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Pipe Volume Calculator

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Pipe Volume Calculator

Calculate the volume of a pipe given its inner diameter and length. The calculator will also find how much that volume of water weighs.

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Pipe Volume:

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Water Weight

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How to Find the Volume of a Pipe

You can find the volume of fluid in a pipe using the inner diameter of the pipe and the length. To estimate pipe volume, use the following formula:

volume = π ×
d 2
4
x h

Thus, the volume of a pipe is equal to pi times the pipe diameter d squared over 4, times the length of the pipe h.

This formula is derived from the cylinder volume formula, which can also be used if you know the radius of the pipe.

volume = π × r 2 × h

You can use either formula to get the same results.

To use the formulas, start by getting the diameter and length of the pipe in inches or millimeters. Use our feet and inches calculator to calculate a length in inches or millimeters.

If you’re unsure what the inner diameter of a pipe is but you know the outer diameter, refer to the common pipe dimensions tables to find the most likely inner diameter of your pipe.

Enter the length and diameter values into the formula above to calculate the volume of the pipe.
Example: calculate the volume of a 2″ diameter pipe that is 50′ long

length = 50′ × 12 = 600″
volume = π ×
2 2
4
600
volume = 3.1415
4
4
600
volume = 3.1415 × 1 × 600″
volume = 1885 in3

Chart showing the reference angle for various angles in degrees

Angle Reference Angle
0° 0°
5° 5°
10° 10°
15° 15°
20° 20°
25° 25°
30° 30°
35° 35°
40° 40°
45° 45°
50° 50°
55° 55°
60° 60°
65° 65°
70° 70°
75° 75°
80° 80°
85° 85°
90° 90°
95° 85°
100° 80°
105° 75°
110° 70°
115° 65°
120° 60°
125° 55°
130° 50°
135° 45°
140° 40°
145° 35°
150° 30°
155° 25°
160° 20°
165° 15°
170° 10°
175° 5°
180° 0°
185° 5°
190° 10°
195° 15°
200° 20°
205° 25°
210° 30°
215° 35°
220° 40°
225° 45°
230° 50°
235° 55°
240° 60°
245° 65°
250° 70°
255° 75°
260° 80°
265° 85°
270° 90°
275° 85°
280° 80°
285° 75°
290° 70°
295° 65°
300° 60°
305° 55°
310° 50°
315° 45°
320° 40°
325° 35°
330° 30°
335° 25°
340° 20°
345° 15°
350° 10°
355° 5°
360° 0°

Volume and Weight of Water for Common Pipe Sizes

Volume and weight of water per foot for common pipe sizes

Pipe Size Volume Weight
in in3/ft gallons/ft lb/ft
1/8″ 0.1473 in3 0.000637 gal 0.005323 lbs
1/4″ 0.589 in3 0.00255 gal 0.0213 lbs
3/8″ 1.325 in3 0.005737 gal 0.0479 lbs
1/2″ 2.356 in3 0.0102 gal 0.0852 lbs
3/4″ 5.301 in3 0.0229 gal 0.1916 lbs
1″ 9.425 in3 0.0408 gal 0.3407 lbs
1 1/4″ 14.726 in3 0.0637 gal 0.5323 lbs
1 1/2″ 21.206 in3 0.0918 gal 0.7665 lbs
2″ 37.699 in3 0.1632 gal 1.363 lbs
2 1/2″ 58.905 in3 0.255 gal 2.129 lbs
3″ 84.823 in3 0.3672 gal 3.066 lbs
4″ 150.8 in3 0.6528 gal 5.451 lbs
5″ 235.62 in3 1.02 gal 8.517 lbs
6 ″ 339.29 in3 1.469 gal 12.264 lbs

Metric Pipe Sizes

Volume and weight of water per meter for common metric pipe sizes

Pipe Size Volume Weight
mm mm3/m liters/m kg/m
6 mm 28,274 mm3 0.0283 l 0.0283 kg
8 mm 50,265 mm3 0.0503 l 0.0503 kg
10 mm 78,540 mm3 0.0785 l 0.0785 kg
15 mm 176,715 mm3 0.1767 l 0.1767 kg
20 mm 314,159 mm3 0.3142 l 0.3142 kg
25 mm 490,874 mm3 0.4909 l 0.4909 kg
32 mm 804,248 mm3 0.8042 l 0.8042 kg
40 mm 1,256,637 mm3 1.257 l 1.257 kg
50 mm 1,963,495 mm3 1.963 l 1.963 kg
65 mm 3,318,307 mm3 3.318 l 3.318 kg
80 mm 5,026,548 mm3 5.027 l 5.027 kg
100 mm 7,853,982 mm3 7.854 l 7.854 kg
125 mm 12,271,846 mm3 12.272 l 12.272 kg
150 mm 17,671,459 mm3 17.671 l 17.671 kg

You can also use our water weight calculator to estimate the weight of the water in a pipe.

