Estimate the square yards of carpet a room needs, including waste and cost.
What this calculator does
Carpet is often priced by the square yard. Enter your room dimensions and a waste allowance, and this calculator returns the area in square feet and square yards, plus the cost if you add a price.
Add extra for seams, cuts and pattern matching.
The default scenario, worked through
On the values this calculator opens with, the carpet needed is 22. Underneath, Square feet comes out at 180 ft² and With waste at 198 ft². Change any field and every figure updates as you type.
Using the calculator
- Enter the room length and width in feet.
- Add a waste percentage.
- Enter a price per square yard for the cost.
How the number is calculated
square feet = length × width × (1 + waste)
square yards = square feet ÷ 9
Common questions
How much carpet do I need?
Multiply the room dimensions, add waste for cuts and seams, then divide by nine for square yards.
Why is carpet sold by the yard?
Historically carpet came in wide rolls measured in yards; square-yard pricing stuck.
How much waste should I add?
Around 10% for simple rooms, more for irregular shapes or patterned carpet.