When planning to install new carpet flooring in your home, one of the first steps is to accurately measure the room. Proper measurements ensure you purchase the right amount of carpet and avoid costly mistakes or delays in the installation process.
Whether you’re tackling the project on your own or working with a professional installer, knowing how to measure a room for carpet is essential. Here’s a simple guide to help you get started.
1. Gather your tools
Before you begin, make sure you have the necessary tools on hand to measure your room accurately. You’ll need:
- A tape measure (preferably at least 25 feet long)
- A notepad and pen for jotting down measurements
- A calculator for any necessary math
- A helper if you’re working with larger rooms or multiple areas
2. Measure the length and width of the room
Start by measuring the length and width of the room from wall to wall. Measure each dimension twice to ensure accuracy. When writing down your measurements, be sure to round up to the nearest half-foot to account for any irregularities in the room’s shape.
- Length: Run your tape measure along the longest side of the room, measuring from one wall to the opposite wall. Write down the measurements in feet and inches.
- Width: Next, measure the width of the room by running the tape measure from one side wall to the other. Again, write down the measurements in feet and inches.
- For example, if your room measures 12 feet 6 inches in length and 10 feet 3 inches in width, you’ll round those measurements up to 13 feet by 10.5 feet.
3. Account for irregular room shapes
Many rooms aren’t perfect rectangles, so if your space includes alcoves, closets, or other irregular areas, you’ll need to account for these when measuring.
- Divide the room into sections: Break the room down into smaller rectangles or squares. Measure each section’s length and width separately. For example, if there’s a small alcove, measure its dimensions just as you did for the main room.
- Add measurements together: Once you’ve measured each section, add the individual measurements together to get the total square footage needed.
4. Calculate the total square footage
After measuring the length and width of the room, you’ll need to calculate the total square footage. To do this, multiply the length by the width.
- Formula: Length (in feet) x Width (in feet) = Total square footage
- For example, if your room is 13 feet by 10.5 feet, multiply 13 by 10.5 to get 136.5 square feet.
- If you have additional sections, calculate the square footage of each and add them to your total. For instance, if your alcove measures 4 feet by 3 feet, it adds 12 square feet to your total, making the overall square footage 148.5.
5. Add extra carpet for waste
It’s always a good idea to add extra carpet to your order to account for waste during the cutting and installation process. A typical recommendation is to add 10% to your total square footage to ensure you have enough material.
- Waste factor: Multiply the total square footage by 1.10 to include the extra carpet. Using the example of 148.5 square feet, multiply this by 1.10 to get 163.35 square feet. Rounding up, you’ll need approximately 164 square feet of carpet.
- Adding extra carpet will also help cover any mistakes or miscalculations and allow for future repairs if needed.
6. Convert to square yards
Carpet is often sold by the square yard rather than the square foot. To convert your total square footage to square yards, divide the total by 9 (since one square yard equals 9 square feet).
- Formula: Total square footage ÷ 9 = Total square yards
- For the example room, divide 164 square feet by 9 to get approximately 18.22 square yards. It’s best to round up to the nearest whole number, so you’ll need about 19 square yards of carpet.
By following these steps, you can accurately measure your room and determine how much carpet you’ll need for your space. For expert advice and a wide selection of carpets, reach out to us or visit Bush Flooring Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
