estimate room square footageby breaking the job into simple steps. Start with a tape measure, a notepad, and a calculator. Measure the length and width of each room in feet, measuring wall to wall, and multiply the two numbers. A room that is 12 feet by 15 feet covers 180 square feet. Write each pair of numbers down before you move on. For rooms that are not simple rectangles, divide the floor into smaller rectangles and triangles. Measure each section separately, work out its area, and add the results together. L-shaped rooms, alcoves, and bay windows are easy to handle this way. For a triangle, multiply the base by the height and divide by two. Round each measurement to the nearest half inch for a practical result. Do not forget closets, nooks, and doorways if they are part of the flooring area, and subtract the footprint of fixed features such as kitchen islands. When buying flooring, add about 10 percent extra to your total for cutting waste and mistakes. For carpet sold by the square yard, divide your square footage by 9 to convert, so 180 square feet becomes 20 square yards. Double-check every measurement before you order materials. Keep the receipt in case you need to return unused boxes.
