Square Meters Calculator
Square Meters Calculator: How to Calculate Square Meters for Any Shape or Room
Whether you’re measuring a room for flooring, quoting a painting job, buying land, or converting between metric and imperial area units, the square meters calculator is one of the most-used tools in construction, real estate, and home improvement. This guide covers every formula you need — for rectangles, circles, triangles, and irregular shapes — along with a complete conversion reference for square feet, acres, and square yards.
How to Calculate Square Meters
For a rectangular or square room, the formula is straightforward:
Area (m²) = Length (m) × Width (m)
This is the foundation of every square meter calculation. If your measurements are in feet, centimetres, or inches, convert them first or use the conversion table further down this page.
Step-by-Step: How to Calculate Square Meters of a Room
- Measure the length of the room in metres
- Measure the width of the room in metres
- Multiply length × width to get the area in square metres
Example: A room 4 metres long and 3 metres wide:
4 × 3 = 12 m²
For an L-shaped room or any irregular shape, divide the space into smaller rectangles, calculate each area separately, then add the results together.
Square Meters Formulas by Shape
Our square meters calculator handles rectangles, circles, triangles, pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and custom polygon shapes. Here are the formulas for each:
| Shape | Formula | Variables |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangle / Square | A = L × W | L = length, W = width |
| Circle | A = π × r² | r = radius |
| Triangle | A = ½ × base × height | — |
| Parallelogram | A = base × height | — |
| Trapezoid | A = ½ × (a + b) × h | a, b = parallel sides, h = height |
| Pentagon | A = ¼ × √(5(5+2√5)) × s² | s = side length |
| Hexagon | A = (3√3 / 2) × s² | s = side length |
| Octagon | A = 2(1+√2) × s² | s = side length |
| Ellipse | A = π × a × b | a, b = semi-axes |
For most home and construction projects, the rectangle formula covers the majority of needs. Break complex rooms into rectangular sections and sum the areas.
How to Calculate Square Meters of a House
To calculate the total square meters of a house:
- Measure each room individually (length × width)
- Include hallways, bathrooms, and storage areas
- Subtract any internal walls if you need net floor area
- Add all room areas together for the gross internal area
Example calculation for a 3-bedroom house:
| Room | Dimensions | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | 5.5 m × 4.0 m | 22.0 m² |
| Kitchen / dining | 4.5 m × 3.5 m | 15.75 m² |
| Bedroom 1 | 4.0 m × 3.5 m | 14.0 m² |
| Bedroom 2 | 3.5 m × 3.0 m | 10.5 m² |
| Bedroom 3 | 3.0 m × 2.8 m | 8.4 m² |
| Bathroom | 2.5 m × 2.0 m | 5.0 m² |
| Hallway | 4.0 m × 1.2 m | 4.8 m² |
| Total | — | 80.45 m² |
How to Calculate Square Meters of Wall Area
For painting, tiling, or wallpaper projects, you need the wall surface area — not the floor area.
Wall Area = Perimeter × Ceiling Height − Doors − Windows
For a rectangular room 5 m × 4 m with 2.4 m ceilings, one door (2 m × 0.9 m), and two windows (1.2 m × 1.0 m each):
- Perimeter: 2 × (5 + 4) = 18 m
- Wall area: 18 × 2.4 = 43.2 m²
- Subtract door: 43.2 − 1.8 = 41.4 m²
- Subtract two windows: 41.4 − 2.4 = 39.0 m²
How to Calculate Square Meters of an Irregular Shape
For plots of land or oddly shaped rooms, the best approach is:
Method 1 — Divide into rectangles Break the space into smaller rectangles, measure each, calculate each area, and sum them.
Method 2 — The Surveyor’s Formula (Shoelace Formula) For any polygon with known corner coordinates (x, y):
Area = ½ |Σ(xₙyₙ₊₁ − xₙ₊₁yₙ)|
This is what GPS and mapping software uses to compute land areas.
Method 3 — Approximate with a grid Draw the shape on graph paper at scale, count the full squares inside, and estimate the partial squares around the edge.
