Are you having trouble figuring out how long 16 feet is? It’s the same as 5-1/3 yards or 4.8768 meters. Still not sure what 16 feet looks like? If you don’t have a measuring tape on hand, you should use the next best thing: objects measuring close to 16 feet as a reference.
Here are several everyday objects to help you visualize what 16 feet looks like:
- Canoe
- 2 parking space
- 2 grizzly bears
- Singles badminton court
- 2 2x4s
- 3 whiteboards
- Billboard
- ½ utility pole
- 2-3 grand pianos
- 2-1/2 sod rolls
1. Canoe
For those that want to row across calm bodies of water, a canoe is for you. You can take a canoe to the middle of a lake and fish to your heart’s content, or you can join intense canoe sprint competitions to see who has the best canoeing skills. Just make sure you know how to empty a swamped canoe, just in case!
Canoes come in all sorts of sizes, but they typically measure 16 to 17 feet long. Longer canoes of 20 feet or more typically travel faster but are more difficult to turn. Shorter ones, measuring 16 feet or under, are slower but easier to maneuver.
2. 2 Parking Spaces
Here’s something you’ve probably encountered at least once today: parking spaces. Parking lots have painted lines that dictate where you can park your vehicle. Park over the line, and you put your car at risk of bumping into others. Plus, people might not be happy about your poor parking job!
Parking spaces sizes vary, but they usually measure 8 × 18 feet. Its length is only about 2 feet longer than the 16 feet you’re looking for. For simplicity’s sake, take the width of 2 adjacent parking spaces.
3. 2 Grizzly Bears
One of the most ferocious animals known to mankind is the grizzly bear. Sure, they look cuddly from a distance, but with a sprinting speed of up to 40 miles per hour, they can close the gap pretty quickly. Considering the average running speed for humans (4 to 6 miles per hour), it’s safe to say that a charging grizzly bear almost means certain doom.
Grizzly bears can stand up to 8 feet tall on their hind legs or more than 2 feet higher than the average person. Imagine one grizzly bear standing on the head of another, and you have your 16 feet.
4. Singles Badminton Court
If you thought badminton was a slow-paced sport, think again. The fastest a shuttlecock has traveled is 565 kilometers per hour or more than 350 miles per hour. The sport is played on a court significantly smaller than a tennis court but with a higher net.
Like tennis, you can play badminton in teams of 2 or as singles. The size of the badminton court varies depending on the players. Singles badminton courts, which use the inner sideline, span 17 feet wide. For doubles games, the court extends 1-1/2 feet on both sides.
5. 2 2x4s
You can do quite a lot with a piece of 2×4. For instance, you can create bar stools or benches. You can also create a small box for your jewelry if you have a hinge and locking system. In extreme cases, a 2×4 can also serve as a makeshift weapon for warding off burglars.
2×4 refers to the dimensions of the board’s face, which is 2 × 4 inches. The length of the board is 8 feet, so 2 of them placed end to end should get you somewhere near 16 feet. We say somewhere because these figures are the board’s raw dimensions. After the drying process, the boards shrink slightly.
6. 3 Whiteboards
Whiteboards are boards that are, well, white. Teachers write on them with erasable markers. They’re mostly found in schools, but projectors and laptops have pretty much gotten rid of them. Did you know you can remove permanent marker ink from whiteboards by writing over the ink with erasable ink?
You can find whiteboards in different sizes, from small 2 × 4 feet to massive 4 × 6 feet. 3 of the largest whiteboards placed side by side will get you pretty close to 16 feet.
7. Billboard
Billboards may look small, but that’s because you’re viewing them from a distance. In reality, billboards are massive. Their sheer size allows motorists to quickly scan their prints and absorb as much information in just a glance.
There are several types of billboards, but the ones you see on the side of the highway are typically 14 × 48 feet. The width of a billboard is a decent representation of what 16 feet may look like, especially when viewed from afar.
8. ½ Utility Pole
Utility poles are essential structures that support electrical wires. While they may be a sight for sore eyes, they allow electricity to power our homes. They can also support fiber optic cables, which we need to connect to the internet at high speeds.
On average, utility poles stand 40 feet high. Imagine splitting a utility pole in half, and you’ll be somewhere near the 16-foot mark. If you live in the Anhui Province in China, make sure you’re not using the 277.5-meter-high utility pole as your reference!
9. 2-3 Grand Pianos
There are different types of pianos out there, but perhaps the most well-known is the grand piano. The “grandness” of a grand piano comes from its size, which also affects its price tag. However, if you want top-notch sound quality with a responsive touch, the cost is definitely worth it.
Grand pianos vary in size, with the largest kind (concert grand piano) measuring up to 9 feet 6 inches long. Large grand pianos are about 6 feet 5 inches in length, so 3 of them should get you only slightly beyond 16 feet.
10. 2-1/2 Sod Rolls
Sod, which is an upper layer of soil with sprouts of grass, is sold in squares, rectangles, or in rolls. You can use them to cover bare patches of soil on your property. The grass used in sod rolls or patches differ, but the most common is Bermuda.
Sod roll sizes vary between manufacturers, but they typically come in 80-inch rolls. Unroll 2-1/2 of them next to each other lengthwise, and you’ll hit the 16-foot mark.
