Square yards are the standard unit for carpet, artificial turf, sod pricing in some regions and a few other floor coverings. A square yard is a square that measures 3 feet on each side, so it is simply 9 square feet. This calculator takes a length and a width in any unit, gives the area in square yards, and converts it to square feet and square meters. If you enter a price, it also estimates the cost.
How to use the square yards calculator
- Enter the length and the width and pick the unit for each. You can mix feet, inches, yards, meters and centimeters.
- Add a percentage for waste if you are buying material.
- Enter a price per square yard if you want the cost.
- Switch the result unit between square yards, square feet and square meters.
Square yards formula
Square feet = square yards × 9
Square meters = square yards × 0.83612736
The factor 0.83612736 comes from the definition of the yard as exactly 0.9144 m: 0.9144² = 0.83612736 m². It is exact, so conversions between square yards and square meters carry no rounding error other than the digits you choose to keep.
Worked example: a 12 × 10 ft room
- Area in square feet: 12 × 10 = 120 sq ft.
- Square yards: 120 ÷ 9 = 13.33 sq yd.
- With 10% extra: 13.33 × 1.10 = 14.67 sq yd.
- At $24 per square yard: 14.67 × 24 = $352.00.
Square feet to square yards and square meters
| Square feet | Square yards | Square meters |
|---|---|---|
| 9 sq ft | 1.00 | 0.84 |
| 50 sq ft | 5.56 | 4.65 |
| 100 sq ft | 11.11 | 9.29 |
| 150 sq ft | 16.67 | 13.94 |
| 200 sq ft | 22.22 | 18.58 |
| 500 sq ft | 55.56 | 46.45 |
| 1000 sq ft | 111.11 | 92.90 |
| 2000 sq ft | 222.22 | 185.81 |
Square yards, square feet or square meters?
- Square yards — carpet and some landscape fabrics in the US, UK and Australia.
- Square feet — home sizes, flooring, tile and paint coverage.
- Square meters — the metric standard for areas worldwide; many outside the US use only this unit.
Common uses
Besides carpet, square yards appear in turf and sod quotes, geotextile fabric, pavement and asphalt estimates, and in land-and-building measurements in several countries. Municipal road and sidewalk contracts often list quantities in square yards, so it helps to translate between that figure and the square footage on a plan.
Measuring tips
Break complicated rooms into rectangles, calculate each in square yards and add the results. Subtract built-in cabinets that will not be covered. If you work in inches, remember that a square yard is 1,296 square inches (36 × 36). When the unit is a mix of feet and yards, converting to feet first avoids mistakes. Always add the extra percentage after converting.
For carpet, where the roll width affects what you buy, use the Carpet Calculator. For measuring any area see the Square Footage Calculator and the Square Meters Calculator. Volumes of materials such as mulch use the Cubic Yard Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert square feet to square yards?
Divide by 9, because a square yard is 3 ft × 3 ft = 9 sq ft. 120 sq ft ÷ 9 = 13.33 sq yd.
How do I convert square yards to square feet?
Multiply by 9. 25 sq yd × 9 = 225 sq ft.
How many square meters are in a square yard?
One square yard is exactly 0.83612736 square meters, so 1 m² = 1.19599 sq yd.
Why is carpet sold by the square yard?
It is an old convention from textile measurement that stuck. Prices per square yard are used for carpet, turf and some flooring, so converting your floor area is a common first step.
Is a square yard the same as a cubic yard?
No. A square yard measures area (flat surface); a cubic yard measures volume, 27 cubic feet. See the cubic yard calculator for materials like mulch and gravel.