Area converters
Area converters: square meters, square feet, square yards, acres and hectares. Plus a rectangle area calculator for flooring, paint and material estimates.
Last updated: May 2026
Core area tools
Area is one of those categories that sounds boring until you are buying flooring, checking paint coverage, reading a property listing or measuring a room. Then it becomes immediately practical. These tools stay simple because that is what most users need.
Why area belongs here
People do not just search for raw unit changes. They search when they are trying to buy flooring, estimate paint, compare office or bedroom size, or understand a foreign listing. Area converters handle these jobs directly.
The best use is simple: convert once, write the result down, and keep the rest of the project in the same unit system.
Area conversion factors at a glance
| Conversion | Multiply by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| m² to ft² | 10.764 | 20 m² = 215.3 ft² |
| ft² to m² | 0.0929 | 500 ft² = 46.5 m² |
| Acres to hectares | 0.4047 | 5 ac = 2.02 ha |
| Hectares to acres | 2.471 | 2 ha = 4.94 ac |
| m² to square yards | 1.196 | 50 m² = 59.8 yd² |
Practical area calculations
Most residential area work falls into three tasks: flooring, painting, and property comparison. Each has a different calculation approach.
For flooring, measure the room in metres, multiply length by width to get m2, then add 10 percent for cuts and waste. A 4 m by 5 m room is 20 m2, so order 22 m2. Tiles and engineered boards come in fixed pack sizes; always round up to the next full pack rather than the exact m2 count.
For paint, the rule of thumb is 10 m2 per litre for smooth walls on the first coat and 12 to 14 m2 on subsequent coats once a base is sealed. A room with four walls each 4 m wide and 2.5 m high has 40 m2 of wall area before subtracting doors and windows. Two coats at 10 m2 per litre means 8 litres minimum.
Property listings complicate area comparisons because gross floor area (measured to the outside of walls), internal floor area, and usable area can differ by 10 to 15 percent in apartments. When comparing properties, confirm which measurement is quoted before treating the figures as equivalent.
| Real-world reference | Area (m2) | Area (ft2) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard parking space | 14 m2 | 151 ft2 |
| Single bedroom (small) | 9 to 12 m2 | 97 to 129 ft2 |
| Studio apartment | 25 to 40 m2 | 269 to 430 ft2 |
| Tennis court (singles) | 195 m2 | 2099 ft2 |
| Football pitch (FIFA minimum) | 6400 m2 | 68,889 ft2 |
| 1 hectare | 10,000 m2 | 107,639 ft2 |
| 1 acre | 4047 m2 | 43,560 ft2 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I convert area with the same factor as length?
Area is length squared, so the length factor is squared too. Because 1 m = 3.281 ft, 1 m² = 3.281 × 3.281 = 10.764 ft². A practical consequence: doubling a room's length and width quadruples its area, not doubles it.
How do I work out the area of a room?
Multiply length by width in the same unit. For an L-shaped room, split it into rectangles, work out each area, and add them. The rectangle area calculator does this for simple spaces.
How much paint or flooring do I need from an area?
Divide the area by the coverage stated on the product (for example paint covers roughly 10 m² per litre per coat), then add about 10 percent for waste, offcuts and a second coat.
What is the difference between an acre and a hectare?
An acre is about 4047 m²; a hectare is exactly 10000 m², which is about 2.47 acres. Hectares are the metric land unit used in farming and planning; acres are common in the US and UK.
Is the square footage on a listing the usable floor area?
Not always. Some listings measure to the outside of the walls (gross) and some give the internal usable area (net), and balconies may or may not count. Check which figure is quoted before comparing two properties.
How do I calculate area for an L-shaped room?
Split the L into two rectangles, measure each separately, calculate each area, and add them. If the room is 6 m by 4 m overall with a 2 m by 2 m section missing from one corner, the area is (6 x 4) - (2 x 2) = 20 m2. The rectangle area calculator handles each section individually.
How many tiles do I need for a given area?
Divide the room area by the tile area, then add 10 percent for cuts and waste. A 20 m2 room with 30 cm x 30 cm tiles (0.09 m2 each) needs 20 / 0.09 = 222 tiles plus about 22 extra = 244 tiles. Round up to the next full box.
What is a square metre in simple terms?
A square metre is a square with sides one metre long, roughly the size of a medium coffee table or a single shower tray. An average double bedroom is about 12 to 15 square metres; a typical living room is about 20 to 25 square metres.