Multiply square feet by 0.09290304 to obtain square meters. To convert square meters to square feet, divide by 0.09290304. For example, 120 ft² = 11.1483648 m².
Where does the conversion factor come from?
One international foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meter. A square foot is a square measuring 1 ft on each side. To convert its area, square the length factor:
1 ft = 0.3048 m (exact)
1 ft² = 0.3048 m × 0.3048 m
1 ft² = 0.09290304 m²
This is why multiplying area by 0.3048—appropriate for a length, not an area—produces an incorrect answer.
Convert either direction
| Starting unit | Operation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ft² → m² | Multiply by 0.09290304 | 120 ft² → 11.1483648 m² |
| m² → ft² | Divide by 0.09290304 | 20 m² → about 215.2782 ft² |
Square foot to square meter reference table
| Square feet | Square meters |
|---|---|
| 1 ft² | 0.09290304 m² |
| 10 ft² | 0.9290304 m² |
| 50 ft² | 4.645152 m² |
| 100 ft² | 9.290304 m² |
| 120 ft² | 11.1483648 m² |
| 500 ft² | 46.45152 m² |
| 1,000 ft² | 92.90304 m² |
From tape measurement to metric floor area
Suppose a room is 12 ft 6 in long and 9 ft 3 in wide. Convert the mixed measurements to 12.5 ft and 9.25 ft. Multiplying gives 115.625 ft². Then convert:
115.625 × 0.09290304 = 10.741914 m² (rounded to six decimals)
This works because both the original length measurements were converted to the same unit before calculating the floor area. For measuring conventions and L-shaped rooms, see our room square footage guide.
How many decimals should you keep?
The factor is exact, but your tape-measure readings usually are not. Keep extra digits in intermediate calculations and round the final answer according to the precision of the measurements. A room roughly 12 by 10 ft should not be reported as accurate to a fraction of a square millimeter.
Reference and related units
The international foot-to-meter relationship is standardized; see the NIST explanation of the U.S. survey foot and international foot. For large land areas, 1 acre = 4,046.8564224 m², and 1 hectare = 10,000 m².
Our Area Calculator displays the result in square feet and square meters simultaneously for common shapes.