Square Yard Calculator
Enter a length and width in feet, inches, yards, meters or centimeters to see the area in square yards, square feet and square meters. Add a waste percentage and a price per square yard to estimate what carpet, turf or sod will cost, or switch modes to convert an area you already know.
Last updated November 3, 2026
Extra for cuts, such as carpet
Optional
Result
20 sq yd
180 sq ft, 16.72 m². Buy 22 sq yd with 10% waste.
| Amount | Sq yd | Sq ft | m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room area | 20 | 180 | 16.72 |
| With 10% waste | 22 | 198 | 18.39 |
Carpet is often sold from a 12 ft wide roll, so the length you order can exceed the room area. Check with your supplier.
Show the work
Formula: square yards = (length x width in feet) / 9; with waste = square yards x (1 + waste / 100); cost = square yards with waste x price per square yard
- Area: 12 x 15 ft = 180 sq ft.
- Square yards: 180 / 9 = 20 sq yd.
- Square meters: 180 x 0.09290304 = 16.72 m².
- Waste: 20 x (1 + 10%) = 22 sq yd.
Result: 20 sq yd
How square yards are worked out
square yards = (length × width in feet) ÷ 9
with waste = square yards × (1 + waste ÷ 100)
cost = square yards with waste × price per square yard
A square yard is a square measuring 3 feet on each side, so it holds 9 square feet. Multiply the length by the width, then divide by 9 if the area is in square feet. If you measure in yards, the product is already in square yards.
Take a room that is 12 ft by 15 ft. The area is 12 × 15 = 180 square feet, and 180 ÷ 9 = 20 square yards. In metric terms, one square yard is exactly 0.83612736 square meters, so the same room is 16.72 square meters.
A waste allowance multiplies the area by one plus the percentage. At the default 10 percent, 20 × 1.10 = 22 square yards. If you enter a price, the cost is the square yards with waste times that price.
See how we calculate for the formulas, sources and review schedule behind every calculator.
Also useful alongside this calculator: Square Footage Calculator, Length Converter and Percentage Calculator.
Converting square feet to square yards
To go from square feet to square yards, divide by 9. A 500 square foot space is 55.56 square yards, and 1,000 square feet is 111.11 square yards.
The Convert an area mode does this for square yards, square feet, square inches and square meters, and shows all four at once.
If the space is made of several rectangles, triangles or circles, find its total with the Square Footage Calculator first, then enter that area here in Convert an area mode.
Carpet, turf and other materials sold by the yard
Carpet, artificial turf and sod are often priced per square yard. A quote of 25 dollars per square yard for the 12 ft by 15 ft room comes to 22 × 25 = 550 dollars with 10 percent waste, against 500 dollars with none.
Carpet is often sold from a roll that is 12 ft wide, so the length you must order can be larger than the room area suggests. This is a note only: the calculator does not model roll widths or seams, so ask your supplier how they will cut the room.
Choosing a waste allowance
Walls, doorways and patterns that must line up leave offcuts, so a margin is added before ordering. The calculator starts at 10 percent, a common rule of thumb, and accepts 0 to 100.
On the 12 ft by 15 ft example, 0 percent gives 20 square yards, 10 percent gives 22, and 20 percent gives 24.
Square yards and square meters
Because the yard is defined from the meter, the conversion is exact: 1 square yard = 0.83612736 square meters. A 100 square meter floor is 119.6 square yards, and a 5 m by 4 m room, which is 20 square meters, is 23.92 square yards.
Going the other way, 50 square yards is 41.81 square meters.
How to use the Square Yard Calculator
- Choose Room size to square yards, or Convert an area if you already have the area.
- For a room, pick the unit and enter the length and width.
- Keep the 10 percent waste allowance or change it, from 0 to 100.
- Optionally enter a price per square yard to see the cost.
- Read the square yards, square feet and square meters, then use Copy, Print or Share.
Worked example
A 12 ft by 15 ft bedroom is 180 square feet, which is 180 ÷ 9 = 20 square yards or 16.72 square meters. Adding 10 percent waste gives 22 square yards, 198 square feet or 18.39 square meters. At 25 dollars per square yard, that is 22 × 25 = 550 dollars.
| Room size | Square feet | Square yards | Square yards with waste |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft × 10 ft | 100 | 11.11 | 12.22 |
| 12 ft × 15 ft | 180 | 20 | 22 |
| 15 ft × 20 ft | 300 | 33.33 | 36.67 |
| 20 ft × 25 ft | 500 | 55.56 | 61.11 |
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in a square yard?
There are 9 square feet in a square yard, because a yard is 3 feet and 3 × 3 = 9. There are also 1,296 square inches, and 0.83612736 square meters.
How do I convert square feet to square yards?
Divide the square feet by 9. For example, 500 square feet divided by 9 is 55.56 square yards, and 1,000 square feet is 111.11 square yards.
How much carpet should I buy for a room?
Measure the room, work out its square yards, then add a waste allowance. The default is 10 percent, so a 20 square yard room becomes 22. Roll width can raise the amount you must order.
How many square yards is 100 square meters?
A floor of 100 square meters is 119.6 square yards, found by dividing by 0.83612736. A 20 square meter room is 23.92 square yards.
Is this the same as the square footage calculator?
No. The Square Footage Calculator measures rectangles, triangles and circles and sums them, while this page focuses on square yards, waste and a price per yard. Use both together for odd shapes.