Feet to Meters
Convert feet to meters for construction, aviation, and international specifications. 1 foot = 0.3048 m exactly — enter any foot value for instant metric conversion.
Enter your values above to see the results.
Tips & Notes
- ✓Quick estimate: multiply feet by 0.3 for a rough meter value (1.6% error). A 10-foot ceiling ≈ 3 meters (exact: 3.048 m). For professional use, always apply the exact 0.3048 factor.
- ✓Feet and inches combined: convert total to decimal feet first. 6 feet 2 inches = 6 + 2/12 = 6.167 feet × 0.3048 = 1.880 m. Or use: total inches × 0.0254 m/inch = 74 × 0.0254 = 1.8796 m.
- ✓Aviation uses feet for altitude globally (even in countries that use metric for everything else). 30,000 feet cruise altitude = 30,000 × 0.3048 = 9,144 m = 9.144 km. This is a legacy standard that aviation has never changed.
- ✓Real estate: US listings use square feet; international listings use square meters. A 1,500 sq ft apartment = 1,500 × 0.0929 = 139.4 m². For ceilings: 8 ft = 2.44 m, 9 ft = 2.74 m, 10 ft = 3.05 m.
- ✓Sports: American football field 100 yards = 300 feet = 91.44 m. Basketball court 94 × 50 feet = 28.65 × 15.24 m. Olympic swimming pool is 50 m (164 ft). Track and field 100 m = 328.08 feet.
Common Mistakes
- ✗Confusing feet with foot (singular) — the unit is feet in plural, foot in singular. 1 foot = 0.3048 m; 6 feet = 1.8288 m. The abbreviation ft (or the prime symbol ′) applies to both singular and plural.
- ✗Not converting feet and inches to decimal feet first — entering "6 feet 4 inches" as "6.4 feet" gives 6.4 × 0.3048 = 1.951 m. The correct calculation: 6 + 4/12 = 6.333 feet × 0.3048 = 1.930 m — a 21 cm error.
- ✗Using 0.305 instead of 0.3048 — the error is 0.013%. For a 100-foot measurement, 0.305 gives 30.5 m vs. correct 30.48 m — only 2 cm off, but significant in precision engineering.
- ✗Confusing linear feet with square feet or cubic feet — feet measures distance; sq ft measures area; cubic feet measures volume. Converting 100 sq ft to m² requires multiplying by 0.0929, not 0.3048.
- ✗Applying the conversion to derived units incorrectly — feet per second (ft/s) converts to m/s by multiplying by 0.3048 (same factor). But feet per second squared (ft/s²) converts to m/s² by the same 0.3048 factor. Area in ft² converts to m² by multiplying by 0.3048² = 0.09290.
Feet to Meters Overview
Feet are the primary unit for vertical and horizontal distances in US construction, aviation, and real estate — contexts where precise metric conversion is essential for international compatibility, material ordering from metric-calibrated suppliers, and communicating with global colleagues.
