ft to m Converter
Convert feet into metres in one step
ft to m FAQ
How do you convert feet to metres exactly?
The conversion is based on a fixed definition: 1 foot = 0.3048 metres exactly. That means to convert ft to m you multiply by 0.3048: m = ft × 0.3048. For example, 10 ft × 0.3048 = 3.048 m, and 50 ft × 0.3048 = 15.24 m. This calculator applies the exact relationship so you do not have to repeat the multiplication on a handheld calculator.
Why is 1 foot defined as exactly 0.3048 m?
In 1959, an international agreement fixed the international foot as exactly 0.3048 metres, tying the imperial unit directly to the metric system. Before that, slightly different definitions were used in various countries. Today, engineering, surveying and most modern plans assume this exact 0.3048 m value, which is what this converter uses for every ft to m calculation.
Where are feet used vs metres?
Feet (ft) are common in the United States, parts of Canada and the UK for building plans, room dimensions, ceiling heights, sports fields and hiking elevations. Metres (m) are the standard SI unit of length and are used almost everywhere else for construction, mapping, science and everyday measurements. Converting feet to metres helps you combine US-style information with metric drawings, specs and maps.
Is this converter accurate enough for construction and planning?
Yes. Because the foot-to-metre relationship is defined exactly, any conversion using 0.3048 is as accurate as an official printed table. For room dimensions, building plans and landscaping, you can usually round to the nearest centimetre or even the nearest 5–10 cm. For engineering drawings or permits, match the precision specified in your project (for example, two decimal places in metres).
How many decimal places of metres should I keep?
It depends on your use case:
- Room sizes and real estate — 2 decimal places or rounding to the nearest 0.01–0.05 m.
- Hiking elevations and trail descriptions — usually whole metres are enough.
- Construction and engineering — follow your plan or code requirements, often 2–3 decimal places.
This converter keeps full precision internally and prints a clean metre value that you can round to the level of detail you need.
Can I use this for sports fields and court dimensions?
Definitely. Many sports fields, courts and pitches are described in feet or yards in some sources and metres in others. If you have a length in feet, this ft to m converter lets you see the equivalent in metres so that plans, line markings and equipment specs stay consistent across documents and regions.
What if my measurement starts in metres, inches or centimetres instead?
If you already have metres and want feet, use the dedicated m to ft tool via the “Swap Units” button. For other units such as inches or centimetres, the length conversion calculator lets you convert between several length units on one page without doing intermediate steps yourself.
From everyday feet to precise metre values
This ft to m converter is built for situations where measurements are given in feet but your drawings, maps or specs are in metres. That might be room dimensions from a real-estate listing, ceiling heights on old plans, hiking trail descriptions, ladder lengths or sports field dimensions. Instead of multiplying by 0.3048 on a calculator each time, you type the value in feet once and get a line like “10 ft = 3.048 m”.
1. One foot input, one metre result
The interface stays deliberately minimal: a single input for feet and a result card underneath. You can enter small numbers (for furniture, steps or small spaces), mid-range lengths (for rooms and decks) or larger values (for plots, courts and short trails). Behind the scenes, the calculator multiplies by 0.3048 exactly and formats the metre value so it is easy to scan on phones, tablets and desktops.
When you need the reverse conversion, from metres back to feet, the “Swap Units” button takes you straight to the m to ft page. The two tools are designed as a pair so you can move smoothly between US customary and metric lengths without changing how you work.
2. Simple linear relationship between feet and metres
Feet and metres are linearly related: doubling the feet doubles the metres. The only difference is a fixed scale factor:
- 1 ft = 0.3048 m exactly
- 1 m ≈ 3.28084 ft
From this you get the conversion pair:
- m = ft × 0.3048
- ft = m ÷ 0.3048
For quick mental estimates you might use 0.3 m per foot as a rough rule. For example, 10 ft → about 3 m. This converter uses the exact 0.3048 factor so your results match modern building codes, engineering references and surveying data.
When you need to connect feet and metres with other units such as inches, yards or kilometres, the length conversion calculator provides a broader hub that keeps multiple length units in sync on one page.
3. Common ft to m values at a glance
These example conversions match what the calculator outputs and help you build intuition for how common foot lengths map onto metres:
| Feet (ft) | Metres (m) |
|---|---|
| 1 ft | 0.3048 m |
| 3 ft | 0.9144 m (about 1 yard) |
| 6 ft | 1.8288 m (tall person / doorway) |
| 8 ft | 2.4384 m (common ceiling height) |
| 10 ft | 3.048 m |
| 20 ft | 6.096 m |
| 50 ft | 15.24 m |
| 100 ft | 30.48 m |
A quick mental rule is to divide by a bit more than 3. Since 1 m is about 3.28 ft, you can take a length in feet and divide by roughly 3.3 to estimate metres. For example, 30 ft ÷ 3.3 ≈ 9.1 m, close to the exact 9.144 m. When you need precise numbers for building materials, planning permission or engineering work, this converter uses the official 0.3048 factor so your results stay consistent and reproducible.
4. Where the ft to m converter shines
You will most often reach for this tool in situations like:
- Room dimensions and real estate — turning listing sizes in feet into metres for local comparisons and floor plans.
- Construction and renovation — converting imperial plans or lumber lengths into metres for metric-based projects.
- Hiking and outdoors — interpreting trail elevation gains and viewpoint heights given in feet on US maps.
- Sports fields and courts — matching field dimensions in feet to metric diagrams and regulations.
- Homework and teaching — checking manual ft-to-m conversions in maths, physics and engineering exercises.
Because it follows the official relationship between feet and metres, you can rely on this ft to m converter whenever you need clear, repeatable conversions that bridge US customary and metric length units.
References and further reading on feet and metres
These references explain how the foot and the metre are defined and used in modern measurement systems:
- Foot (unit) — covers the history of the foot, the international definition and its relationship to metric units.
- Metre — describes the metre as the SI base unit of length and how it is defined today.
- NIST: SI Units — Length — provides official background on SI length units and their use in science, engineering and trade.
For critical construction, surveying or regulatory work, always follow your organisation’s official conversion and rounding procedures when moving between feet, metres and other length units.