Supported units
- Square meter (m²)
- Square centimeter (cm²)
- Square millimeter (mm²)
- Square foot (ft²)
- Square inch (in²)
- Acre
- Hectare
Conversion tool
Area Converter
Select a category, enter a value, and convert between compatible units.
Area units explained
Area measures the size of a two-dimensional surface. Because area units are squared, their conversion factors are the square of the corresponding length conversion factors.
Common engineering uses
Area conversion is used for floor plans, land measurement, surface treatments, heat transfer and material estimation.
Formula
A = L × W
The area of a rectangle equals length multiplied by width. Area units are squared, so their conversion factors are the square of the corresponding length conversion factors.
- A = area, measured in square metres (m²)
- L = length, measured in metres (m)
- W = width, measured in metres (m)
Common conversions
| From | Equivalent value |
|---|---|
| 1 square metre (m²) | 10,000 cm² = 1,000,000 mm² |
| 1 square foot (ft²) | 0.09290304 square metre (m²) |
| 1 square inch (in²) | 645.16 square millimetres (mm²) |
| 1 hectare (ha) | 10,000 square metres (m²) |
| 1 acre | approximately 4,046.85642 square metres (m²) |
| 1 square kilometre (km²) | 100 hectares = 1,000,000 m² |
Convert 2,500 ft² to m²
- Use the relationship 1 ft² = 0.09290304 m².
- Multiply 2,500 by 0.09290304.
- 2,500 × 0.09290304 = 232.2576 m².
2,500 ft² ≈ 232.26 m²
Area conversion uses the squared length factor. It is not correct to multiply square feet by the linear foot-to-metre factor of 0.3048.
Engineering applications
- Calculating floor, roof, wall and site areas in construction.
- Converting land measurements between hectares, acres and square metres.
- Estimating paint, coating, insulation and sheet-material requirements.
- Determining heat-transfer, pressure-loading and surface-treatment areas.
- Comparing property, architectural and technical drawings from different unit systems.
Common mistakes
- Using a linear length conversion factor instead of squaring it.
- Confusing hectares with square kilometres; one km² equals 100 hectares.
- Confusing acres with hectares; they are different land-area units.
- Mixing gross, net and usable area definitions in building or property comparisons.
- Rounding individual dimensions before calculating the area.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in one square metre?
One square metre is approximately 10.7639 square feet.
How many square metres are in one acre?
One international acre is approximately 4,046.85642 square metres.
How many square metres are in one hectare?
One hectare equals exactly 10,000 square metres.
Why is 1 m² equal to 10,000 cm²?
One metre equals 100 centimetres. Squaring that relationship gives 100 × 100 = 10,000.
Should I convert dimensions before calculating area?
Usually yes. Convert all dimensions to one consistent length unit, then calculate the area.