# Feet to Thou (ft to thou)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/feet-to-thou/

**1 ft = 12000 thou**

One foot equals exactly 12,000 thou (mils). Since 1 foot = 12 inches and 1 inch = 1,000 thou, multiply 12 by 1,000. This conversion is used in manufacturing and engineering where part dimensions in feet must be expressed in the precision thou (mil) unit for tolerances and specifications.

## Formula

Convert Feet to Thou

## Conversion Table

| Feet (ft) | Thou (thou) |
|---|---|
| 0.001 ft | 12 thou |
| 0.01 ft | 120 thou |
| 0.05 ft | 600 thou |
| 0.1 ft | 1200 thou |
| 0.5 ft | 6000 thou |
| 1 ft | 12000 thou |
| 2 ft | 24000 thou |
| 5 ft | 60000 thou |
| 10 ft | 120000 thou |
| 50 ft | 600000 thou |
| 100 ft | 1200000 thou |
| 500 ft | 6000000 thou |
| 1000 ft | 12000000 thou |

## Units

### Foot (ft)

An imperial unit of length equal to 12 inches or 0.3048 meters. Used in the US and UK for height, altitude, and construction.

### Thou (thou)

One thousandth of an inch (0.0254 mm). Also called a mil in the US. Used in engineering, manufacturing, and for measuring thin materials like plastic film.

## Background

A foot of material is 12,000 thou. A standard PCB at 62 thou thick is 0.00517 feet. Paint thickness at 2-4 thou is 0.000167-0.000333 feet. In American manufacturing, large part dimensions are in feet while fine tolerances are in thou. Both coexist on the same blueprint.

## Good to Know

American machinists think in thou for precision work and feet for part size. A machinist might say 'a 2-foot bracket with a 5-thou tolerance.' Both units live on the same shop floor but serve different precision levels.

## FAQ

### How many thou are in 1 foot?

One foot contains exactly 12,000 thou. Since 1 foot = 12 inches and 1 inch = 1,000 thou, multiply 12 by 1,000.

### How do I convert feet to thou?

Multiply the foot value by 12,000. For example, 0.5 feet = 6,000 thou (6 inches).

### When would I need feet in thou?

In manufacturing when overall part dimensions (feet) must be compared with coating thickness, wire diameter, or machining tolerances (thou). Engineering drawings may mix both units.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### How many thou thick is a floorboard?

A standard hardwood floorboard is about 3/4 inch = 750 thou thick. In feet, that is 0.0625 feet. The floor you walk on is 750 thousandths of an inch thick. This sounds less reassuring than '3/4 inch,' which is why carpenters do not use thou.

### Is a hair's width measurable in feet?

A human hair is about 3 thou (0.003 inches = 0.00025 feet). In feet, a hair is a quarter of a thousandth of a foot. This is why thou exist: to give meaningful numbers to things that are unmeaningfully small in feet.

### Do any building codes use thou?

No. Building codes use feet and inches (US) or millimeters (metric). Thou are for manufacturing tolerances, not construction. A building inspector saying 'your wall is 500 thou too thin' would be saying '0.5 inches,' which would be more useful and less confusing.

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## See Also

- [Thou to Feet](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/thou-to-feet/)