**Measuring cubic meters (CBM) for your Bali furniture is straightforward: measure each piece’s length, width and height in meters at its widest points, then multiply the three figures together. Add up every item’s CBM to reach your total shipment volume — the single number that sets your per-CBM sea-freight quote.**
What is a CBM, and why does it decide your shipping cost?
CBM stands for cubic meter — the volume of a box one meter long, one meter wide and one meter tall. For sea freight out of Bali, less-than-container-load (LCL) furniture is priced per CBM, not per kilo, because furniture is light for its size. A carved teak bed weighs little but eats space, so ocean carriers bill the room it occupies inside the container.
Getting the number right matters for your wallet. As of 2026, indicative LCL door-to-door furniture rates run USD 350-450 per CBM to Australia and USD 400-550 per CBM to the USA and EU. A half-CBM error at those bands is real money, so measure carefully before you commit. Once you have your figures, you can drop them into a shipping cost calculator for an instant per-CBM estimate.
What do you need before you start measuring?
A quick kit list:
- A metal tape measure or laser measure — cloth tapes sag and lie
- A notebook or phone to log each piece as you go
- The furniture pulled away from walls so you can reach all sides
- A helper for large, heavy or wall-hugging pieces
Work in centimeters if that feels easier, then convert to meters by dividing by 100 — so 180 cm becomes 1.80 m. Keep every measurement in the same unit. Mixing centimeters and meters is the fastest way to wreck an estimate.
How do you measure a single piece step by step?
The formula is length x width x height, all in meters:
- Measure the longest side (length) at its widest point.
- Measure the depth (width), again at the widest point.
- Measure the full height, floor to top.
- Convert each figure to meters.
- Multiply the three together — that is the piece’s raw CBM.
Always measure the extremes. Carved feet, protruding handles, scrolled armrests and overhanging tabletops all count, because the crate has to enclose them. Round every measurement up to the nearest centimeter — a crate is never smaller than the object inside it.
Here is how some common Bali pieces convert:
| Bali piece | Typical L x W x H (cm) | Raw CBM |
|---|---|---|
| Teak dining table | 200 x 100 x 78 | 1.56 |
| Carved daybed | 200 x 90 x 80 | 1.44 |
| Rattan armchair | 80 x 80 x 90 | 0.58 |
| Console / sideboard | 160 x 45 x 85 | 0.61 |
| Framed wall mirror | 100 x 5 x 180 | 0.09 |
How do you handle irregular and carved pieces?
Bali furniture loves curves — root-wood coffee tables, stone statues, headboards with cutwork. For anything that is not a clean rectangle, use the bounding-box method: picture the smallest rectangular crate the piece could fit inside, then measure that box’s outer length, width and height. You are shipping the space, not the silhouette, so the empty air around a curved leg still costs CBM.
For items you can take apart — bed frames, extension tables, modular shelving — measure them broken down if you plan to ship them that way. Flat-packing a four-poster bed can cut its CBM roughly in half.
How do you add up CBM for a whole shipment?
Measure every item, list its raw CBM, multiply by quantity, then sum the lot. After that, add a crating allowance, because ISPM-15 export crates wrap each piece in treated timber and padding that adds roughly 5-10 cm per side. A practical rule of thumb is to add about 10% to raw furniture volume to approximate crated volume — your final figure is confirmed by the trade desk per quote once the packing team sees the pieces.
Here is a worked three-item load:
| Item | Dimensions (m) | CBM each | Qty | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teak dining table | 2.00 x 1.00 x 0.78 | 1.56 | 1 | 1.56 |
| Dining chairs | 0.50 x 0.55 x 0.95 | 0.26 | 6 | 1.56 |
| Sideboard | 1.60 x 0.45 x 0.85 | 0.61 | 1 | 0.61 |
| Raw total | 3.73 | |||
| + ~10% crating | ≈ 4.10 |
At the Australia band of USD 350-450 per CBM (indicative, as of 2026), a crated 4.1 CBM load lands around USD 1,435-1,845 door-to-door. That is why a tight measurement pays off — and why the final quote always confirms scope after the crating team has assessed the pieces.
What mistakes throw off a CBM estimate?
- Measuring raw and forgetting the crate. The crate, not the chair, is what fills the container.
- Missing the widest points. Carvings and handles add centimeters that add up fast.
- Rounding down. Always round up to the next centimeter.
- Mixing units. Keep everything in meters, or convert consistently.
- Ignoring disassembly. Pieces you can flat-pack should be measured flat-packed.
One reassurance: sea LCL charges by volume, so unlike air freight there is no volumetric-weight surprise for typical furniture. Your CBM total is the figure that counts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I measure my Bali furniture before or after it is crated?
Measure it raw first for a working estimate, but your actual quote is based on crated volume. ISPM-15 export crates add roughly 5-10 cm of treated timber and padding per side, so add around 10% to your raw CBM. The crating team confirms the final crated dimensions per quote after inspecting each piece.
How do I measure CBM for a carved or oddly shaped piece?
Use the bounding-box method: picture the smallest rectangular crate the item fits inside, then measure that box’s outer length, width and height at the widest and tallest points. Multiply the three in meters. You ship the enclosing space, so curved legs, scrollwork and overhangs all count toward the CBM even though they are not solid.
Is CBM the same as the chargeable weight for my furniture?
For sea LCL, you are charged by CBM — volume — because furniture is bulky but light, so the space it occupies costs more than its weight. Air freight is different, using a volumetric-weight formula that can exceed the actual kilos. For ocean furniture shipping from Bali, focus on getting your cubic-meter total accurate.