This page converts bar into pounds per square foot using the factor 2088.543423, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure pressure, which is why one number does the whole job.
The unit US building codes give floor, roof and wind loads in. Almost exactly atmospheric pressure; standard in European industry and diving.
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. The tables underneath give both a plain step-by-step lookup and a list of real quantities expressed in pounds per square foot, so you can sanity-check whether your answer is a plausible size.
The formula
bar- The amount you are converting, in bar
2088.54342332- The exact number of pounds per square foot in one bar
pounds per square foot- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in bar.
- It is multiplied by 2088.54342332, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in pounds per square foot, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
Blood pressure, systolic: 0.16 bar in pounds per square foot
Take blood pressure, systolic, roughly 0.16 bar. The conversion is a single multiplication — 0.16 × 2088.54 — giving 334.167 psf. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 668.334 psf.
A bicycle tyre: 6.21 bar in pounds per square foot
Take a bicycle tyre, roughly 6.21 bar. The conversion is a single multiplication — 6.21 × 2088.54 — giving 12,969.9 psf. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 25,939.7 psf.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many pounds per square foot are in one bar?
Exactly 2088.54342332. 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 pounds per square foot?
pounds per square foot = bar × 2088.54342332. Reversed, bar = pounds per square foot ÷ 2088.54342332, which is the same as multiplying by 0.000478802589803.
Which is the bigger unit, the bar or the pound per square foot?
The bar. One bar equals 2088.54 pounds per square foot.
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 pound per square foot?
The unit US building codes give floor, roof and wind loads in.
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 psf in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: multiply by 2100 instead of using the exact factor 2088.543423. At 100 that shortcut gives 210,000 pounds per square foot, off by 1146 pounds per square foot or about 0.55%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Bar to pounds per square foot reference tables
| Bar | Pounds Per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| 0.5 bar | 1044.27 psf |
| 1 bar | 2088.54 psf |
| 2 bar | 4177.09 psf |
| 3 bar | 6265.63 psf |
| 5 bar | 10,442.7 psf |
| 10 bar | 20,885.4 psf |
| 20 bar | 41,770.9 psf |
| 25 bar | 52,213.6 psf |
| 50 bar | 104,427 psf |
| 75 bar | 156,641 psf |
| 100 bar | 208,854 psf |
| 250 bar | 522,136 psf |
| 500 bar | 1.04427e+06 psf |
| 1000 bar | 2.08854e+06 psf |
| 5000 bar | 1.04427e+07 psf |
Exact factor: 1 bar = 2088.54342332 pounds per square foot.
| Quantity | bar | psf |
|---|---|---|
| Sea-level air | 1.013 bar | 2116 psf |
| A car tyre | 2.206 bar | 4608 psf |
| Blood pressure, systolic | 0.16 bar | 334.1 psf |
| A bicycle tyre | 6.205 bar | 1.296e+04 psf |
| A domestic water main | 4 bar | 8354 psf |
| A steam boiler | 10 bar | 2.089e+04 psf |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.