Feet to meters formula:
m = feet × 0.3048 | 1 foot = 0.3048 m (exact) = 12 inches × 0.0254 m
EX: 9-foot ceiling → 9 × 0.3048 = 2.7432 m. A house room 15 ft × 20 ft → 15 × 0.3048 = 4.572 m wide, 20 × 0.3048 = 6.096 m long. Area: 300 sq ft × 0.0929 = 27.87 m²Feet-and-inches to meters:
decimal feet = feet + (inches ÷ 12) | meters = decimal feet × 0.3048
EX: Height 6 feet 3 inches → decimal = 6 + 3/12 = 6.25 feet → meters = 6.25 × 0.3048 = 1.905 m. Or directly: 75 inches × 0.0254 = 1.905 m ✓Common feet measurements in meters:
| Feet (ft) | Meters (m) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ft | 0.305 m | Reference unit |
| 3 ft (1 yd) | 0.914 m | One yard |
| 6 ft | 1.829 m | Tall person height |
| 8 ft | 2.438 m | Standard US ceiling height |
| 10 ft | 3.048 m | High ceiling, diving board |
| 20 ft | 6.096 m | Shipping container length |
| 40 ft | 12.192 m | Long shipping container |
| 100 ft | 30.480 m | 10-story building approx. |
| 1,000 ft | 304.8 m | Low-altitude aviation reference |
| 35,000 ft | 10,668 m | Typical cruise altitude |
| US Dimension | Feet | Meters | International Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard ceiling | 8 ft | 2.438 m | EU standard: 2.5 m (8.20 ft) |
| High ceiling | 9 ft | 2.743 m | Common in EU new builds |
| Door height | 6 ft 8 in | 2.032 m | EU standard: 2.0 or 2.1 m |
| Garage door | 7 ft | 2.134 m | EU standard: 2.1-2.2 m |
| Plywood sheet | 4 × 8 ft | 1.22 × 2.44 m | EU: 1.25 × 2.5 m typical |
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply feet by 0.3048. Examples: 1 ft = 0.3048 m; 5 ft = 1.524 m; 6 ft = 1.8288 m; 10 ft = 3.048 m; 100 ft = 30.48 m. For feet-and-inches: convert to decimal feet first (add inches/12 to feet), then multiply by 0.3048. Example: 5 feet 9 inches = 5 + 9/12 = 5.75 feet × 0.3048 = 1.7526 m.
Standard US construction dimensions: 8-foot ceiling = 2.438 m; 9-foot ceiling = 2.743 m; 10-foot ceiling = 3.048 m. Standard door heights: 6 ft 8 in (6.667 ft) = 2.032 m; 7 ft = 2.134 m. Stud spacing: 16 inches = 0.406 m on center; 24 inches = 0.610 m on center. Lumber: 2×4 actual dimensions 1.5" × 3.5" = 3.81 × 8.89 cm. Plywood sheet: 4 × 8 feet = 1.219 × 2.438 m. Standard US lot: 50 × 100 feet = 15.24 × 30.48 m.
Aviation altitude is measured in feet worldwide because the international standard was established when American and British aviation dominated global air travel and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standardization occurred. When ICAO established international flight standards in the mid-20th century, feet-based altitude measurement was already universal in aviation. Changing to meters would require simultaneous replacement of altimeters, ATC procedures, and pilot training worldwide — an enormous coordination challenge. China and Russia do use meters for domestic aviation altitude, but international flights use feet. At standard cruise altitude, 35,000 feet = 10,668 m = 10.668 km.
To convert floor area: sq ft × 0.09290 = m². Common conversions: 500 sq ft = 46.45 m² (studio apartment); 800 sq ft = 74.32 m² (1-bedroom); 1,200 sq ft = 111.5 m² (2-bedroom); 1,500 sq ft = 139.4 m² (family home, small); 2,000 sq ft = 185.8 m² (family home, medium); 3,000 sq ft = 278.7 m² (large home). For linear dimensions: a 12-foot kitchen = 3.658 m wide; a 20-foot living room = 6.096 m. Lot size: 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft = 4,047 m² = 0.4047 hectare.
1 foot = 0.3048 m. 1 yard = 3 feet = 0.9144 m. 1 meter = 3.2808 feet = 1.0936 yards. For distances: 100 meters (sprint) = 328.08 feet = 109.36 yards. American football field 100 yards = 300 feet = 91.44 m. One mile = 5,280 feet = 1,760 yards = 1,609.344 m. The yard and meter are close in size (about 9 cm difference), which is why American football distances in yards feel roughly comparable to soccer field measurements in meters.
Oceanography uses both feet and meters: the Mariana Trench depth is 36,089 feet = 11,000 m (11 km). The average ocean depth is 12,100 feet = 3,688 m. SCUBA diving depth limits: recreational maximum 130 feet = 39.62 m; technical diving can reach 1,000+ feet. Mountain heights: Everest 29,032 feet = 8,849 m. Kilimanjaro 19,341 feet = 5,895 m. Mont Blanc 15,774 feet = 4,808 m. Death Valley −282 feet = −85.95 m. US weather services often report snowfall in inches, precipitation in inches, and visibility in miles — all requiring conversion for international use.