Square Feet to Square Yards
There are 9 square feet in a square yard, so to go from square feet to square yards you divide by 9, and to go back you multiply by 9. Here is why, a conversion table, and where square yards show up in real jobs.
By the Calculate My Reno Team / Published
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Open the Square Footage Calculator
A square yard is a 3 ft by 3 ft square, which is 9 square feet. That makes the conversion one of the easiest there is:
square feet → square yards : ÷ 9
square yards → square feet : × 9
Skip the math
The square footage calculator shows a room in square feet and square yards together, so you can match a per-square-yard price without converting by hand. Below is the conversion and where it matters.
Where the 9 comes from
A yard is 3 feet. Area squares the length, so a square yard is:
3 ft × 3 ft = 9 sq ft
That is the whole rule. Unlike the metric conversion, there is no awkward decimal - it is exactly 9.
Worked example
A 450 sq ft room in square yards:
450 ÷ 9 = 50 sq yd
And the other way, a 30 sq yd order in square feet:
30 × 9 = 270 sq ft
Conversion table
| Square feet | Square yards |
|---|---|
| 90 sq ft | 10 sq yd |
| 144 sq ft | 16 sq yd |
| 225 sq ft | 25 sq yd |
| 450 sq ft | 50 sq yd |
| 900 sq ft | 100 sq yd |
| 1,000 sq ft | 111.1 sq yd |
| 1,350 sq ft | 150 sq yd |
Square yards, not cubic yards
Watch the mix-up: a square yard is an area (9 sq ft), but a cubic yard is a volume (27 cu ft). Concrete, mulch and topsoil are ordered in cubic yards, which need a depth as well as an area. If a job is quoted in cubic yards, an area alone is not enough - see the concrete and mulch calculators, which take the thickness too.
Where square yards turn up
- Carpet is often priced per square yard and sold off a fixed-width roll. The carpet calculator handles the roll width, which a flat conversion does not.
- Concrete flatwork is sometimes quoted per square yard of slab.
- To convert the same area to metric instead, see square feet to square metres.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in a square yard?
There are 9 square feet in a square yard. A yard is 3 feet, and a square yard is 3 ft × 3 ft, which is 9 square feet. So to convert square feet to square yards you divide by 9, and to go the other way you multiply by 9.
How do I convert square feet to square yards?
Divide the square feet by 9. A 450 sq ft floor is 450 ÷ 9 = 50 square yards. Carpet and some flooring are sold and priced by the square yard, so this is the conversion you need when comparing a per-square-yard price to a room measured in square feet.
Is a square yard the same as a cubic yard?
No, and it is a common mix-up. A square yard is an area (9 square feet). A cubic yard is a volume (27 cubic feet), used for concrete, mulch and soil. If a supplier quotes cubic yards, you also need a depth or thickness, not just an area, to work out how much to order.
Why is carpet sold by the square yard?
Broadloom carpet comes off a roll of a fixed width (often 12 ft) and has traditionally been priced per square yard, especially in North America. Because it is sold by the running length of a fixed-width roll, the usable area and the area you pay for are not always the same - a calculator that handles roll width is more accurate than a flat square-yard figure.
How many square yards is a 12 by 12 room?
A 12 ft by 12 ft room is 144 square feet, which is 144 ÷ 9 = 16 square yards. The same room is about 13.4 square metres.