Square Meters to Square Feet Conversion
The single most common area conversion worldwide:
1 square metre = 10.7639 square feet
1 square foot = 0.092903 square metres
To convert m² to sq ft: multiply by 10.7639
To convert sq ft to m²: multiply by 0.092903
Square Meters to Square Feet Reference Table
| Square Metres (m²) | Square Feet (sq ft) |
|---|---|
| 1 m² | 10.76 sq ft |
| 5 m² | 53.82 sq ft |
| 10 m² | 107.64 sq ft |
| 20 m² | 215.28 sq ft |
| 50 m² | 538.20 sq ft |
| 60 m² | 645.83 sq ft |
| 100 m² | 1,076.39 sq ft |
| 120 m² | 1,291.67 sq ft |
| 150 m² | 1,614.59 sq ft |
| 200 m² | 2,152.78 sq ft |
| 300 m² | 3,229.17 sq ft |
| 500 m² | 5,381.96 sq ft |
| 1,000 m² | 10,763.91 sq ft |
| 2,000 m² | 21,527.82 sq ft |
Common House Size Conversions
| House Size (m²) | Approx. Square Feet |
|---|---|
| 50 m² (studio flat) | 538 sq ft |
| 80 m² (2-bed flat) | 861 sq ft |
| 100 m² (small house) | 1,076 sq ft |
| 120 m² (family home) | 1,292 sq ft |
| 150 m² (larger home) | 1,615 sq ft |
| 200 m² (spacious home) | 2,153 sq ft |
| 300 m² (large home) | 3,229 sq ft |
Convert Square Feet to Square Meters
Going the other direction — from sq ft to m²:
Square Feet to Square Meters Reference Table
| Square Feet | Square Metres |
|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 9.29 m² |
| 200 sq ft | 18.58 m² |
| 500 sq ft | 46.45 m² |
| 900 sq ft | 83.61 m² |
| 1,000 sq ft | 92.90 m² |
| 1,200 sq ft | 111.48 m² |
| 1,500 sq ft | 139.35 m² |
| 2,000 sq ft | 185.81 m² |
| 2,500 sq ft | 232.26 m² |
| 3,000 sq ft | 278.71 m² |
Meters to Square Meters: The Difference
A common source of confusion: metres measure length; square metres measure area.
You cannot convert metres to square metres without a second dimension. Metres × metres = square metres.
1 metre × 1 metre = 1 m²
The phrase “convert meters to square meters” usually means someone has a length measurement and wants the area of a square with that side length — which is simply the number squared.
Example: A square room 5 m on each side = 5 × 5 = 25 m²
If you have a length and a width, multiply them. If you have only a side length and the shape is a square, square the value.
Area Unit Conversion: Complete Reference
Key Conversion Factors
| From | To | Multiply By |
|---|---|---|
| Square metres (m²) | Square feet (sq ft) | × 10.7639 |
| Square metres (m²) | Square yards (sq yd) | × 1.19599 |
| Square metres (m²) | Square inches (sq in) | × 1,550.003 |
| Square metres (m²) | Acres | × 0.000247105 |
| Square metres (m²) | Hectares | × 0.0001 |
| Square feet (sq ft) | Square metres (m²) | × 0.092903 |
| Square yards (sq yd) | Square metres (m²) | × 0.836127 |
| Acres | Square metres (m²) | × 4,046.856 |
| Hectares | Square metres (m²) | × 10,000 |
| Square kilometres (km²) | Square metres (m²) | × 1,000,000 |
Acres to Square Meters
| Acres | Square Metres | Square Feet |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1 acre | 404.69 m² | 4,356 sq ft |
| 0.25 acre | 1,011.71 m² | 10,890 sq ft |
| 0.5 acre | 2,023.43 m² | 21,780 sq ft |
| 1 acre | 4,046.86 m² | 43,560 sq ft |
| 2 acres | 8,093.71 m² | 87,120 sq ft |
| 5 acres | 20,234.28 m² | 217,800 sq ft |
Square Yards to Square Meters
| Square Yards | Square Metres |
|---|---|
| 1 sq yd | 0.836 m² |
| 10 sq yd | 8.36 m² |
| 100 sq yd | 83.61 m² |
| 500 sq yd | 418.06 m² |
| 1,000 sq yd | 836.13 m² |
How to Calculate Square Meter Cost
To calculate the cost of a material or service per square metre:
Cost = Area (m²) × Price Per Square Metre