Furnace BTU Calculator

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Furnace BTU Calculator

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Recommended BTUs

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Climate Zone 4 BTU Range

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What Are BTUs

A British Thermal Unit, or BTU, is a unit of measurement of energy. 1 BTU is the energy needed to heat 1 pound of water by 1° Fahrenheit. We often refer to the British Thermal Unit as a BTU, but the rating used for heat measurement or furnace size is actually the BTUs per hour, or BTU/h. 1 BTU is the equivalent of 1,055 joules or 0.293 watts.

BTUs are the measurement given for furnace sizes. The more BTUs a furnace produces, the larger the space that it is capable of heating. BTUs can be influenced by the size of a home, its climate, and how well-insulated the building is.

How to Calculate Furnace Size in BTUs

It is very important to size your heating and cooling system correctly for your home. If a furnace or air conditioner is too small, it will run constantly and not be able to comfortably heat or cool the space.

On the coldest or hottest days, the system will not be able to keep up. Alternatively, if the system is sized too large, it will heat or cool the space too quickly, which will cause it to cycle on and off more frequently, causing unnecessary wear and shortening the lifespan of the system.

According to the Star Tribune, the constant cycling of an oversized furnace is less comfortable as well since certain areas of the home heat up too quickly and become too hot before the system turns off.[1] Both furnaces that are too small and too large will also cost you more to run, while still leaving your home uncomfortable. They’ll also wear out faster, costing you more in replacement costs.

There are several factors to consider when trying to figure out how many BTUs your furnace should output.

BTUs per Square Foot Based on Climate

Experts suggest between 30 and 60 BTUs of heat per square foot of living space, which is a pretty wide range.

The location of your home is a major factor in how many BTUs you’ll need. A home in the northern region of the US will require more BTUs to heat than a home in the southern region because it gets significantly colder in the north.

The table below shows how many BTUs per square foot you’ll need based on your climate zone.

Climate Zone BTU per Square Foot
Zones 1 (hot) 30-35 BTU/sq. ft.
Zone 2 (warm) 35-40 BTU/sq. ft.
Zone 3 (moderate) 40-45 BTU/sq. ft.
Zone 4 (cool) 45-50 BTU/sq. ft.
Zone 5 (cold) 50-60 BTU/sq. ft.

Table showing suggested BTU/sq. ft. of heat for various climate zones.

Based on these figures, a 2,000 sq. ft. home in a moderate climate would need a furnace with an output between 80,000 and 90,000 BTUs. When making your calculations, you may need to round up or down to the nearest furnace size. Keep things like insulation, sunlight, and the height of your ceilings in mind when choosing whether to go with a smaller or larger furnace.

Home Insulation Affects BTU Requirements

The ranges in the heating climate zone chart above assume a home with average insulation. Homes that are poorly insulated may require 10% more BTUs due to heat loss through thermal transfer.

Very well-insulated homes and homes with a tight building envelope will require 10% fewer BTUs to heat since very little heat is lost. It may be worth adding insulation to attic spaces and walls to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat the home.

An energy audit can help you determine if this is necessary, or if you have other areas of thermal transfer that can be eliminated to help lower your heating bills.

Furnace Efficiency Affects Heat Output

Furnaces are rated on their BTUs of energy consumption, not their BTUs of energy output. A more efficient furnace will output more BTUs of heat than a less efficient furnace with the same BTU rating.

For example, if a furnace is rated at 100,000 BTUs and is 80% efficient, then the heat output will be 80,000 BTUs (100,000 × .8). However, if a furnace is rated at 100,000 BTUs and is 92% efficient, then the heat output will be 92,000 BTUs (100,000 × .92). It may be worth considering a more efficient furnace as less energy will be used to achieve the same heat output.

Keep in mind that electric furnaces will use nearly 100% of the energy they receive to produce heat. Natural gas furnaces can convert up to 98% of energy into heat, while oil furnaces are generally less efficient, with the highest efficiency reaching around 92%.

The higher the efficiency, the less energy you will need to heat your home and the lower your energy bills. Most high-efficiency furnaces are more expensive to purchase, so they may not be worth the savings in hot or warm climates, but they may be worth the investment in cold climates.

While electric furnaces do convert nearly 100% of energy into heat, the cost of electricity frequently makes them costly to run. Therefore, most electric furnaces don’t come in sizes large enough to heat the entirety of a home in colder climates.

