This page converts bar into feet of water using the factor 33.45525656, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure pressure, which is why one number does the whole job.
Almost exactly atmospheric pressure; standard in European industry and diving. Pump head expressed as a column of water — the way pump curves are drawn.
Gauge versus absolute. A tyre gauge reading 32 psi means 32 psi above atmospheric, which is about 46.7 psi absolute. Converting the number is straightforward; remembering which zero it was measured from is where the mistakes happen. N/mm² and MPa are the same size, so a drawing quoting either is quoting the same stress. Two tables follow: rounded steps for quick lookup, and a set of real reference quantities converted into feet of water, which is usually more useful than the bare number.
The formula
bar- The amount you are converting, in bar
33.4552565551- The exact number of feet of water in one bar
feet of water- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in bar.
- It is multiplied by 33.4552565551, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in feet of water, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
A bicycle tyre: 6.21 bar in feet of water
A bicycle tyre comes to about 6.21 bar. Multiplying by the factor: 6.21 × 33.4553 = 207.757 ftH₂O. Dividing the answer back by 33.4553 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
A steam boiler: 10 bar in feet of water
At 10 bar (a steam boiler), the same quantity in feet of water is 10 × 33.4553 = 334.553 ftH₂O. One bar is 33.4553 feet of water, so the numbers grow as expected.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many feet of water are in one bar?
Exactly 33.4552565551. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert bar to feet of water?
feet of water = bar × 33.4552565551. Reversed, bar = feet of water ÷ 33.4552565551, which is the same as multiplying by 0.029890669.
Which is the bigger unit, the bar or the foot of water?
The bar. One bar equals 33.4553 feet of water.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure pressure. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a bar?
Almost exactly atmospheric pressure; standard in European industry and diving.
What is a foot of water?
Pump head expressed as a column of water — the way pump curves are drawn.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do bar to ftH₂O in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: multiply by 33 instead of using the exact factor 33.45525656. At 100 that shortcut gives 3300 feet of water, off by 45.53 feet of water or about 1.36%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Bar to feet of water reference tables
| Bar | Feet Of Water |
|---|---|
| 0.5 bar | 16.7276 ftH₂O |
| 1 bar | 33.4553 ftH₂O |
| 2 bar | 66.9105 ftH₂O |
| 3 bar | 100.366 ftH₂O |
| 5 bar | 167.276 ftH₂O |
| 10 bar | 334.553 ftH₂O |
| 20 bar | 669.105 ftH₂O |
| 25 bar | 836.381 ftH₂O |
| 50 bar | 1672.76 ftH₂O |
| 75 bar | 2509.14 ftH₂O |
| 100 bar | 3345.53 ftH₂O |
| 250 bar | 8363.81 ftH₂O |
| 500 bar | 16,727.6 ftH₂O |
| 1000 bar | 33,455.3 ftH₂O |
| 5000 bar | 167,276 ftH₂O |
Exact factor: 1 bar = 33.4552565551 feet of water.
| Quantity | bar | ftH₂O |
|---|---|---|
| Sea-level air | 1.013 bar | 33.9 ftH₂O |
| A car tyre | 2.206 bar | 73.81 ftH₂O |
| Blood pressure, systolic | 0.16 bar | 5.352 ftH₂O |
| A bicycle tyre | 6.205 bar | 207.6 ftH₂O |
| A domestic water main | 4 bar | 133.8 ftH₂O |
| A steam boiler | 10 bar | 334.6 ftH₂O |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.