Square feet divided by nine
A square yard is a square three feet on each side, so it holds 3 × 3 = 9 square feet. Multiply the room in feet to get square footage, then divide by 9 for square yards. A 15 ft by 18 ft room is 270 sq ft, which is 270 ÷ 9 = 30 square yards.
Square yard conversions
| From | To | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Square feet | Square yards | divide by 9 |
| Square yards | Square feet | multiply by 9 |
| Square yards | Square inches | multiply by 1296 |
| Square yards | Square metres | multiply by 0.836 |
| Square metres | Square yards | multiply by 1.196 |
One square yard is 9 sq ft, 1296 sq in or 0.836 sq m. Roofing sometimes uses a "square", which is 100 sq ft, or about 11.1 square yards.
Room sizes at a glance
| Room | Square feet | Square yards |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 12 ft | 120 sq ft | 13.3 sq yd |
| 12 × 12 ft | 144 sq ft | 16.0 sq yd |
| 12 × 15 ft | 180 sq ft | 20.0 sq yd |
| 15 × 18 ft | 270 sq ft | 30.0 sq yd |
| 20 × 20 ft | 400 sq ft | 44.4 sq yd |
Before you order flooring
- Add 10 percent. Carpet and flooring need extra for seams, pattern matching and offcuts. On a 20 sq yd room, order about 22.
- Linear yard is not square yard. Carpet off the roll is often sold by the linear yard at a set roll width. Square yard is a fixed area. Confirm which the quote uses before comparing prices.
- Break odd shapes into rectangles. For an L-shaped room, split it into two rectangles, work out each in square yards, and add them together.
Common questions
How do I convert square feet to square yards?
Divide the square footage by 9, because one square yard is a 3 ft by 3 ft square, which is 9 square feet. A 270 square foot room is 270 divided by 9, or 30 square yards.
How many square yards do I need for a 12 by 15 room?
12 ft times 15 ft is 180 square feet, which is 20 square yards. Order about 10 percent extra for cuts, seams and pattern matching, so around 22 square yards.
Is a linear yard the same as a square yard of carpet?
No, and mixing them up is the classic pricing mistake. A linear yard is 36 inches of length off the roll at whatever the roll width is. A square yard is a fixed 9 square feet of area. Always confirm which one a price is quoted in.