Use a Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats can also improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. They can work in different ways depending on the type. Some work by learning when you’re at home and when you’re away. These thermostats can turn down the heat while you’re typically away and turn it up prior to your normal arrival. By learning your behavior, these thermostats can save you money.

Other types will pair with your smartphone or another device. When you leave a designated area, such as outside of your neighborhood, this will indicate to the thermostat to lower the heat. When you reenter this area, the thermostat will raise the heat level again.

Most smart thermostats also allow you to control your heating and cooling from your smartphone. This can allow you to make changes even when you’re at work if you want to turn the heat on for a guest or if your schedule changes and the thermostat hasn’t had time to learn your new schedule.

A popularly used option is the but there are several other great smart thermostats on the market.

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Consider a Detailed Analysis

Professional heating and cooling installers can provide a much more detailed analysis of your home to select the correct furnace and air conditioning size, tailored to your needs. Consider getting a free heating and cooling estimate for your home.

Professional installers will consider your home’s insulation, door and window sizes and locations, ceiling heights, duct sizes, and other constraints that affect the choice of system. This is called the Manual J calculation. It takes into account all of these factors, as well as how many people live in the home.

The Manual J calculation can give a very accurate size for furnaces and BTUs, so if you think your current furnace may be the wrong size, consider having a professional size your home before making your next purchase. Learn more about the cost of the average furnace installation.

If you’re sizing a cooling system, check out our window air conditioner size calculator to help determine what size air conditioner you will need. If you’re charging a cooling system, check out our refrigerant line charge calculator.

Recommended Plumbing & HVAC Resources

Flow Rate Calculator

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Flow Rate Calculator

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Calculate Resurfacing Volume
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Calculated Flow Rate:
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How to Calculate Flow Rate

If you’re installing a new filtration system, water softener, or other pipe-based system in your home or business, you will need to know your home’s flow rate to determine the right system size.

Volumetric flow rate, also referred to as volume flow rate, flow rate, or volume velocity, is defined as the volume of fluid passing a point in a given unit of time.[1] The SI unit of flow rate is cubic meters per second (m³/s).

Meaning that a system may be able to handle a given amount or volume of liquid at one time. Knowing what your plumbing flow rate is will enable you to choose a filter or other system type that will work with your plumbing.

Flow rate can be found by simply measuring the amount of fluid that fills a bucket in a given amount of time or using a formula.

Flow Rate Formula

The flow rate of a fluid can be calculated using the volumetric flow rate equation:

Q = A × v

Thus, the volume flow rate Q is equal to the cross-sectional area of the pipe A times the velocity of the fluid

To use the flow rate formula, substitute the cross-sectional area of the pipe and the velocity of the liquid. For a round pipe, the cross-sectional area can be found using the formula for circle area A = πr².
For example, let’s find the flow rate for the fluid passing through a 1″ diameter pipe at a velocity of 3 feet per second.

Start by finding the cross-sectional area of the pipe.

area = π × r²
area = 3.14 × (1 ÷ 2)²
area = 3.14 × 0.25
area = 0.785398 in²

Next, it will be easier to solve later if the velocity and the area are in the same units. Convert the area in square inches to square feet by dividing by 144.

A = 0.785398 in² ÷ 144
A = 0.00545 ft²

Finally, substitute the area and velocity in the flow rate equation and solve.

Q = 0.00545 ft² × 3 ft/sec
Q = 0.01635 cubic ft/sec

Thus, the flow rate is 0.01635 cubic feet per second.
Because most systems work in gallons per minute, or GPM, you will need to convert your cubic feet per second to gallons per minute.

Start by multiplying the cubic feet per second by 7.481, then by 60, which will give you cubic feet per gallon and per minute.

Alternate Flow Rate Formula

An alternative formula to solve flow rate is:

Q =
V
t

The volume flow rate Q is equal to the volume of liquid passed V divided by the time passed t.

To use this formula, you need to be able to measure the volume of liquid that passes in a given time.

For example, let’s find the flow rate for a garden hose that can fill a 5-gallon bucket in 3 minutes.

Q =
5
3

Average Flow Rate Chart

While water pressure and other factors can influence your total flow volume, most pipes will have general averages for flow rates. The following assumes minimum and maximum pressures on the pipe:

Pipe Diameter Average GPM
1″ 16 – 58
1 1/2″ 35 – 126
2″ 55 – 200
3″ 140 – 425
4″ 240 – 700

Table showing the average flow rate in gallons per minute for common pipe sizes.

Try our unit rate calculator to find the rate of other units.

CFM Calculator

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CFM Calculator

Calculate how much airflow you need for a room or building using our CFM calculator below.

