Construction drawings, tape measures and height charts in the US all switch between inches and feet — and the switch trips people up because there are 12 inches in a foot, not 10. This converter gives the answer both ways: decimal feet for math and estimating software, and feet plus inches for measuring and cutting.
How to use the inches to feet converter
- Enter the measurement in Inches (in). Fractions go in as decimals — 3/8 is 0.375.
- The result shows decimal feet. Below it are feet and inches, yards and centimeters.
- The chart lists 1 to 240 inches with both decimal feet and feet-and-inches.
Inches to feet formula
For feet and inches, keep the whole number of feet and convert the rest back:
Worked example: a standard interior door
Most US interior doors are 80 inches tall.
Decimal feet. 80 ÷ 12 = 6.6667 ft.
Feet and inches. 6 × 12 = 72, and 80 − 72 = 8, so the door is 6 ft 8 in — the size printed on door labels as "6-8".
A second case: a board measures 125 inches. 125 ÷ 12 = 10.4167 ft, or 10 ft 5 in. That tells you a 10-foot board is too short and a 12-footer leaves 19 inches of offcut.
Inches to decimal feet chart
Estimators, surveyors and spreadsheet users work in decimal feet. Memorizing these twelfths makes it quick to convert any leftover inches:
| Inches | Decimal feet |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.0833 |
| 2 | 0.1667 |
| 3 | 0.25 |
| 4 | 0.3333 |
| 5 | 0.4167 |
| 6 | 0.5 |
| 7 | 0.5833 |
| 8 | 0.6667 |
| 9 | 0.75 |
| 10 | 0.8333 |
| 11 | 0.9167 |
So 14 ft 7 in is 14.5833 ft, which is what you would type into a takeoff program or into length × width for square footage.
Building dimensions you will meet
| Item | Inches | Feet |
|---|---|---|
| Stud spacing (on center) | 16 | 1.3333 (1 ft 4 in) |
| Wide stud or joist spacing | 24 | 2 |
| Kitchen counter height | 36 | 3 |
| Precut stud for an 8 ft wall | 92 5/8 | 7.7188 (7 ft 8 5/8 in) |
| Plywood or drywall sheet length | 96 | 8 |
| Standard interior door height | 80 | 6.6667 (6 ft 8 in) |
Sixteen-inch spacing exists because 96-inch sheets break evenly into six 16-inch bays. When you need to add or subtract mixed feet, inches and fractions, the feet and inches calculator does it without converting back and forth. For lumber volume, see the board foot calculator.
The most common mistake
Treating the digits after the decimal point as inches. A height of 5.9 ft is not 5 ft 9 in; it is 5 ft 10.8 in. When a form asks for feet and inches, always multiply the decimal part by 12. For heights in particular, the height converter also gives centimeters.
Frequently asked questions
How many inches are in a foot?
Twelve. To convert inches to feet, divide by 12; to convert feet to inches, multiply by 12.
What is 70 inches in feet?
70 ÷ 12 = 5.8333 ft. As feet and inches it is 5 ft 10 in, because 5 × 12 = 60 and 10 inches are left over.
Is 5.5 feet the same as 5 feet 5 inches?
No. Decimal feet count tenths of a foot, not inches. 5.5 ft is 5 ft 6 in, because 0.5 × 12 = 6. Likewise 5.25 ft is 5 ft 3 in and 5.1 ft is only 5 ft 1.2 in.
How do I convert inches to feet in a spreadsheet?
For decimal feet, divide the cell by 12, for example =A1/12. For whole feet use =INT(A1/12) and for the leftover inches use =MOD(A1,12).