What this does
Converts feet to meters live — multiply by exactly 0.3048. Type feet on the left or meters on the right; the other side recomputes. For a head estimate, knock off about 70%: 10 ft ≈ 3 m.
How do I convert feet and inches to meters?
Turn the inches into a decimal foot first (divide by 12), then multiply by 0.3048. Example: 5 ft 11 in → 5 + 11÷12 = 5.9167 ft → × 0.3048 = 1.803 m. For body heights, the common metric shorthand rounds to the nearest centimeter: 5'11" is "180 cm".
Common feet values in meters
- 3 ft = 0.914 m — a yard, close to a meter but 9% short
- 6 ft = 1.829 m — the classic "tall" benchmark
- 8 ft = 2.438 m — a sheet of plywood's long side
- 100 ft = 30.48 m
- 1,000 ft = 304.8 m — aviation altitudes step in these
- 5,280 ft (1 mile) = 1,609.344 m
Why do construction drawings mix both units?
International projects, imported materials, and US-made components mean a plan can spec a 2.4 m ceiling next to 2×4 lumber and 8 ft drywall. When in doubt convert everything to one system before cutting — most measuring mistakes on site come from mixing systems mid-calculation, not from the conversion itself.
Is "feet" the same everywhere?
Today, effectively yes: the international foot (0.3048 m) is the standard in every country that still uses feet. The slightly different US survey foot (0.304800609… m) was officially deprecated in 2023 and only matters when reading old American land-survey data.
Want meters back in feet?
Swap the sides with the ⇄ button, or use the meters to feet page for height and altitude references, including the feet-and-inches breakdown.