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MBF to CCF timber volume converter
Convert timber volume between MBF and CCF, with a factor you set, because there is no single exact one.
There is no single exact MBF-to-CCF factor. MBF is a board-foot log-scale measure (a board foot is nominally a 12 by 12 by 1 inch piece), while CCF is a cubic measure (100 cubic feet of wood), so converting between them depends on how many board feet a log scales per cubic foot. That recovery falls with log size and differs by scaling rule: for Pacific Northwest sawtimber it commonly runs about 4 to 6 board feet per cubic foot, so roughly 2 CCF of log scale is near 1 MBF. The geometric solid-wood figure is 12 board feet per cubic foot, but a saw log never recovers all of it, which is why the factor here is editable and the result is an estimate. State volumes are published in MBF and federal volumes in CCF; the two are not directly comparable, and this tool does not price either or advise what to bid.
Cite
Why MBF and CCF do not convert with one number
MBF means a thousand board feet. A board foot is nominally a piece of wood 12 inches by 12 inches by 1 inch, and timber is scaled into board feet by a log rule (Scribner on most western public sales). CCF means a hundred cubic feet, a straight measure of wood volume. Because one counts sawn board feet and the other counts cubic volume, the number of board feet in a cubic foot is not fixed: a big, clean log yields more board feet per cubic foot than a small or defective one, and different log rules deduct differently.
The working range
For Pacific Northwest sawtimber the recovery commonly sits around 4 to 6 board feet per cubic foot, so a common rule of thumb is that about 2 CCF of log scale runs near 1 MBF. This tool defaults to 5 board feet per cubic foot, which puts 1 MBF at 2 CCF, and lets you change it: raise it for large, clean logs and lower it for small logs. The purely geometric figure, ignoring saw kerf and scaling deductions, is 12 board feet per cubic foot, which is why a solid-wood conversion overstates recoverable board feet.
Why the site keeps the units apart
State agencies (Washington DNR, the Oregon Department of Forestry) sell in MBF; the federal agencies (the Forest Service, BLM) sell in CCF. Stumpage never blends a state MBF price with a federal CCF price, because the units are different and the conversion is approximate. Use this converter to put a volume on a common footing for your own comparison, with a factor you are comfortable with, not to restate a published price.
Common questions
How do you convert MBF to CCF?
Multiply the board feet by a recovery factor to reach cubic feet, then divide by 100 for CCF. At 5 board feet per cubic foot, 1 MBF (1,000 board feet) is 200 cubic feet, which is 2 CCF. The factor is not fixed, so enter the one that fits your logs.
How many CCF are in an MBF?
Roughly 2 CCF per MBF is a common Pacific Northwest rule of thumb for sawtimber, but it varies with log size and scaling rule, commonly from about 1.7 to 2.5 CCF per MBF. There is no single exact figure.
Why are state and federal timber volumes in different units?
State trust-land sales are scaled and sold in MBF (thousand board feet); federal Forest Service and BLM sales are sold in CCF (hundred cubic feet). The measures answer different questions, so a price per MBF and a price per CCF are not directly comparable.
What is a board foot?
A board foot is nominally a piece of wood 12 inches by 12 inches by 1 inch. Standing timber is scaled into board feet by a log rule, which estimates the sawn lumber a log will yield, so it is smaller than the log's solid cubic volume implies.