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Carpet Calculator

Work out how much carpet a room needs in square feet and square yards, including roll width, seams and a waste allowance.

Carpet

Measure the room in feet. Results update live.

Carpet needed
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Enter the room size to see the estimate.

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Why carpet is sold by the square yard

Carpet is priced per square yard, and one square yard equals nine square feet, so dividing your room's square footage by nine converts the measurement. Rolls come 12 or 15 feet wide, and installers cut strips to the room's length, so the linear feet of roll tells you how much material actually gets cut.

Where the waste allowance goes

The waste margin covers pattern matching, cuts around doorways and closets, and seams where strips join. Patterned carpet can need 15 percent or more, while plain carpet in a simple rectangular room is often fine with 10 percent.

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Carpet Calculator FAQs

How do I measure a room for carpet?
Measure the longest length and width in feet, including closets and alcoves. For L shaped rooms, split the space into two rectangles, measure each and add them together.
What is the difference between 12 and 15 foot rolls?
Wider 15 foot rolls mean fewer seams in large rooms but can be harder to handle. Choose the width your carpet supplier stocks, since it changes the linear footage you need.
Do I need extra carpet for stairs?
Yes, measure each stair tread and riser separately and add them to the total. Stairs use more material per square foot, so ask your installer to estimate them.
Why is the roll length longer than my room?
Carpet is cut in full width strips, so a 10 by 12 room on a 12 foot roll needs full length strips per room section, plus waste for cuts and pattern matching.
Should I include the waste in my budget?
Yes. Carpet is sold by the full strip, so you pay for the waste allowance too. The calculator includes it in the linear feet figure so your budget matches the order.
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