Convert Square Meter (m²) to Square Chain (ch²) instantly.
About these units
Square Meter (m²)
The square meter is the SI unit of area and represents the area of a square with sides exactly one meter in length. It is used universally across science, engineering, architecture, real estate, agriculture, and virtually every discipline that deals with two-dimensional space. Because it is derived directly from the meter, it connects seamlessly to other SI units for volume (m³), density (kg/m³), and pressure (Pa = N/m²). In practical contexts, square meters are used to describe the size of rooms, building floor plans, land plots, insulation coverage, and materials such as flooring and roofing. Its intuitive scale makes it ideal for medium-sized spaces. Smaller areas (such as mechanical components) use cm² or mm², while larger geographical spaces use hectares or square kilometers. The square meter's universality and coherence with the metric system make it one of the most important area units in global use.
Square Chain (ch²)
A square chain equals the area of a square one chain (~66 feet) per side, resulting in 4,356 square feet, or exactly 1/10 of an acre. This unit is closely linked to the chain, a surveyor's unit standardized by Edmund Gunter in the 17th century. Because 10 square chains make an acre, survey calculations for early colonial and American lands were extremely efficient. Square chains allowed surveyors to map and divide land rapidly using ropes or metal chains, producing a legacy seen in long, straight property lines still visible today across rural landscapes.