Square Footage Calculator
Calculate square footage for flooring, painting, and landscaping. Estimate total area and cost for multiple rooms with waste allowance.
How to Calculate Square Footage
Square footage is the standard measurement for floor space in real estate and construction. It represents the area of a room or structure.
The basic formula for a rectangular room is:
Area = Length × Width
For example, a bedroom that is 12 feet long and 10 feet wide is 120 square feet ($12 \times 10 = 120$).
Calculating Multiple Rooms
To find the total square footage of a house or project, calculate the area of each individual room and add them together. This calculator handles that automatically with the "Add Area" feature.
Why add waste?
When buying materials like flooring (tile, carpet, hardwood) or paint, professional contractors recommend adding a waste factor of 10-15%. This accounts for:
- Cuts and trimming around corners.
- Pattern matching (which wastes material).
- Mistakes during installation.
? Frequently Asked Questions
Break the shape down into smaller rectangles. Calculate the area of each rectangle separately and then add them all together.
The standard recommendation is 10%. If you are laying tile diagonally or have a room with many angles/corners, increase this to 15% or 20%.
Measure the length and width of the room at its widest points. Measure from the inside of the walls. Round up to the nearest inch.