Convert Centimeters per Second to CFM per Square Foot

Formula

ft³/(ft²·min) = cm/s × 1.968503937008

Derivation from SI units:

• 1 cm/s = 0.01 m ÷ 1 s = 1 cm³/(s·cm²)
• 1 ft³/(ft²·min) = 0.3048³ m³ ÷ (0.3048² m² × 60 s) = 0.00508 m/s = 1 ft/min
• 1 cm/s = 0.01 m/s ÷ 0.00508 m/s per ft³/(ft²·min) = 1.968503937008 ft³/(ft²·min)

Both units are defined exactly, so the factor is exact. Centimeter per Second definition: centimeter per second; CFM per Square Foot definition: cubic foot per square foot per minute.

Worked examples

1. A reading of 2.5 cm/s converts to 4.921259843 ft³/(ft²·min).
   2.5 cm/s × 1.968503937 = 4.921259843 ft³/(ft²·min)
2. A value of 14 cm/s is 27.55905512 ft³/(ft²·min).
   14 cm/s × 1.968503937 = 27.55905512 ft³/(ft²·min)

Where it's used

Centimeters per Second are used for filter media testing (5.33 cm/s = 32 L/min through 100 cm²), while cubic feet per square foot per minute appear in ASTM D737 fabric air permeability (inch-pound reporting). Both measure face velocity and air permeability (volumetric flow per unit area), so the conversion is a fixed factor.

Centimeter per Second to other face velocity & air permeability units

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures , Table 2 with SI prefix centi.
• ASTM D737 Standard Test Method for Air Permeability of Textile Fabrics, ASTM International , inch-pound results in ft³/min/ft².
• Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI), NIST Special Publication 811, 2008 Edition, National Institute of Standards and Technology , Appendix B.8, "foot per minute".

Last reviewed: 2026-10-15. Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.