17 feet is equal to 5-2/3 yards, 204 inches, or 5.1816 meters.
While knowing what 17 feet converts to in yards, inches, and meters can be helpful, knowing these figures won’t exactly tell you how long it is. That’s why it’s a good idea to know the lengths of common objects. That way, you can visualize what a certain measurement, like 17 feet, looks like.
Below, I’ll show you 9 things that you can use as references for measuring 17 feet.
25.5 Bricks
If you need to know how long 17 feet is because you’re building a backyard barbecue pit, then you will probably have several red bricks on hand. While bricks can vary in size based on their type, the standard brick size in America is 3-5/8 × 2-1/4 × 8 inches.
So, taking the 8-inch length of a brick, we would need precisely 25.5 of them lying side by side to get to 17 feet precisely. However, this figure does not take into account the mortar used to stick the bricks together.
9 94-pound Concrete Sacks
For those that are planning a backyard construction project soon, you can’t get very far without a few bags of concrete. At least, that’s the case if you want to construct a backyard barbecue pit. While you can get concrete bags in different sizes and weights, they’re most commonly available in 94-pound (43-kilogram) sacks.
The exact dimensions of the bag will vary based on the bag’s condition. However, they typically measure 23 inches from top to bottom. So, about 9 of them would get you pretty close to 17 feet in length.
3 Average-Sized Men
The height of a person will be affected by a number of different factors, including diet, sleep, and hormones. Chandra Bahadur Dangi from Nepal was the shortest person who stood a mere 54.6 centimeters (1 foot 9.5 inches). On the opposite end of the height spectrum is Robert Wadlow, who stood 2.72 meters tall (8 feet 11 inches).
However, the average man on the planet stands around 5 feet 9 inches, according to Our World in Data. So, lying 3 average-sized people on the ground lengthwise would give you a collective length of close to 17 feet long.
11 Claw Hammers
Hammers have been a huge part of human history since the dawn of time. Hunters from the Stone Age fashioned hammers out of stones, bones, or antlers. Today, hammers are generally made of a wooden or plastic handle with a rubberized sleeve and a metal hammerhead with a clawed end for removing nails.
The standard hammer measures 20 inches long from the top of the head to the bottom of the handle. To get to 17 feet in claw hammer terms, you would need to amass around 11 of them and lie them lengthwise on the ground.
3 Small Patio Umbrellas
A patio umbrella can be a great piece of backyard equipment to have. It will shield you from the sweat-inducing rays of the sun, allowing you and your family to enjoy some much-needed fresh air on your patio. Patios come in a wide range of sizes, starting from 5 feet and capping at around 11 feet in diameter.
So, if you have a small patio umbrella, you would need 3 of them to get to 15 feet. You can make up for the missing length using any of these 24-inch-long items.
3 Beach Towels
While beach towels and shower towels may look identical, there are actually a few key differences to keep in mind. First, shower or bath towels are fluffier to absorb more moisture from your body. Beach towels are thinner and mainly used for keeping the hot beach sand off your body while you soak up the sun rays.
The size of the towel will also let you know whether it’s for a trip to the beach or for everyday home use. Beach towels typically measure 60 inches long, so 3 of them + a 2-foot item would give you 17 feet. If you use an oversized 70-inch beach towel, you would need slightly fewer than 2 of them to reach the same measurement.
3 Twin Mattresses
According to the Sleeping Foundation, twin mattresses can be good for children and adults, those who still wet the bed or people who don’t have anyone to share a bed with. Twin mattresses generally measure 38 × 75 inches, meaning that 3 of them would get you about 21 inches beyond 17 feet or the approximate length of 10.5 large binder clips.
If you were to measure by the mattress’ 35-inch width, you would need slightly more than 5 of them to reach 17 feet. A twin XL bed is 5 inches longer than the standard twin-sized mattress, so you’d need just over 2.5 of them for measuring 17 feet.
10 French Rolling Pins
If you look at different rolling pin types, you’ll most certainly come across a rolling pin with tapered ends. This type is known as the French rolling pin. The tapered ends supposedly allow for better maneuverability, so you can easily glide the pin to flatten any bit of dough that extends to the side.
The exact measurements of a French rolling pin vary by brand. However, the most common width is 20 inches. So, placing 10 of them side by side will only be 4 inches (the length of a credit card) shy of 17 feet.
17 License Plates
Did you know that the dimensions of a license plate in the United States are 12 × 6 inches? So, using the width of a license plate, you can measure any footage using the width of a standard license plate with near-precise accuracy. In this case, laying 17 of them side by side would give you exactly 17 feet.
What about license plates for motorcycles? Except for Minnesota, a motorcycle license plate will measure 7 × 4 inches. So, in order to measure 17 feet using motorcycle license plates in 49 out of 50 states, 29 of them would get you extremely close.
Leave a Reply