Step 1 — Calculate the area
Length × Width = Area in m²
Step 2 — Multiply by unit price
Area × £/$/€ per m² = Total cost
Example: Flooring a 25 m² living room at £45 per m²:
25 × 45 = £1,125
Typical Cost Per Square Metre for Common Projects (UK/Australia)
| Project | Approximate Cost Per m² |
|---|---|
| Carpet (mid-range, supplied + fitted) | £20 – £50/m² |
| Laminate flooring (supplied + fitted) | £15 – £35/m² |
| Ceramic floor tiles (supplied + fitted) | £30 – £70/m² |
| Interior painting (walls) | £8 – £18/m² |
| External render / plaster | £25 – £55/m² |
| Roof tiles (replacement) | £40 – £90/m² |
Length Unit Conversion Reference
Our square meters calculator accepts dimensions in all major units. Here’s a full conversion guide:
| From | To | Multiply By |
|---|---|---|
| Millimetres (mm) | Centimetres (cm) | ÷ 10 |
| Centimetres (cm) | Metres (m) | ÷ 100 |
| Metres (m) | Kilometres (km) | ÷ 1,000 |
| Kilometres (km) | Miles (mi) | × 0.621371 |
| Inches (in) | Centimetres (cm) | × 2.54 |
| Inches (in) | Metres (m) | × 0.0254 |
| Feet (ft) | Metres (m) | × 0.3048 |
| Yards (yd) | Metres (m) | × 0.9144 |
| Miles (mi) | Metres (m) | × 1,609.344 |
| Nautical miles (nmi) | Metres (m) | × 1,852 |
To get square units from linear units, convert both dimensions to the same unit before multiplying.
What Does 2,000 Square Meters Look Like?
2,000 m² is roughly the size of:
- Half an acre of land
- 5 standard UK tennis courts (one court = 260 m²)
- A large warehouse unit or small retail store
- A suburban plot with a medium-sized home and generous garden
For context: the average UK home is around 76 m²; the average US home is about 220 m². A 2,000 m² space is approximately 26 average UK homes or 9 average US homes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Calculate Square Meters?
Multiply length by width, both in metres. Area (m²) = Length (m) × Width (m). For other shapes, use the appropriate formula from the table in this guide. For irregular shapes, divide into rectangles, calculate each area, and add the results.
What Is 10 ft by 10 ft in Square Meters?
10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft. To convert to square metres: 100 × 0.092903 = 9.29 m². Alternatively, convert feet to metres first: 10 ft × 0.3048 = 3.048 m. Then 3.048 × 3.048 = 9.29 m². Both methods give the same answer.
What Is 20 sqm in Meters?
20 m² is an area — it does not directly convert to metres because metres measure length, not area. A square room with 20 m² of floor area has sides of √20 = 4.47 metres. A rectangle 5 m × 4 m also equals 20 m². There is no single answer in “metres” without knowing one of the two dimensions.
How to Calculate sq Meter Cost?
Multiply the area in square metres by the price per square metre. If a floor tile costs £35/m² and the room is 18 m², the material cost is 18 × 35 = £630. For installed prices (labour included), use the installed price per m².
How Much Does 1 Square Meter Cost?
It depends entirely on the material or service. Carpet ranges from £15–£40/m²; tiles from £20–£70/m²; concrete flooring from £30–£80/m²; roof tiles from £40–£90/m². For land, 1 m² can cost from a few pounds in rural areas to thousands of pounds per m² in prime city locations.
What Does 2,000 Square Meters Look Like?
2,000 m² is approximately half an acre. In practical terms, it’s about five full-size tennis courts, a medium supermarket shop floor, or a rectangular plot of 40 m × 50 m (130 ft × 164 ft). It’s a generous residential plot size in most countries.