ForestryBrief Tools

Forestry Unit Converter

The Rosetta Stone for transatlantic timber. Convert between European, North American, and historical forestry measurement systems — volume, area, and weight.

Enter value

Source unit

All equivalents

Unit	Value

Enter value

Source unit

All equivalents

Unit	Value

Enter value

Source unit

All equivalents

Unit	Value

Enter log dimensions to compare board-foot yield across scaling rules. These rules estimate sawn lumber recovery from a round log.

Small-end diameter (inches, inside bark)

Log length (feet)

Board-foot yield by scaling rule

Rule	Board Feet

Doyle — oldest US rule, underestimates small logs. Scribner — standard in US Pacific Northwest and government sales. International ¼″ — most mathematically accurate, USDA standard. Huber — European standard using mid-diameter measurement (not shown, requires mid-diameter input).

Key relationships:
• 1 Festmeter (Fm) = 1 solid m³ under bark. Apply ~12% to convert from over-bark m³.
• 1 Raummeter (Rm) ≈ 0.7 solid m³. Stacked roundwood with air gaps.
• 1 Schüttraummeter (Srm) ≈ 0.4 solid m³. Loose-piled chips or small wood.
• 1 cord = 128 cubic feet (stacked) ≈ 80 cubic feet solid ≈ 2.265 m³ solid.
• 1 Hoppus foot = 1.273 board feet (historical British/Commonwealth measure).
• 1 stere = 1 Raummeter = 1 stacked m³.
• 1 cunit = 100 solid cubic feet (Canadian/US pulpwood measure).

Sources: UNECE/FAO Forest Products Definitions, Putnam Lumber conversion tables, SpikeVM forestry calculators, Timbeter measurement standards.

This tool accompanies ForestryBrief Professional #9 — The Atlantic Is Shrinking.