22
40 mm
40x100x6000	0,024	41
40x120x6000	0,028	34
40x150x6000	0,036	27
40x180x6000	0,043	23
40х200х6000	0,048	20
40x250x6000	0,06	16
50 mm
50х100х6000	0,03	33
50x120x6000	0,036	27
50х150х6000	0,045	22
50х180х6000	0,054	18
50x200x6000	0,06	16
50x250x6000	0,075	13

Bar 6 m

Size (mm)	Volume of one bar (m3)	Number of lumber in 1 cube (pcs.)
50x50x6000	0,015	66
100x100x6000	0,06	16
100x150x6000	0,09	11
100x200x6000	0,12	8
150x150x6000	0,135	7
150x200x6000	0,18	5
150x300x6000	0,27	3
200x200x6000	0,24	4

Formulas for calculating a board and a beam

You can always use our calculator or tables to determine the cubic volume of lumber. Nonetheless, being able to do it yourself is not unnecessary. Even if you don’t have access to the Internet, you can still complete the required calculations by knowing the most basic formulas, so you won’t be let down when it matters most.

How to calculate the volume of one board (m3)

This is a simple case where you simply multiply the board’s or beam’s length, width, and height. All measurements are first converted to meters.

Length * Width * Height is the V board.

Let’s examine how to compute the cubature using an edging board measuring 25 x 300 x 5000 mm.

1. Convert millimeters into meters → for this purpose divide the initial values by 1000:

Measuring 0.025 by 0.3 by 5 meters

1. Multiply all indicators (DxWxH) – and get the volume of one board:

0,0375 m3 = 0,025 m* 0,3 m* 5 m

A board’s volume is equal to 0.0375 m3, so we round the values to the nearest hundredth (0, 04 m3) for convenience.

Find out how many pieces of boards in 1 cube

Divide the amount by the volume in m3 of one board or beam to arrive at this result.

1 m3/V on a single board

One board in our example has a volume of 0.04-0.04 m^3, respectively.

04 m3 / 1 m3/0 = 25 pieces.

Similar to this, you can determine how many boards are in any volume by multiplying the resultant value (the number of boards in a cube) by the cubic capacity that was initially measured.

Find out how many square meters in one cube of boards

Use the following formula to determine how much space one cube of board takes up:

S is the area in square meters;

The quantity of boards in one cubic meter, n;

L: the board’s length (in meters);

B stands for board width in meters.

We measure all dimensions in meters before beginning any computations. We can now determine the area that a single cube of our board, measuring 5 m in length and 0.3 m in width, occupies. One cube contains twenty-five pieces, as we already know. Additionally, the following are only the most basic computations made using the given formula:

5 m * 25 * 0.3 m = 37.5 м2

As a result, 37.5 м2 will be occupied by one cube of our board.

Scope of application

Because it is cut from a tree’s trunk, sawn timber gets its name. Lumber is used to make a variety of products, including furniture, construction, and containers. This kind of building material is the most widely used nowadays. Lumber is particularly convenient to use because the wood used to make it is a stable moisture content, an excellent insulator, and doesn’t require any special care or upkeep.

Lumber cubicle, tables

The approximate values for the quantity of lumber in pieces and linear meters per cube are displayed in the tables.

The information displayed in the tables is solely for informative purposes. The actual quantity of sawn timber may vary from the rounded values.

How many boards in a cube (trimmed or planed), up to 6 meters

DimensionsNumber of pieces in one cube.м.Number of linear meters in one cube.м.

25х100х2000	200	400
25x100x4000	100	400
25x100x6000	66,67	400
25х150х2000	133,33	266,67
25х150х4000	66,67	266,67
25x150x6000	44,44	266,67
25х200х2000	100	200
25x200x4000	50	200
25x200x6000	33,33	200
40х100х2000	125	250
40x100x4000	62,5	250
40x100x6000	41,67	250
40x150x2000	83,33	166,67
40x150x4000	41,67	166,67
40x150x6000	27,78	166,67
40х200х2000	62,5	125
40x200x4000	31,25	125
40x200x6000	20,83	125
50x100x2000	100	200
50x100x4000	50	200
50x100x6000	33,33	200
50x150x2000	66,67	133,33
50x150x4000	33,33	133,33
50x150x6000	22,22	133,33
50х200х2000	50	100
50x200x4000	25	100
50х200х6000	16,67	100

How much timber in a cube, size up to 12 meters

DimensionsNumber of pieces in one cube.м.Number of linear meters in one cube.м.

