A square yard is a unit of area often used for home improvement, construction, and landscaping projects. But how many square feet are in a square yard?
That’s what we’ll break down in this article. We’ll help you understand the relationship between square yards and square feet so you can easily convert between the two.
We’ll also touch briefly on the difference between square yards and cubic yards, as that often comes up when folks are planning projects.
Understanding square yards and square feet
To understand the relationship between square yards and square feet, it helps to define each unit of measurement.
What is a square foot?
A square foot is a unit of area that’s equal to a square measuring one foot on each side. When you’re measuring rooms, flooring, or other smaller spaces, you’ll probably be using square feet.
What is a square yard?
A square yard is a unit of area equal to a square measuring one yard (or three feet) on each side. You’ll often see square yards used when people are talking about yards, carpets, or large quantities of fabric.
The relationship between square yards and square feet
One square yard is equal to nine square feet.
This conversion factor is essential when you’re calculating how much material you’ll need for a home improvement project.
Think of a square yard as a big square that can be divided into nine smaller squares, each representing a square foot.
How to convert square yards to square feet
Here’s how to do the math:
- The formula: Square Feet = Square Yards x 9
For instance, say you want to convert 2 square yards into square feet. Here’s how to do it:
- Example: 2 square yards x 9 = 18 square feet
Knowing this conversion is helpful for figuring out the square footage of a yard when you know the area in square yards. It can also help when buying flooring or other materials that are sold by the square yard.
How to calculate square yards from square feet
The formula is simple:
Square Yards = Square Feet / 9
For example, if you’re working with 45 square feet, you would divide 45 by 9. The answer is 5 square yards.
This conversion comes in handy when you have measurements in square feet but need the equivalent in square yards to estimate the amount of material you need for a project. It’s also useful for comparing the prices of materials sold by the square foot versus those sold by the square yard.
Square yards vs. cubic yards
It’s easy to mix up square yards and cubic yards, but they measure different things.
Understanding the difference
Square yards measure area, which means they measure length and width. Cubic yards measure volume, which means they measure length, width, and height or depth.
You’d use square yards for flat surfaces, such as lawns or flooring. You’d use cubic yards to measure volume, such as how much concrete or soil you need for a project.
Converting between square feet and cubic yards
To convert between square feet and cubic yards, you have to know the depth or height of the material you’re working with.
Here are the formulas you’ll need:
- To convert square feet to cubic yards: (Square Feet x Height in Feet) / 27
- To convert cubic yards to square feet: (Cubic Yards x 27) / Height in Feet
For example, if you have 100 square feet and you want to pour concrete that’s 0.5 feet deep, you’d calculate (100 x 0.5) / 27 = 1.85 cubic yards.
Putting It All Together
So, to recap, one square yard is equal to nine square feet.
Knowing this conversion is essential for accurate material calculations, especially for home improvement projects and other jobs that require you to measure area.
And remember, a square yard is different from a cubic yard. Knowing the difference between area (square yards) and volume (cubic yards) will help you avoid costly calculation errors.