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How to Calculate CFM

Calculating the necessary airflow is a critical step when designing and maintaining an HVAC system or other air-moving application. The minimum airflow is the minimum amount of ventilation required to maintain a comfortable and healthy indoor environment with good air quality.

Airflow is often measured in CFM, or cubic feet per minute. CFM is the volume of air that is moved by or flows through a ventilation system.

You can calculate how much airflow you need in CFM by following a few easy steps.

Step One: Measure the Space

The first step is to measure the volume of space that needs to be ventilated. Larger spaces require more airflow and ventilation than smaller ones.

Start by using a tape measure to measure the length, width, and ceiling height of the space. It will be easiest if all of your measurements are in feet. You can round to the nearest whole foot if you are between full foot measurements.

You can use a length converter to convert your measurements to feet if needed.

Step Two: Calculate the Space’s Volume

The next step is to use the measurements from above to calculate the volume of the space. In order to calculate the amount of airflow in CFM, you’ll need to calculate the volume in cubic feet.

To do this, you can use the volume formula:

volume = length × width × height

Thus, the volume in cubic feet is equal to the length times the width times the height, all in feet.

Step Three: Determine the Air Changes per Hour Needed

An important consideration when figuring the minimum airflow in CFM is how many air changes per hour (ACH) are needed in the space. A kitchen in a restaurant will need many more air changes per hour than a closet in a residence will need.

The air changes needed will multiply how many cubic feet per minute of airflow are required to adequately ventilate the space. Changing the air in a space more frequently improves the air quality.

While the number of ACH can vary, below are some of the recommended numbers for homes based on the room in question:

Room Recommended ACH
Living room 3 – 4
Bedroom 5 – 6
Kitchen 7 – 8
Bathroom 7 – 8
Laundry room 8 – 9
Attic (if cooling) 12 – 15
Garage (if used for work) 20 – 30

Table showing the suggested air changes per hour for various rooms in a home.

The larger the space, the higher the ACH may need to be in the range provided. Likewise, if the space is enclosed, it needs more ACH than a space that is open, and if the air is very humid or may have particles you want to filter out, a higher ACH is recommended.

If you are trying to filter out allergens, aim for at least 5 ACH in every room.

Step Four: Calculate the CFM Needed

To calculate the CFM needed to ventilate a space with a single air change per hour, you can use the following formula:

CFM = cubic feet ÷ 60

So, the cubic feet per minute of airflow needed to ventilate a space with a single air change per hour is equal to the volume of the space in cubic feet divided by 60.

If you need more than one air change per hour, multiply the room’s area by the number of air changes per hour that you need before dividing by 60. Round up to the nearest whole number.

For example, to calculate the CFM of a 100 sq. ft. bathroom with 8′ high ceilings, your formula would be:
CFM = (100 × 8 × 8) ÷ 60
CFM = (800 × 8) ÷ 60
CFM = 6,400 ÷ 60
CFM = 107

Frequently Asked Questions

Airflow is the amount of air that moves through a heating, cooling, or ventilation system, such as the air that is moved through the ductwork in an HVAC system. Airflow is typically measured in cubic feet per minute, or CFM.

Good airflow is important to maintain high indoor air quality. A lack of ventilation can result in high humidity levels, which can spur mold growth, and contribute to higher levels of contaminants, which can increase health risks.[1]

The more airflow you have, the more contaminants are filtered out, and the more humidity can be exhausted from the space.

The amount of airflow needed for a room will vary depending on the number of occupants and the use of the space. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends no less than 0.35 air changes per hour of outdoor air for indoor air or 15 CFM per person for homes.[2]

Most health professionals recommend that air changes a minimum of 3 times an hour for most living spaces, with 5 changes per hour being the generally recommended amount.

The following table shows the suggested ventilation requirements in CFM for residential spaces.

A good rule of thumb is that you need a minimum of one CFM per square foot of floor area. The more air changes that are required for that room, the higher the CFM needs, with 3 times being the most commonly recommended amounts.

Area Required Ventilation
<500 sq ft 30-60 CFM
500-1,000 sq ft 45-75 CFM
1,000-1,500 sq ft 60-90 CFM
1,500-2,000 sq ft 75-105 CFM
2,000-2,500 sq ft 90-120 CFM
2,500-3,000 sq ft 105-135 CFM
3,000-3,500 sq ft 120-150 CFM
3,500-4,000 sq ft 135-165 CFM
4,000-4,500 sq ft 150-180 CFM
4,500-5,000 sq ft 165-195 CFM

Table showing the ventilation requirements in CFM for residential spaces

Recommended Plumbing & HVAC Resources

Square Feet to Cubic Feet Calculator

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Square Feet to Cubic Feet Calculator

Use the calculator below to convert square feet to cubic feet by entering the area and height. You can also convert cubic feet to square feet by entering the volume and height.

