The board foot is a unit of volume derived from the imperial system of units with the symbol FBM.
1 board foot is equal to the volume of an object one foot in length, one foot wide and one inch thick. It is therefore equal to 1/12 ft³.
The board foot is the unit used to measure rough or planed lumber. For example 2 x 4 timber when planed actually only measures 1.5 in x 3.5 in. This takes into account the wastage when planing. The board feet measurement in this case would represent the wholesale amount. Where the loss in board feet (and planing) only applies to width and thickness, the actual length is used - as there is no loss when cutting lengths.
The cubic metre (or cubic meter; US spelling) is a unit of volume and is derived from an SI unit with the symbol m³.
1 cubic metre is exactly 1000 litres. It is also ≈ 6.29 barrels, ≈ 220 imperial gallons and ≈ 35.3 cubic feet.
1 cubic metre of water in normal conditions (≈4 °C) weighs exactly 1000 kg (or 1 tonne).)
The cubic metre is the unit used to measure water usage and often water bills are broken down into how many m³ has passed through the property / business.