Foot Candles to Lumens Calculator
Convert foot candles (fc) to lumens per square foot (lm/ft²) instantly, with area for total light output.
Conversion Formula
Foot candles equal lumens per square foot directly: 1 fc = 1 lm/ft². For total lumens in a space: Total lm = fc × area (ft²).
- Step 1: Input fc value.
- Step 2: Add area if calculating total light from fixtures.
- Step 3: Result shows lm/ft² and total lm.
Example: 50 fc over 200 ft² = 50 lm/ft² = 10,000 total lm.
Popular Conversions Table
| Foot Candles (fc) | Lumens/ft² (lm/ft²) | Total lm (100 ft²) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 100 |
| 10 | 10 | 1,000 |
| 50 | 50 | 5,000 |
| 100 | 100 | 10,000 |
| 200 | 200 | 20,000 |
Visual Comparison Chart
Lighting Level Benchmarks
Offices
- Open areas: 30 fc
- Conference: 30-50 fc
- Private desks: 50 fc
Retail
- Stockroom: 10-30 fc
- Merchandising: 200 fc
- Malls: 30 fc
Warehouses
- Active small items: 15-60 fc
- Assembly: 50-200 fc
- Shipping: 30 fc
Sports
- Recreational field: 20-30 fc
- College infield: 70-100 fc
- Pro basketball: 70-120 fc
Common Questions
Why use lumens per square foot?
Lumens per square foot matches foot candles exactly, measuring light density on surfaces for precise fixture planning.
How does area factor in?
Multiply fc by square footage for total lumens needed from all lights combined in that space.
Foot candles vs. lux?
1 fc ≈ 10.76 lux; both measure illuminance, but fc uses imperial units for US projects.