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How to Convert Square Feet to Cubic Feet

Before we start performing any calculations, it’s essential to understand the difference between square feet and cubic feet. Square footage is a measure of area, while cubic footage is a measure of volume.

The units of area are square lengths, such as ft2 or in2, and the units of volume are cubic lengths, such as ft3 or in3.

The image below shows the difference between the two measurements.

Because these are completely different types of measurements, you’ll need some additional data to calculate one from the other. In order to convert either way, you’ll need the height of the space or object.

To convert square feet to cubic feet using the area and height, you’ll need to use the conversion formula below.

Square Ft to Cubic Ft Formula

You can use the following formula to calculate cubic feet from square feet and height:

cu ft = sq ft × height

The volume in cubic feet is equal to the area in square feet times the height in feet. If you first need to calculate square feet, try our square footage calculator to find the area.

For example, let’s calculate the cubic footage of a 5 square foot area that is 2 feet high.

volume = 5 sq ft × 2 ft
volume = 10 cu ft

You can also use our calculator to convert square feet to cubic yards.

How to Convert Cubic Feet to Square Feet

When you know the volume in cubic feet and the height, you can rearrange the formula above to calculate square feet.

Cubic Ft to Square Ft Formula

This formula shows how to calculate an area from a volume.

sq ft = cu ft ÷ height

The area in square feet is equal to the volume in cubic feet divided by the height in feet. Check out our cubic feet calculator to find the volume of a space.

For example, let’s calculate the square footage of an area in a 15 cubic foot volume that is 3 feet high.

area = 15 cu ft ÷ 3 ft
area = 5 sq ft

You might also be interested in our linear feet to square feet calculator.

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Tank Volume Calculator

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Tank Volume Calculator

Select the style of tank and its dimensions to calculate the capacity in gallons and liters. Optionally, enter the filled depth to calculate the volume of liquid in a tank.

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Calculate Horizontal Cylinder Tank Volume

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How to Calculate Tank Volume

You can find the volume, or capacity, of a tank in a few easy steps. Of course, the calculator above is the easiest way to calculate tank volume, but follow along to learn how to calculate it yourself.

Step One: Measure the Dimensions of the Tank

The first step is to measure the key dimensions of the tank. For spherical tanks, find the diameter or radius. For cylindrical tanks, find the diameter or radius and length or height. For rectangular or cubic tanks, find the length, width, and height.

Step Two: Use the Applicable Tank Volume Formula

In order to calculate a tank’s capacity, you’ll need a formula for its volume. The volume formula varies for each shape of tank. See the formulas below and select the appropriate one for your tank.

Cylinder Tank Formula
tank volume = π × r2 × l

r = radius (diameter ÷ 2)
l = length (or height for a vertical tank)

Oval Tank Formula

This tank shape can be thought of as a cylindrical tank cut in half lengthwise with a rectangular tank inserted between the two halves. Therefore, the total volume is equivalent to the volume of the cylindrical part plus the volume of the rectangular part.

area = ((h – w) × w) + (π × r2)

tank volume = area × l

r = radius (width ÷ 2)
w = width
l = length
h = height

Capsule Tank Formula

This tank shape can be thought of as a sphere cut in half with a cylindrical tank inserted between the two halves. Therefore, the volume is equivalent to the volume of the cylindrical part plus the volume of the spherical part.

cylinder volume = π × r2 × l
sphere volume = 4/3 π × r3

tank volume = cylinder volume + sphere volume
r = radius (diameter ÷ 2)
l = length (or height for a vertical tank)

Rectangular Tank Formula
tank volume = l × w × h

l = length
w = width
h = height

Not finding a formula for the shape of your tank? Find even more volume formulas.

Step Three: Solve the Formula for Volume

When you have the tank dimensions and the appropriate formula to solve for volume, simply enter the dimensions into the formula and solve.

For example, let’s find the volume of a cylindrical tank that is 36″ in diameter and 72″ long.

radius = 36″ ÷ 2
radius = 18″

tank volume = π × 182 × 72
tank volume = 73,287 cu in

Thus, the capacity of this tank is 73,287 cubic inches.

Step Four: Convert Volume Units

The resulting tank volume will have the three-dimensional equivalent of the dimension’s units. For instance, if the initial tank measurements were in inches, then the volume measurement would be in cubic inches.

Depending on what you need to know the volume for, you’ll often need to convert it to different units, such as gallons or liters.

