Home › FAQ › Calculating Square Footage FAQ › How to convert inches to square feet?

How to convert inches to square feet?

A single measurement in inches cannot become square feet, because square feet measure area and you need two dimensions. Multiply the length in inches by the width in inches to get square inches, then divide by 144. One square foot holds 144 square inches.

Take a surface that measures 120 inches by 96 inches:

120 × 96 = 11,520 square inches

11,520 ÷ 144 = 80 square feet

The other route is to convert each measurement to feet first by dividing by 12, then multiply. Here 120 inches is 10 feet and 96 inches is 8 feet, and 10 × 8 = 80 square feet.

For an irregular space, divide the floor into rectangles, calculate each one, and add them. Keep the units consistent from start to finish. If you are buying flooring, add a waste allowance on top of the net area, especially with diagonal layouts, patterned material, or rooms with many cuts.