How to Convert Square Metres to Square Feet

To learn how to convert square metres to square feet, multiply the square metre figure by 10.764. That single factor turns a garden area in square metres into the same area in square feet. To go the other way, divide the square feet figure by 10.764. This guide shows the working, a conversion table, and worked examples in both directions.

Why the factor is 10.764

One metre equals 3.281 feet, but an area is not a length. Area covers length and width, so the length factor has to be applied twice. A square of 1 metre by 1 metre is 1 square metre. The same square is 3.281 feet by 3.281 feet. Multiply 3.281 by 3.281 and the result is 10.765, close to the verified factor of 10.764 used by the Garden Area Calculator. The small difference comes from rounding. Use 10.764 for garden work. The number grows because a square foot is smaller than a square metre.

The two core formulas

Square feet equals square metres multiplied by 10.764. Write it as square feet = square metres x 10.764. Square metres equals square feet divided by 10.764. Write it as square metres = square feet / 10.764. Check the direction first. If the answer should be larger, multiply. If it should be smaller, divide.

Conversion table

Every factor below comes from the verified factors, 1 square metre = 10.764 square feet and 1 acre = 43,560 square feet, or from a derivation shown below.

From	To	Multiply by	Divide by
Square metres	Square feet	10.764
Square feet	Square metres		10.764
Square metres	Square yards	1.196
Square yards	Square metres		1.196
Square metres	Acres		4047
Acres	Square metres	4047
Square feet	Acres		43560
Acres	Square feet	43560
Square metres	Hectares		10000
Hectares	Square metres	10000
Hectares	Acres	2.471
Hectares	Square feet	107640

Worked examples from square metres to square feet

A bed of 10 square metres becomes 107.6 square feet. The working is 10 x 10.764 = 107.64, rounded to 107.6 square feet. A bed of 25 square metres becomes 269.1 square feet. The working is 25 x 10.764 = 269.1 square feet. A garden of 50 square metres becomes 538.2 square feet. The working is 50 x 10.764 = 538.2 square feet. A garden of 100 square metres becomes 1,076.4 square feet. The working is 100 x 10.764 = 1,076.4 square feet. Doubling the square metres doubles the square feet.

Worked examples from square feet to square metres

The reverse direction uses division by 10.764. A bed of 40 square feet becomes 3.72 square metres. The working is 40 / 10.764 = 3.716, rounded to 3.72 square metres. A garden of 500 square feet becomes 46.45 square metres. The working is 500 / 10.764 = 46.451, rounded to 46.45 square metres. A garden of 1,000 square feet becomes 92.90 square metres. The working is 1,000 / 10.764 = 92.902, rounded to 92.90 square metres. To check, convert the answer back. Take 92.90 square metres and multiply by 10.764 to get 999.98, which is 1,000 square feet allowing for rounding.

Square yards

One square yard equals 9 square feet, because 3 x 3 = 9. To change square metres to square yards, divide 10.764 by 9. The working is 10.764 / 9 = 1.196, so 1 square metre equals 1.196 square yards. For example, 50 square metres becomes 59.8 square yards. The working is 50 x 1.196 = 59.8 square yards. To change square yards to square metres, divide by 1.196. For example, 60 square yards becomes 50.17 square metres. The working is 60 / 1.196 = 50.167, rounded to 50.17 square metres. To change square yards to square feet, multiply by 9. For example, 60 square yards becomes 540 square feet. The working is 60 x 9 = 540 square feet.

Acres

An acre is used for large gardens, plots, and fields. The verified figures are 1 acre = 43,560 square feet and 1 acre = about 4,047 square metres. The square metre figure comes from 43,560 / 10.764 = 4,046.82, rounded to about 4,047 square metres. To change acres to square feet, multiply acres by 43,560. For example, 0.5 acres becomes 21,780 square feet. The working is 0.5 x 43,560 = 21,780 square feet. To change acres to square metres, multiply by 4,047. For example, 0.5 acres becomes about 2,023.5 square metres. The working is 0.5 x 4,047 = 2,023.5 square metres. To change square metres to acres, divide by 4,047. For example, 4,047 square metres becomes about 1 acre.

