Carpet Square Footage Calculator
Calculate carpet area in both square feet and square yards. Most carpet is sold by the square yard, so the conversion matters when comparing prices.
Carpet Calculator
Why carpet is sold by the yard
Carpet has been sold by the square yard for decades, even though most American flooring uses square feet. One square yard equals 9 square feet, so a 200 sq ft room is about 22.2 sq yd.
When comparing prices, always convert. Carpet at $4/sq yd is much cheaper than carpet at $4/sq ft — about 4.5 times cheaper, in fact.
Roll width matters
Carpet typically comes in 12 ft and 15 ft widths. If your room is 13 ft wide, you'll need a 15 ft roll and waste 2 ft of width across the room — or use seams.
A skilled installer can hide seams in low-traffic areas, but seams will always be slightly visible on cut-pile carpets. Plan your room dimensions and roll choice carefully.
Pro tips
Add 10% waste
Standard carpet installations need 10% extra for trimming and seam allowance.
Plan seam locations
Discuss seam placement with your installer — preferably perpendicular to natural light and away from primary sight lines.
Don't forget the pad
Carpet pad is sold separately, also by the square yard. Quality pad extends carpet life significantly.
Stairs use more
Carpeted stairs need extra for waterfall installs and matching pile direction. Add 15% for stair-only jobs.