Thus, the final step is to convert the volume from one unit volumetric measurement to the desired unit. Try our volume converter to convert a volume to gallons, liters, or any other unit.

Curious how much a tank full of water weighs? Calculate it using our water weight calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to read tank levels depends on the type of tank. For example, a rectangular tank of water often has notches on its side, and you can read the volume depending on which notch the water line is at.

For a pressurized propane tank, as another example, the tank often comes with a gauge that reads the percentage of remaining fuel. To calculate the tank level, just multiply that reading (as a decimal) by the total volume of the tank.

For example, if a 40-gallon tank has a reading of 60%, there are 24 gallons of propane remaining:

40 gallons × 0.6 = 24 gallons

One gallon equals 3.78541 liters. Therefore, when given a volume in liters, divide by 3.78541 to convert to gallons. For example, 20 liters equals 5.283 gallons:

20 liters ÷ 3.78541 liters per gallon = 5.283 gallons

There are several common sizes of propane tanks with various capacities:

  • A 20 lb propane tank holds 4.6 gallons of propane.
  • A 30 lb propane tank holds 7 gallons of propane.
  • A 40 lb propane tank holds 9.4 gallons of propane.
  • A 100 lb propane tank holds 23.6 gallons of propane.

Square Yards Calculator

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Square Yards Calculator

Get the square yardage of an area by entering the measurements of a space below. Optionally, enter a price per sq yd to get an estimated material cost.

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Using the Square Yardage Calculator

This calculator makes short work of figuring out the square yardage of any area for all your construction, landscaping, and craft projects, such as carpet, flooring, tiling, drywalling, gardening, and even sewing.

To quickly find the square yardage of a rectangular area, simply enter the length and width of your rectangle into the calculator above. Use any units, imperial or metric. To estimate costs, enter the price per sq yd. The calculator will instantly give you the necessary square yardage of the material, as well as its cost.

How to Find Square Yards

Square yardage is a common measurement of area and is used in many fields. One square yard is equal to 9 square feet, or an area that is three feet wide by three feet long.

To calculate square yardage, you must first convert your measurements to yards. You can use our length converter for a quick conversion, or, if you already know the area in sq ft, use our square feet to square yards calculator for instant results.

Diagram demonstrating that 1 square yard is equal to a 3 ft x 3 ft square, or 9 sq ft

Use these steps to calculate the area of a rectangular space in square yards.

  • Measure the length and width of each side of the rectangle
  • Convert these measurements to yards as described above.
  • Multiply the length times the width to get the area measurement in sq yds.
sq yds = lengthyds × widthyds

How to Find Square Yards Using Measurements in Feet

The steps above guide you to convert all measurements to yards before multiplying, but it’s possible to find square yards after multiplying if all of your measurements are in feet too. Follow these steps if all of your measurements are in feet:

  • Multiply the length in feet times the width in feet to find the area in square feet
  • Divide the area by 9 to find square yards.
sq yds = (length ft × width ft) ÷ 9

Formulas to Find Square Yards

The following formulas show how to calculate area in square yards for various shapes. Formulas to find the area in square yards are provided for measurements given in yards or feet to simplify conversion.

Rectangle

sq yds = lyds × wyds
sq yds = lft × wft ÷ 9
l = length
w = width

You can also use our rectangle area calculator.

Rectangular Border

sq yds = (lyds × wyds) – (ayds × byds)
sq yds = ((lft × wft) – (aft × bft)) ÷ 9
l = outer length
w = outer width
a = inner length
b = inner width

Circle

sq yds = πryds2
sq yds = πrft2 ÷ 9
r = radius
π = 3.14159265359

If you know the diameter of the circle, you can find the radius by dividing the diameter in half. You can also use our circle calculator to find the radius.

Triangle

s = 1/2(ayds + byds + cyds)

sq yds =√s(s – a)(s – b)(s – c)

s = 1/2(aft + bft + cft)

sq yds =√s(s – a)(s – b)(s – c)÷ 9

a = edge a
b = edge b
c = edge c

Our area calculator has formulas for many more shapes.

Frequently Asked Questions

An area that is 12 feet by 12 feet is equivalent to 144 square feet or 16 square yards.

While square meters and square yards are both units of area, the former is part of the metric system of units, while the latter is part of the imperial system. They are similar units, but do differ by almost 20%. For example, one square meter equals roughly 1.196 square yards.

Any area can be measured in square yards, but typically square yardage is used in housing, landscaping, and agricultural projects. It’s also commonly used to measure flooring and textiles.

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Square Meters Calculator

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Square Meters Calculator

Enter the length and width to find the area in square meters. Optionally estimate cost by adding the price per sq m.

