How To Measure for Carpet Replacement (2024 Guide)

Measuring your home for carpet replacement is an easy DIY job. Learn how to do it in our step-by-step guide.

Written by Angela Bunt Updated 11/22/2024

Installing new carpet is an exciting way to refresh your home’s look. Before diving into this project, you’ll need to measure your living space to ensure you get enough carpet for the job. In this guide, we’ll show you how to measure your home for carpet installation.

Before You Start

Before you begin taking measurements, sketch your home’s floor plan as follows:

Grab a paper and pencil to keep track of your measurements.
Start by sketching your home’s layout.
If you only want carpet in one room, sketch that area.
If you’re installing carpet in multiple rooms, sketch every room.
Make sure to include any interior spaces, such as closets or pantries.

The floor plan sketch doesn’t have to be exact as long as it roughly matches your home’s proportions. Record your measurements on the layout as you go.

Tools and Equipment

Gather the following tools before you start measuring:

How To Measure for Carpet

Measuring a room to install carpet involves simply measuring and multiplying a room’s length and width to get its square footage. However, you’ll also need to account for interior spaces, stairs, and oddly shaped rooms. Follow the steps below to measure correctly for carpet installation.

1. Measure the Length and Width of the Room

Start by deciding which side of your home is the length and which is the width. Label each wall on your home layout sketch accordingly.
Use measuring tape to measure the length and width of each room where you’d like to install carpet.
If there’s a doorway on one wall, measure to the center of the doorway instead of the wall to account for the extra 2–3 inches.
Document all your measurements on your sketch.

2. Measure Any Interior Spaces

If any rooms have closets or pantries where you’ll also want carpet, measure them next.
Keep interior space measurements separate from your primary measurements.
Remember to measure to the center of the doorway instead of to the wall.

Quick Tip

If the area you’re measuring includes stairs, measure around the nosing, which is the rounded edge of a step. Wrap the tape measure around the nosing until it touches the back of the riser—the vertical space between one step and another—of the stair below.

3. Make Split Measurements for Oddly Shaped Rooms

Split up oddly shaped rooms—such as rooms with corners, doors, windows, and recesses—into easy-to-measure sections and label the different parts. Here are two examples:
- Split an L-shaped room into two parts and measure each part’s length and width.
- Measure the maximum length and width of a room’s triangular corner.
For any curved walls, measure the radius by recording the distance across the front of the wall, making a straight line from one side to the other.
Measure the wall’s depth from the top of the curved arc to the front edge of the straight line you made.

4. Calculate the Total Area

Now, calculate the total room size. Your calculations will depend on each room’s shape and layout. For square or rectangular spaces, multiply the room’s length and width to get the total area. For triangular spaces, multiply the room’s length and width, then divide that figure by two.

If you need the area of a room’s curved or rounded portion, measure the curve’s radius and follow the formula below:

Divide the curve depth by two.
Square the curve width.
Multiply the curve depth by eight.
Divide the result from step 2 by the result from step 3.
Add the answer from step 1 to the result from step 4 to find the radius.
Square the radius.
Multiply the squared radius from step 6 by pi (3.14).
Divide the result from step 7 by two to find the total area.

If this formula is too complicated, you can use this helpful arc calculator, which only requires the width and height.

5. Calculate the Total Square Footage

To find the square footage of square or rectangular rooms without interior spaces, multiply the length and width measurements in feet. This will show you the area in square feet.

If the room is oddly shaped or has interior spaces, add the area of each part of the room to find its total square footage. For example, add the area of a large closet to the area of the room itself to get that room’s total square footage. This is the amount of carpet you’ll need for that room. We suggest rounding up to the nearest foot.

Quick Tip

Add each room’s total area to get the total square footage of carpet you need. Multiply this number by 0.1 and add that result to the total square footage. This adds 10% to the total, ensuring you buy enough carpet to get the job done.

Choosing the Right Carpet Type for Your Space

Different carpet styles and types can affect your measurements and installation process.

Carpet Styles and Their Measurements

Some carpet styles, such as Berber or patterned carpets, may require additional material for proper installation. Discuss your style with your retailer to ensure you order the correct amount.

Considering Carpet Padding

Remember to account for carpet padding in your measurements. You’ll likely find padding sold in the same square footage but confirm this with your supplier.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Measuring for Carpet

Be mindful of potential pitfalls such as the following to avoid costly errors in your carpet replacement project:

Forgetting To Measure Doorways

Always measure to the center of doorways rather than to the wall. This guarantees enough carpet to tuck under the door and create a clean transition.

