Converting MBF Price to Cubic Meter Price
Converting prices and converting volume aren't quite the same process. Here's a discussion. January 31, 2012
Question
Can someone help me in converting a price per MBF to price per cubic meters? I have gone through all the calculations on 20 different sites and the methods seem to all be different. I want to find a clear way to calculate the price per MBF to price per cubic meters.
Ex: 2"X4"X8' size - $369/MBF. My results are to multiply by a factor of .6461 from a website to get $238.41. Is this right? What is the procedure? I want the price converted not the MBF units converted to cubic meters.
Forum Responses
(Business and Management Forum)
From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
The quick conversion is 424 bf = 1 cubic meter. So, 1 MBF = 2.36 cubic meters.
From contributor F:
If I'm working with a 1x12 at 1000 feet would it come out to be 1.6562 cubic meters per thousand board feet?
From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
A 1x12 is actually 0.75" x 11.25". The actual size is 70% of the nominal size. So, if you use the actual size to get BF, which is what everyone does), you will get 12 bf for a 1 x 12 x 12'. However, it really does not have 1 cubic foot (1/12 cu ft per bf is what some people think) but 0.7 cubic feet of wood. So, when converting to cubic meters, do you want to use the nominal size or actual size? 2.36 x.7 = 1.66
From contributor F:
Gene, I guess if I was loading it in a container I would use nominal size or if they sold on nominal size, but if they sold on traditional US hardwood pricing I would use one measurement for buying selling and another for shipping. Do exporters adjust their price for actual size so the sold units match the shipped units?
From the original questioner:
What price do you get converting 2X4X8 at $369/MBF pricing per cubic meter?
From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
$369 x .424 = $ per cubic meter (nominal size).