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How to Calculate Square Meters

You might find yourself needing the area of a room or other space in square meters for a flooring, renovation, or landscaping project. To obtain such a measurement, you can measure the area of the space in square meters in a few simple steps. Follow along to learn how to calculate it yourself, or simply use the calculator above.

Step One: Measure Length and Width

In order to calculate the area of a space, you must know its dimensions. For example, if the shape of the space is a square or rectangle, then start by measuring the length and width of the space in meters using a tape measure or other measuring tool.

If your measurements are in another unit of measure, centimeters, for example, then you can either convert them to meters first, or you can find the area in another unit and convert to square meters. We have some simple area conversion utilities, or you can convert yourself. If your length measurements are in centimeters, then divide by 100 to get meters.

If your area measurement is in square centimeters, then divide by 10,000 to get square meters.

If your space is not a square or rectangle, you may need to use a formula to calculate the area of a different shape. Or continue reading to see how to measure the area of oddly shaped rooms.

Step Two: Multiply Measurements Together

Once you have your measurements in meters, you can use the appropriate formula to calculate the area of the space in square meters. Continuing the example above for the square or rectangular room, now that you have a length and width measurement, you can find the area in square meters by multiplying the length and width together.

square meters = length × width

Measuring Oddly Shaped Rooms

Often you’ll need to measure a space that’s not a perfect rectangle. It might be easiest to try to split up oddly shaped areas into separate shapes and measure the square meters of each of them separately.

Once that is complete, add up the individually calculated areas to find the total area of the space. You’ll also find that the formula above works great for rectangular areas. For other shapes, try our area calculator.

For example, see the formula below to see how to add two individually calculated areas of a complex space together.

total square meters = area 1 + area 2

If you’re interested in calculating square footage, give our square feet area calculator a shot.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, square meters are a two-dimensional unit of area, whereas meters are a one-dimensional unit of length.

One square meter is equal to a square that is 1 meter in width by 1 meter in height. For visual reference, a guitar is about 1 meter in length, so 1 square meter is approximately the area inside of a square made with guitars for edges.

You can use square meters anytime you wish to know the area of a space. Square meters are typically used for flooring, landscaping, and agricultural purposes.

A 10 m x 10 m room has an area of exactly 100 square meters, as shown by:
10 m × 10 m = 100 sq m

“Per square meter” is used whenever you are dividing some quantity by a total area, measured in square meters, for instance to find a unit price. For example, if you want to resurface a 10 square meter room and the total cost is $5,000, then the price per square meter is $500:

$5,000/10 sq m = $500 per square meter

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Square Inches Calculator

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Square Inches Calculator

To calculate the area in square inches, enter the length and width in the calculator below.

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How to Calculate Square Inches

Square inches are a unit of area measurement of a space. They are also referred to as inches squared. One square inch is equal to the area of a square with each side equal to one inch in length.

Of course, not all areas are perfect squares, but you can still calculate the area in square inches of a variety of shapes. For example, calculating the area of a rectangular shape can be done in a few easy steps.

Step One: Measure the Length and Width

The first step to calculate the area of a rectangle in square inches is to measure the length and width of the area in inches using a ruler or tape measure.

If your measurement is in another unit of measure, such as centimeters, then you’ll need to convert to inches first. Use our length converter to convert your units to inches.

Step Two: Multiply the Length and Width

The next step is to multiply the length and width to obtain the result in square inches. The square inches formula is:

square inches = length × width

Thus, the area is equal to length times width, both measured in inches. This is the same formula used to calculate square footage, except there the units of length and width are in inches rather than feet.

Square Inches Formulas

If the area for which you are trying to calculate is not a rectangle, you can instead use the appropriate formula below to find the area in square inches for several shapes. Remember, in order for the area to have units of square inches, the dimensions of the shapes must be measured in inches.

Rectangle or Square
sq in = l × w

l = length
w = width

Circle
sq in = πr2

r = radius
π = 3.14159265359
Try our circle area calculator.

Triangle
sq ft = bh/2

b = base
h = height

If you don’t know the height of the triangle, you can find it using the length of its sides.

a = edge a
b = edge b
c = edge c

Try our triangle area calculator.

You can use our area calculator to find the formulas for more shapes.

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Square Footage Calculator

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Square Footage Calculator

Find the square footage of an area by selecting a shape and entering the dimensions. Include the price per sq ft to estimate the total cost.

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How to Calculate Square Footage

Square footage is just an area measured in feet, and it’s often abbreviated sq ft or ft2. One square foot is equal to a square area with a length and width of 1 foot, or 12 inches.

