Square Footage FAQ

Square footage is an area measured in square feet: the number of one-foot-by-one-foot squares that would cover a flat surface. It is the standard way to describe the size of rooms, homes and floors in the US. Read more in What Is Square Footage?

One square foot is a square 12 inches long on each side, the size of a standard 12-inch floor tile. It contains 144 square inches and equals about 0.093 square meters.

“Sq ft” is short for square feet. You will also see it written as ft², sq. ft. or SF. All of these mean the same unit of area.

Feet measure length in one direction, like the length of a wall. Square feet measure area in two directions, length multiplied by width. A wall can be 12 feet long, while the floor in front of it might cover 120 square feet.

There are 144 square inches in one square foot, because 12 inches × 12 inches = 144.

Measure the length and width in feet and multiply them. A space 15 feet long and 10 feet wide is 15 × 10 = 150 square feet. For other shapes, use the matching formula, or let the square footage calculator do it.

Measure the room wall to wall at floor level, multiply length by width, and add any closets or alcoves separately. The room square footage calculator keeps a running total for rooms with extra sections.

Multiply the length and width in inches, then divide by 144. For example, 60 in × 84 in = 5,040 square inches, and 5,040 ÷ 144 = 35 square feet.

Convert the inches into a decimal of a foot by dividing by 12, then multiply. For instance, 10 ft 9 in becomes 10.75 ft. Or choose Feet + inches in our calculator and type the two parts separately.

Split it into rectangles, triangles or other simple shapes, calculate each one and add them up, subtracting any areas you don’t want to include. See the step-by-step irregular room guide.

Measure the diameter, halve it to get the radius, then multiply 3.1416 by the radius squared. A round patio 10 feet across has an area of 3.1416 × 5 × 5 = 78.54 square feet.

Measure each floor from the outside of the exterior walls, split the footprint into rectangles, add them up, and add the floors together. Garages and unfinished spaces are left out. Our house guide explains each rule.

No. Garages are not counted as living area, even if they are attached to the house. They are usually listed separately.

Finished space that is partly or fully below ground is normally reported separately as below-grade area rather than added to the main living area. Some listings combine the two, so check how a figure was calculated.

Common reasons include measuring inside the rooms instead of outside the walls, a basement being included or left out, or rounding. A difference of a few percent is normal.

It is the price divided by the area. A $360,000 home with 1,800 square feet costs $200 per square foot. Use the price per square foot calculator to compare homes or quotes.

Measure every area the new floor will cover, including closets, and add them together. Then add a waste allowance, usually 10%, before buying. The flooring calculator also works out the number of boxes.

Plan on about 5–10% extra for a straight layout and 15% or more for diagonal or herringbone patterns. Rooms with many corners or doorways need more.

Divide the area, including waste, by the area of one tile. A 12 × 24 inch tile covers 2 square feet, so 110 square feet needs 55 tiles. The tile calculator does this for any tile size.

Both. Many US stores advertise carpet per square foot, while installers often quote per square yard. One square yard is 9 square feet. See the carpet calculator.

Multiply each wall’s width by the ceiling height, add the walls together, and subtract doors and windows. A 12 × 12 ft room with 8 ft ceilings has 4 × 12 × 8 = 384 square feet of wall before openings.

Multiply square feet by 0.0929. For example, 1,200 sq ft × 0.0929 = 111.48 m². The square feet to square meters converter works both ways as you type.

One square meter is about 10.764 square feet.

There are 9 square feet in a square yard, because a yard is 3 feet and 3 × 3 = 9.

One acre is 43,560 square feet. A quarter acre is 10,890 square feet. Use the acreage calculator for lot sizes.

Multiply the linear feet by the width in feet. Twenty linear feet of material 6 inches (0.5 ft) wide covers 20 × 0.5 = 10 square feet. Read Linear Feet to Square Feet.

Yes. Every calculator and guide is free, with no sign-up. The site is supported by advertising, which is kept away from the calculator inputs.

No. Calculations run in your browser and nothing is sent to us. If you tap Copy share link, your numbers are stored only in that link, so they stay private unless you share it.

The formulas and conversion factors are exact, so results are as accurate as your measurements. Measuring to the nearest inch is enough for most projects. For legal or financial decisions, confirm with a professional.

Yes. SqftMeter follows your device’s light or dark setting automatically, and you can switch at any time with the sun and moon button in the header. Your choice is remembered on that device.