Hectares

A hectare equals 10,000 square metres. To change hectares to square metres, multiply hectares by 10,000. For example, 0.5 hectares becomes 5,000 square metres. To change hectares to square feet, multiply hectares by 107,640. The derivation is 10,000 x 10.764 = 107,640, so 1 hectare equals 107,640 square feet. A plot of 0.5 hectares becomes 53,820 square feet. To change hectares to acres, use 10,000 / 4,047 = 2.471, so 1 hectare equals 2.471 acres. A plot of 2 hectares is 4.942 acres.

The verified garden example in full

A 10 by 5 metre lawn measures 50 square metres. A round bed with a 3 metre diameter measures 7.07 square metres. A triangular corner with a 4 metre base and a 3 metre height measures 6 square metres. Add the three sections and the total is 63.07 square metres. The working is 50 + 7.07 + 6 = 63.07 square metres. Convert that total to square feet by multiplying by 10.764. The working is 63.07 x 10.764 = 678.89, rounded to 678.9 square feet, which is about 679 square feet. That matches the calculator result of about 679 square feet. The same total is 75.43 square yards. The working is 63.07 x 1.196 = 75.43 square yards. It is about 0.0156 acres. The working is 63.07 / 4,047 = 0.0156 acres. Divide 679 by 10.764 to check. The working is 679 / 10.764 = 63.08 square metres, 0.01 above the total, because 678.9 was rounded up to 679.

Common mistakes to avoid

The first mistake is using the length factor for an area. If you multiply square metres by 3.281, you will get a figure that is far too small. For 50 square metres, the wrong working gives 164.05 square feet, while the correct working gives 538.2 square feet. Area needs the factor applied twice. The second mistake is using a plant density factor for a unit conversion. Plants per square foot tells you how many plants fit into a unit of area, not how large that unit is in another unit. Converting square metres to square feet uses 10.764 in every case. Planting belongs to the Plant Spacing Calculator and the Plants per Square Foot Calculator, not to this conversion. The third mistake is rounding too early. For 100 square metres, using 11 instead of 10.764 gives 1,100 square feet instead of 1,076.4 square feet. Use the full factor and round only the final answer. The fourth mistake is mixing units. Work out each section in one unit and convert the total at the end.

How to use the Garden Area Calculator

The Garden Area Calculator converts a total area into square metres, square feet, square yards, acres, or hectares. Split the garden into simple shapes, enter each section, and read the total and its conversions. The calculator adds up to three sections, each a rectangle, a circle, a triangle, or an oval. Set any unused section to Not used. Use the calculator to check your hand calculation. Work out the conversion on paper, then enter the same garden in the calculator and compare the two results. The calculator gives area and unit conversions only. It does not give a seed weight, a fertiliser rate, a mulch volume, a sod count, a soil volume, a bag count, or a plant count. For an irregular garden, split it into rectangles, triangles, and circles, work out each area, and add them together.

Quick reference for common garden sizes

The table below gives ready conversions for garden sizes that appear often in plans. Use it to sense check a result without a calculator.

Garden size in square metres	Square feet	Square yards	Acres
10	107.6	12.0	0.0025
25	269.1	29.9	0.0062
50	538.2	59.8	0.0124
63.07	678.9	75.4	0.0156
100	1076.4	119.6	0.0247
250	2691.0	299.0	0.0618
1000	10764.0	1196.0	0.2471
4047	43561.9	4840.2	1.0000

Frequently asked questions

Q: How do I convert square metres to square feet?
A: Multiply the square metre figure by 10.764. For example, 50 square metres becomes 538.2 square feet, because 50 x 10.764 = 538.2 square feet.

Q: How do I convert square feet to square metres?
A: Divide the square feet figure by 10.764. For example, 500 square feet becomes 46.45 square metres, because 500 / 10.764 = 46.45 square metres.

Q: How many square feet are in an acre?
A: There are 43,560 square feet in an acre, which is about 4,047 square metres. The square metre figure comes from 43,560 / 10.764 = 4,046.82, rounded to about 4,047 square metres.

Q: How many square yards are in a square metre?
A: There are 1.196 square yards in a square metre. The figure comes from 10.764 / 9 = 1.196, because 1 square yard equals 9 square feet.

Q: How many square feet are in a hectare?
A: There are 107,640 square feet in a hectare. The figure comes from 10,000 x 10.764 = 107,640, because 1 hectare equals 10,000 square metres.

Q: Why can I not use 3.281 to convert square metres to square feet?
A: You can not use 3.281 because that is a length factor, not an area factor. Area covers length and width, so the length factor must be applied twice, which gives the area factor of 10.764.