Square footage is commonly used for construction, home remodeling, and renovation projects such as carpeting, hardwood flooring, tiling, drywalling, painting, and gardening material estimates.

You can calculate the square footage of a space using the area formula, which states that the area of a space is equal to its length times its width. This is the formula for a rectangle, but we’ll cover the area formulas for different shapes below.

Note that to calculate the area in square feet, the length and width must have units of feet. If they are in different units, then before you multiply them together, make sure to convert each measurement into feet.

For example, to calculate the square footage using measurements in inches or another measurement, first convert the length and width measurements to feet by dividing by 12, then multiply them together.

Steps to Calculate Square Feet

Find the area of a rectangular room or space in square feet by following these easy steps:

  • Measure the length and width of the area.
  • Convert these measurements to feet if they aren’t already. Convert inches, yards, or meters to feet using a converter if needed.
  • Multiply the length in feet times the width in feet (length × width). Use one of the formulas below to calculate square footage for various non-rectangular shapes.
  • To estimate the cost of materials to cover the area, multiply the total square footage by the price per square foot.
  • If the area is not a simple shape, break it into manageable parts and calculate the area of each part separately and then add them together. For example, to measure a floor of your home, calculate the square feet of each room, then add all area measurements together to derive the total square footage.

Square Footage Formulas

Use the formulas below to find the area in square feet for various shapes. Convert all measurements to feet before using the formulas.

Rectangle

sq ft = l × w

l = length
w = width

Rectangular Border

sq ft = (l × w) – (a × b)

l = outer length
w = outer width
a = inner length
b = inner width

Circle

sq ft = πr2

r = radius
π = 3.14159265359

If you know the diameter of the circle, you can find the radius by dividing the diameter in half.

Triangle

sq ft = bh/2

b = base
h = height

If you don’t know the height of the triangle, you can find it using the length of the three sides.

s = 1/2(a + b + c)

sq ft =√s(s – a)(s – b)(s – c)

a = edge a
b = edge b
c = edge c

How to Find the Square Footage of a Room

You can use the formulas above to find the square footage of any room in your home. Measure the dimensions of the room using a tape measure, then apply them to the applicable formula.

For instance, if the room is rectangular, measure the length and width in feet. Then, multiply them together to find the area in square feet.

For oddly shaped rooms, split the room into smaller, easily measurable sections, and calculate the area of each section separately. Add the area of each section together to find the total square footage of the room.

How to Calculate the Square Feet of a Home or Residence

As noted above, measuring the square footage of a house is important in real estate and for home improvements. Unlike measurements for a flooring project, when you’re measuring the area of a home or residence for real estate purposes, some special considerations apply to determine the inhabitable square footage.

Since the livable size of a home determines the market value, appraisal price, and property taxes, getting an accurate measurement is important.

Only livable rooms with finished walls, floor, and ceiling count toward the finished area of the home. For a room to be considered livable, the space should be finished and should have heating or air conditioning as applicable.

Indoor spaces like bedrooms and closets count toward the square footage of a home, while outdoor spaces such as a balcony or garage typically do not. In fact, the American National Standards Institute has defined rules[1] for what counts as a finished area and which rooms contribute to the gross living area (GLA) of a home.[2]

To calculate the total square footage of a home, measure each room in feet using a tape measure. Then, for each room, calculate the area using the appropriate formula depending on its shape.

Finally, add the area measurements together to find the total square footage. The calculator above can help find the square footage of one or more rooms using this method.

We also have great resources on how to measure rooms and complex spaces.

How to Calculate Price per Sq Ft

To calculate the price per square foot of your home, divide the total price of the home by the total number of square feet.

price per ft2 = total price ÷ total ft2

If you’d prefer not to do the math, you can also use our unit price calculator to calculate the price per square foot.

How to Convert to Square Feet

You can also calculate square feet by converting a known area that’s in different units of measure. You can convert square inches, square yards, or square meters to square feet using one of the formulas below.

Square Inches:

sq ft = sq in ÷ 144

Square Yards:

sq ft = sq yds × 9

Square Meters:

sq ft = sq m × 10.764

You can use an area converter to convert any area measurement to sq ft.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, feet are a one-dimensional unit of length, while square feet are a two-dimensional unit of area

One square foot is equal to the space taken up by a 1 ft by 1 ft square. You can visualize this by making a square out of 4 standard 12-inch rulers.

Square feet are used any time you want to represent the area of a space. It is most commonly used in measuring the living space of homes, but is also commonly used in landscaping and commercial real estate.

A 12 ft by 12 ft room is equal to 144 sq ft:
12 ft × 12 ft = 144 sq ft