Heights, room dimensions, lumber and screen sizes are often given in feet when the next step needs inches: a form that asks for height in inches, a plan that dimensions trim in inches only, or a product listing that mixes the two. Since one foot is exactly twelve inches, the conversion is a single multiplication — but mixed measurements like 5 ft 7 in and decimal feet like 6.25 ft are where mistakes creep in, so this converter accepts both.
How to use the feet to inches converter
- Enter the measurement in Feet (ft). Decimals are fine: 6.25 means six and a quarter feet.
- If your measurement is in feet and inches, put the leftover inches in Plus inches (optional) — for 5 ft 7 in, enter 5 and 7.
- Read the total in inches. The rows below show the same length as feet and inches, centimeters and yards.
- Scroll to the charts for common foot values and for heights from 4 ft 10 in to 6 ft 6 in.
Feet to inches formula
With a feet-and-inches measurement:
The factor is exact. Since 1959 the international foot has been defined as exactly 0.3048 m and the inch as exactly 2.54 cm, so 12 inches per foot carries no rounding at all. (The older US survey foot, retired for new surveying work in 2023, differed by about 2 parts per million — irrelevant for everyday measuring.)
Worked example
You are filling in a medical form that wants height in inches, and you are 5 ft 7 in.
Convert the whole feet: 5 × 12 = 60 in.
Add the extra inches: 60 + 7 = 67 inches.
For a metric form: 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm.
A decimal case: a closet shelf drawn as 6.25 ft on a plan is 6.25 × 12 = 75 inches, which a tape measure reads as 6 ft 3 in.
Quick reference
| Feet | Inches | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Ruler length, floor tile |
| 1.5 | 18 | Usual gap between countertop and upper cabinets |
| 2 | 24 | Wide stud or joist spacing |
| 3 | 36 | Kitchen counter height |
| 4 | 48 | Plywood and drywall sheet width |
| 6.67 | 80 | Standard interior door height (6 ft 8 in) |
| 8 | 96 | Common ceiling height and sheet length |
| 10 | 120 | Taller ceilings, 10-foot lumber |
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating decimals as inches. 5.7 ft is not 5 ft 7 in; it is 5 × 12 + 0.7 × 12 = 68.4 inches. Only feet-and-inches notation (5′ 7″) means 7 inches.
- Dropping the leftover inches. For 6 ft 2 in, multiplying only the 6 gives 72 and loses the 2. The answer is 74.
- Mixing up the marks. A single prime (′) means feet and a double prime (″) means inches, so 5′ 7″ is five feet seven inches.
Going further
To convert back, use inches to feet. For a full height conversion with centimeters and meters, the height converter handles both directions. If you need to add or subtract several feet-and-inch lengths — wall sections, cut lists, trim runs — the feet and inches calculator keeps the arithmetic in mixed units. For longer distances measured in yards, see yards to feet.
Frequently asked questions
How many inches are in a foot?
Exactly 12. The international foot is defined as 0.3048 meters and the inch as 0.0254 meters, and 0.3048 ÷ 0.0254 = 12.
How many inches is 5 feet 7 inches?
67 inches. Multiply the feet by 12 (5 × 12 = 60) and add the remaining inches (60 + 7 = 67). In centimeters that is 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm.
How do I convert decimal feet such as 6.25 ft to inches?
Multiply by 12: 6.25 × 12 = 75 inches, which is 6 ft 3 in. The decimal part is a fraction of a foot, not a number of inches, so 0.25 ft is 3 inches.
How tall is 6 feet in inches and centimeters?
Six feet is 72 inches, and 72 × 2.54 = 182.88 cm.