Need to convert feet to meters? Whether you're converting your height, measuring a room for furniture, reading building plans, or comparing property sizes across countries, converting feet to meters is one of the most practical length conversions in daily life. This guide provides the exact conversion formula, comprehensive conversion tables, a free calculator, and real-world examples for construction, sports, and everyday measurements.
The foot (plural: feet, abbreviation: ft or ') is a unit of length in the imperial and United States customary systems, used primarily in the United States, UK (for certain applications), and Canada. The meter (m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), used by virtually every other country in the world. The relationship between them is precisely defined: 1 foot equals exactly 0.3048 meters.
Feet to meters conversion is needed constantly in everyday situations. When you buy furniture online from an international retailer, dimensions may be listed in feet while your room measurements are in meters. When you watch American sports like basketball or football, court and field dimensions are in feet. When you read property listings, American homes are described in square feet while European homes use square meters. Even something as personal as stating your height involves different units depending on where you are in the world.
This guide covers the formula, detailed conversion tables, height conversion charts, construction-specific references, and answers to the most common questions about feet and meters.
Formula:
meters = feet × 0.3048
Or equivalently: feet = meters ÷ 0.3048 or feet = meters × 3.28084
feet = meters ÷ 0.3048
feet = meters × 3.28084
Quick approximation: meters = feet ÷ 3.28 or meters = feet × 0.3 (within 1.6% for most values)
meters = feet ÷ 3.28
meters = feet × 0.3
The international foot was defined as exactly 0.3048 meters by the International Yard and Pound Agreement of 1959, signed by the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Before this agreement, the US survey foot (approximately 0.3048006 m) and the imperial foot had slightly different values. Since 2023, the US has officially deprecated the survey foot in favor of the international foot, meaning there is now a single universal definition.
For quick mental math, the simplest approach is to multiply by 0.3 and add 2%. For example, to convert 10 feet: 10 × 0.3 = 3.0, add 2% (0.06) = 3.06 m. The exact answer is 3.048 m, so this method is very close. Alternatively, you can divide by 3.28 for a similarly accurate result.
Enter a length in feet
The following table covers the most commonly used foot to meter conversions, from small measurements to large distances.
Converting human height between feet/inches and meters/cm is one of the most common uses. Here's a comprehensive height conversion table.
Example 1: Converting your height
You're 5 feet 9 inches tall. What's your height in meters?
First, convert inches to feet: 9 inches = 9 ÷ 12 = 0.75 feet. Total = 5.75 feet.
meters = 5.75 × 0.3048 = 1.75 meters (or 175 cm)
This is the average male height in many Western countries. The formula for converting feet and inches to meters is: (feet + inches ÷ 12) × 0.3048.
Example 2: Measuring a room
A bedroom measures 12 feet by 14 feet. What are the dimensions in meters?
Length: 12 × 0.3048 = 3.66 m
Width: 14 × 0.3048 = 4.27 m
Area: 12 × 14 = 168 sq ft = 168 × 0.0929 = 15.61 sq m
This is useful when buying furniture from European retailers who list dimensions in centimeters or meters.
Example 3: Converting a ceiling height
An American home has 9-foot ceilings. What's that in meters?
meters = 9 × 0.3048 = 2.74 m
Standard ceiling heights in Europe range from 2.4 m to 2.7 m, so 9-foot American ceilings (2.74 m) are on the taller end. A 10-foot ceiling (3.05 m) would be considered very high by European standards.
Example 4: Converting a basketball court
An NBA basketball court is 94 feet long. What's that in meters?
meters = 94 × 0.3048 = 28.65 m
FIBA (international) courts are 28 m long, so NBA courts are about 0.65 m (2.1 feet) longer. The width of an NBA court is 50 feet (15.24 m), while FIBA courts are 15 m wide.
The construction industry in the US uses feet and inches for everything from lumber dimensions to room sizes to building heights. When working with international architects, importing materials, or building to metric specifications, converting between feet and meters is essential. A standard US door is 6'8" (2.03 m), a sheet of plywood is 4' × 8' (1.22 m × 2.44 m), and a standard ceiling is 8' (2.44 m). Real estate listings also require conversion — a 2,000 sq ft home is about 186 sq m.
Many American sports use feet for field dimensions. A football field is 100 yards (300 feet, 91.44 m) long. A basketball court is 94 feet (28.65 m) long. A swimming pool lap is typically 25 yards (75 feet, 22.86 m) in the US but 25 meters (82 feet) internationally. Understanding these conversions helps athletes train and compete across different measurement systems.
Aviation altitudes are measured in feet globally (not just in the US). Cruising altitude for commercial aircraft is typically 35,000 feet (10,668 m or 10.67 km). Cloud ceilings, visibility minimums, and terrain clearance are all expressed in feet. This is one area where feet are the international standard, not a US-specific convention.
When shopping for furniture, appliances, or home improvement materials online, you'll encounter both measurement systems. A TV described as "55 inches" (diagonal) might be sold in a country where room dimensions are in meters. Understanding the conversion helps you determine if a piece of furniture will fit in your space, regardless of which system the measurements use.
1 foot equals exactly 0.3048 meters (or 30.48 centimeters). For quick estimation, 1 foot ≈ 0.3 m is accurate to within 1.6%, which is sufficient for most everyday purposes.
First, convert inches to decimal feet by dividing by 12 (e.g., 6 inches = 0.5 feet). Then add this to the feet value and multiply by 0.3048. Formula: meters = (feet + inches ÷ 12) × 0.3048. For example, 5'10" = (5 + 10/12) × 0.3048 = 5.833 × 0.3048 = 1.78 m.
meters = (feet + inches ÷ 12) × 0.3048
6 feet equals 1.83 meters (or 182.88 centimeters). This is a commonly referenced height — it's the threshold above which someone is considered "tall" in many contexts. 6'0" = 1.83 m, 6'1" = 1.85 m, 6'2" = 1.88 m.
1 meter equals 3.28084 feet (approximately 3 feet 3.37 inches). For quick estimation, 1 meter ≈ 3.3 feet. A meter is slightly longer than a yard (3 feet) — specifically, about 3.37 inches longer.
A foot is an imperial/US customary unit (0.3048 m), while a meter is the SI base unit of length. The meter is defined by the speed of light in vacuum and is the global standard for scientific, commercial, and legal measurements. The foot is primarily used in the US, UK (informally), and for aviation worldwide. One meter equals approximately 3.28 feet.
To convert square feet to square meters, multiply by 0.0929 (since 0.3048² = 0.0929). For example, 1,000 sq ft = 92.9 sq m. Quick approximation: divide by 10.76 (or roughly divide by 11). This is essential for real estate — a 2,500 sq ft American home is about 232 sq m.
Aviation adopted feet as the standard altitude unit internationally through ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) agreements. The transition happened in the early days of aviation when the US and UK were the dominant aviation nations. Changing to meters would require retraining all pilots, reprogramming all instruments, updating all charts, and changing all procedures globally — an enormously expensive and potentially dangerous undertaking. It remains one of the few areas where feet are used universally.
Need other length or distance conversions? Try these free tools from RiseTop:
Instant foot to meter conversion
Reverse: meters to feet
Convert feet and inches to cm
Convert inches to centimeters
Square feet to square meters
Convert between all length units
Last updated: April 2026. Conversion values are based on the international foot (1 ft = 0.3048 m). Use our feet to meters converter for instant calculations.