100x100x3000	33,33	100
100x150x3000	22,22	66,67
100x160x3000	20,83	62,5
120x150x3000	18,52	55,56
120x160x3000	17,36	52,08
100x200x3000	16,67	50
150х200х3000	11,11	33,33
150x150x3000	14,81	44,44
200x200x3000	8,33	25
100x100x6000	16,67	100
100x150x6000	11,11	66,67
100x160x6000	10,42	62,5
120x150x6000	9,26	55,56
120x160x6000	8,68	52,08
100x200x6000	8,33	50
150x200x6000	5,56	33,33
150x150x6000	7,41	44,44
200x200x6000	4,17	25
100x100x9000	11,11	100
100x150x9000	7,41	66,67
100x160x9000	6,94	62,5
120x150x9000	6,17	55,56
120x160x9000	5,79	52,08
100x200x9000	5,56	50
150х200х9000	3,7	33,33
150x150x9000	4,94	44,44
200x200x9000	2,78	25
100x100x12000	8,33	100
100x150x12000	5,56	66,67
100x160x12000	5,21	62,5
120x150x12000	4,63	55,56
120x160x12000	4,34	52,08
100x200x12000	4,17	50
150х200х12000	2,78	33,33
150x150x12000	3,7	44,44
200x200x12000	2,08	25

Types of glued laminated timber profile

How many cylindrical logs in a cube, up to 9 meters

DimensionsNumber of pieces in one cube.м.Number of linear meters in one cube.м.

150х3000	14,81	44,44
150х6000	7,41	44,44
150х9000	4,94	44,44
160х3000	13,02	39,06
160х6000	6,51	39,06
160х9000	4,34	39,06
180х3000	10,29	30,86
180х6000	5,14	30,86
180х9000	3,43	30,86
200х3000	8,33	25
200х6000	4,17	25
200х9000	2,78	25
220х3000	6,89	20,66
220х6000	3,44	20,66
220х9000	2,3	20,66
240х3000	5,79	17,36
240х6000	2,89	17,36
240х9000	1,93	17,36
250х3000	5,33	16
250х6000	2,67	16
250х9000	1,78	16
260х3000	4,93	14,79
260х6000	2,47	14,79
260х9000	1,64	14,79
280х3000	4,25	12,76
280х6000	2,13	12,76
280х9000	1,42	12,76
300х3000	3,7	11,11
300х6000	1,85	11,11
300х9000	1,23	11,11

How to use the cubic meter calculator correctly

A convenient tool for quickly and precisely determining the amount or volume of a board is the program for calculating the cubature of lumber and planks. Our lumber in m3 calculator is incredibly simple to use and doesn’t require any advanced technical skills. To accurately calculate the amount of timber needed for a house or other tasks, there are a few easy steps to follow:

1. specify main parameters of the board – length, height, width;
2. select the required type of calculation – by number of lumber/planks or by volume;
3. specify the quantity or the volume of a bar/plank and the price of lumber by putting a check mark next to "price for 1 cube" or "price for 1 board", write the weight of the board;
4. see the calculation results.

The computations performed by our lumber calculator for floor, ceiling, or other uses do not account for spacers. Take note of this subtlety!

You can bookmark the insulation calculator by simply pressing Ctrl+D on your keyboard to get to it quickly.

How many boards and timber 3 m long in one cube – table

Trimmed board 3 m

Size (mm)	Volume of one board (m3)	Number of boards in 1 cube (pcs.)
20 mm
20×100×3000	0,006	167
20×120×3000	0,008	139
20×150×3000	0,009	111
20×180×3000	0,01	93
20×200×3000	0,01	83
20×250×3000	0,02	66
25 mm
25x100x3000	0,01	133
25x120x3000	0,01	111
25x150x3000	0,01	89
25x180x3000	0,01	74
25x200x3000	0,02	67
25x250x3000	0,02	45
30 mm
30x100x3000	0,01	111
30x120x3000	0,01	93
30x150x3000	0,01	74
30x180x3000	0,02	62
30x200x3000	0,02	55
30x250x3000	0,02	44
40 mm
40×100×3000	0,01	83
40x120x3000	0,01	70
40×150×3000	0,02	55
40x180x3000	0,02	46
40x200x3000	0,02	42
40x250x3000	0,03	33
50 mm
50×100×3000	0,02	66
50x120x3000	0,02	55
50x150x3000	0,02	44
50x180x3000	0,03	37
50x200x3000	0,03	33
50x250x3000	0,04	27

Lumber 3 m

Size (mm)	Volume of one bar (m3)	Number of beams in 1 cube (pcs.)
25x50x3000	0,0037	266
30x40x3000	0,0036	277
30x50x3000	0,0045	222
40x40x3000	0,0048	208
50x50x3000	0,0075	133
50x70x3000	0,01	95

Tables for counting

Depending on the kind, there are tables that already indicate how many boards there are in a cubic meter. They account for the typical lumber dimensions. Similar tables make it simple to determine how much building material will be needed to complete the project.

