Carpet size is one of the most important considerations when you’re shopping for new flooring. Size matters because carpet has to cover both the surface area and perimeter of your room in order to lay properly. The tips below will help you find the right size for your space.
1. Measure the dimensions of the room
Get up on a ladder with a measuring tape, and carefully take down the length and width of each room. You’ll want to do this in feet and inches (e.g., 12′ x 12′).
2. Determine the total square footage (including perimeter)
Next, add up all of the surface area—including any hallways, adjacent rooms, patios or porches—to get your total square footage.
3. Calculate how much carpet you need
To figure out how much square footage of carpet you need to cover your space, divide the surface area by the roll width. For example, 15′ x 10′ = 150 square feet divided by 9″ (carpet roll width) = 16.6 needed rolls of 9″ carpeting.
4. Subtract 10% from this number
Once you have your total square footage, subtract 10% from that number. This will be a little extra felt rug padding to account for cutting off the carpet and adding any borders. For example, 15′ x 10′ = 150 square feet divided by 9″ (carpet roll width) = 16.6 needed rolls of 9″ carpeting. Subtract 10% = 15 rolls – 16.6 = 0.6 needed rolls of 9″ needed carpeting).
5. Divide by the carpet roll width
This will give you the number of carpet rolls you’ll need for your space. For example, if you know your total square footage is 150 and you’ll need 16.6 rolls (or “carpet rolls”) of 9″ carpet, divide 150 ÷ 9″ = 17. This number is the number of sheets per roll (see step #7 below).
6. Add borders around the perimeter of the room
To add a border around the perimeter of your room, measure the width and length of your new flooring. This will help you determine how many borders to order. If you are going for a completed look, you can even purchase an extra border (or two) to ensure you have enough carpeting to cover the entire room. The borders like the carpeting sheet itself, should add up to very near 15′ foot on each end.