Neglecting To Account for Room Transitions

When carpeting multiple connected rooms, consider how the carpet will transition between spaces. You may need extra material to smooth the flow from one room to another.

Professional vs. DIY Carpet Measuring

Deciding whether to take measurements yourself or hire a professional depends on your comfort level and your space’s complexity.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Measurer

Professional measurers bring expertise and specialized tools to provide the most accurate measurements. They can also identify potential installation challenges and provide valuable advice on carpet selection.

Tips for Accurate DIY Measurements

If you decide to take measurements yourself, double-check all your measurements and calculations. Use a consistent measuring technique throughout your home and don’t hesitate to ask for help with larger or more complex spaces.

Preparing for Carpet Installation and Post-Installation Tips

Properly preparing for your carpet replacement ensures a smooth installation process, while routine maintenance post-installation extends your new carpet’s lifespan.

Preinstallation Preparation

Follow these steps to prepare your home for carpet installation:

Clear the room of all furniture and personal items to give installers easy access.
Inspect the subfloor for any damage, debris, or moisture that might complicate installation.
Confirm that the area is clean and dry.
If you’re installing carpet over a concrete subfloor, consider using a moisture barrier to prevent mildew or other issues.

Caring for Your New Carpet

Once you install the carpet, regular maintenance will keep it looking new. Consider the following maintenance tips:

Address spills immediately to avoid stains.
Consider professional cleaning every 12–18 months, depending on foot traffic, to maintain the carpet’s appearance and lifespan.
Rotate furniture periodically to prevent indentations and wear patterns.
Vacuum regularly to remove dirt and prevent matting.

Our Conclusion

Measuring your home to prepare for carpet replacement is an easy step homeowners can take on their own. Many homeowners can also handle carpet installation themselves, but we don’t recommend carpet installation for DIY beginners, so consider hiring a pro if you feel uneasy about the project.

Retailers such as LL Flooring and Empire Today offer massive carpet catalogs, professional installation services, and reliable warranties. Click below to schedule consultations with flooring technicians that service your home’s address.

FAQ About How To Measure for Carpet

How much extra should I allow when measuring for carpet?

Rather than adding a certain amount to each measurement, we recommend multiplying your total square footage by 0.1 and then adding that number to your total. This should give you 10% extra carpet to work with if any problems arise.

Does carpet make a room look bigger or smaller?

Wall-to-wall carpeting can make a room seem bigger because the carpet’s continuity gives the appearance of more space.

How much carpet do I need for a 12-by-12 room?

If the 12-by-12-foot room is a simple square, multiply those two measurements to equal 144. Therefore, you need at least 144 square feet of carpet. We recommend adding 10% to the total—first, multiply 144 by 0.1 to get 14.4. Then, add that to 144 to get 158.4 square feet.

How does carpet compare to vinyl flooring?

Carpet is popular in living rooms nationwide because it’s affordable, reduces noise, and has numerous design options, such as patterned carpets. Luxury vinyl flooring offers more long-term durability while mimicking the appearance of other flooring types, such as wood or stone.

Our Rating Methodology

We are committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. This means earning your trust through transparent reviews and data to support our ratings and recommendations. Our rating system for flooring providers is on a 100-point scale based on the following six factors:

Customer service (15 points): We check if the company provides a phone line or online request form. We also check if the company provides 24/7 customer support. Finally, we weigh whether the company offers custom flooring options for a more personalized experience. The more features the company provides, the higher the score.
Flooring options (24 points): We browse each provider’s catalog to learn which flooring options it provides, checking for wood, engineered wood, tile, laminate, vinyl, carpet, concrete, or linoleum. The more options available, the higher the score.
Installation process (25 points): We check if the company provides full-service installations, in-home estimates, and next-day installation. Companies that have all three score higher.
Reputation (15 points): We check the provider’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) score and accreditation. The higher the BBB score, the higher the company’s score. We also research each company’s history to determine what expertise they bring to homeowners and understand any previous legal disputes the company experienced, if any.
State availability (6 points): We evaluate how many states the company services. The broader a company’s availability, the higher the score.
Warranty options (15 points): We analyze the provider’s warranty options to understand its stipulations and limitations. We also note whether a labor warranty is included.

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