Section size, mmLength, mmNumber of boards in 1 cube

25х100	6000	66,6 pcs.
25х150	6000	44,4 pcs.
25х200	6000	33.3 pcs.
40х100	6000	41,6 pcs.
40х150	6000	27.7 pcs.
40х200	6000	20,8 pcs.
50х100	6000	33,3 pcs.
50х150	6000	22,2 pcs.
50х200	6000	16,6 pcs.

Calculate the area that can be covered with the board

The next task is a cubic meter of a board that is 40 x 150 x 6000 mm. Finding out how much ground it can cover is essential.

This is a very easy case where you know the size of the board and can quickly calculate the area by dividing 1 m3 by the board thickness. In our instance, after previously expressing the board’s thickness in meters, we obtain:

S = 25 m2 / 0,04 m = 1 m3.

Therefore, you can cover 25 square meters with one cubic meter of board that has a 40mm thickness.

What types of lumber are there

A board is a kind of lumber that is up to 100 mm thick and has a width that is more than twice as thick. Beams (logs) are sawed radially or tangentially to make boards.

The purpose of the boards (bars) determines how they are planed and trimmed:

• Trimmed board is one of the most demanded materials in the construction industry. It is produced by a simple technology and has some disadvantages of wood (uneven surface, presence of cracks, not ideal moisture). Such lumber is more often used for roof purlins, rough and finish flooring, partitions and other works.
• Planed board is already a higher quality material with perfect geometry, sanded surface, optimal humidity. Such boards are used for internal and external finishing of the house (other buildings), in furniture production.

Edged boards are categorized into 1, 2, 3, and 4 grades, per GOST:

• The selected boards have only minor defects.
• Grade 1 – this is high-quality wood with few flaws (there may be up to three layer and rib knots and up to two edge knots, cracks up to 15 cm long are allowed).
• Grade 2 – up to four formation and rib knots and two or three edge knots are allowed. Knots may be larger in diameter than in the first grade. Cracks up to 20 cm long are possible.
• 3 grade. In such lumber can be up to 4 large knots per meter. 3 grade allows fungus and mold.
• Grade 4 has many defects. Boards are more rough and unsightly in appearance. Humidity of such wood is not standardized.

Bars and boards

A rectangular or square piece of lumber with a thickness of up to 100 mm and a width no greater than twice that is measured is called a beam or bar. It can be used for a variety of things, including lags, flooring, rafters, and frames.

For particular purposes, take into account the bar’s primary dimensions:

• Cross-section of timber for roof and joists (length 1200 – 6000 mm): 100 (mm) x 100 (mm); 100 (mm) x 150 (mm); 100 (mm) x 200 (mm); 150 (mm) x 100 (mm); 150 (mm) x 150 (mm); 150 (mm) x 200 (mm); 200 (mm) x 100 (mm); 200 (mm) x 150 (mm); 200 (mm) x 200 (mm).
• Bar cross-section (small bar) (length up to 6000 mm): 40 (mm) x 40 (mm); 50 (mm) x 50 (mm); 40 (mm) x 80 (mm); 50 (mm) x 100 (mm).
• Cross-section of glued laminated timber for log cabin: 160 (mm) x 140 (mm); 140 (mm) x 200 (mm); 200 (mm) x 180 (mm); 200 (mm) x 200 (mm); 240 (mm) x 140 (mm); 240 (mm) x 200 (mm).
• Cross section of profiled log for log cabin: 95 (mm) x 170 (mm); 135 (mm) x 170 (mm); 180 (mm) x 170 (mm); 205 (mm) x 220 (mm); 205 (mm) x 275 (mm); 275 (mm) x 275 (mm).

Step 1:	Measure the length (L), width (W), and height (H) of the lumber in feet.
Step 2:	Multiply the length, width, and height together to find the volume in cubic feet (V = L x W x H).
Step 3:	Convert the volume from cubic feet to cubic meters by dividing by 35.315 (1 cubic meter = 35.315 cubic feet).

Anyone working on construction or woodworking projects needs to know how to calculate the cubature of lumber. Accurately estimating the amount of wood required will help you avoid waste and make sure you have enough supplies for the task.

First and foremost, it’s imperative to understand the fundamentals of cubature, which is the volume of an object expressed in cubic units. Calculating cubature in the context of lumber entails figuring out the total volume of wood in a certain piece or group of pieces.

Measure each piece of wood’s length, width, and thickness in standard units, like inches or centimeters, in order to determine the cubature of the lumber. To determine the volume of each individual piece, multiply these measurements together once you have them.

The total cubature can then be found by adding the volumes of all the lumber, if you have any. This overall volume is how much wood you will require for your project.

Remember that it’s critical to take into consideration any irregularities or variations in the lumber’s dimensions when calculating cubature. To ensure accuracy, this might entail taking more measurements or making adjustments.

You can expedite your building or woodworking projects and save time and resources by becoming proficient in the computation of cubature for lumber. The secret to success is precise measurement, whether you’re making furniture, framing a house, or building a deck.

Video on the topic

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