How To Calculate Square Feet

How Do You Calculate Square Footage?

Basic Rectangle or Square

1. Measure the Length: Use a tape measure to measure the length of the area in feet.
2. Measure the Width: Measure the width of the area in feet.
3. Multiply: Multiply the length by the width to get the area in square feet.

$\text{Area}=\text{Length}\times \text{Width}$

Example: If a room is 10 feet long and 12 feet wide: $\text{Area}=10\text{ ft}\times 12\text{ ft}=120\text{ sq ft}$

Irregular Shapes

For spaces that are not perfect rectangles or squares, you can break them down into smaller rectangles, squares, or other shapes and then sum their areas.

1. Divide the Space: Split the irregular shape into simpler shapes (rectangles, squares, triangles).
2. Calculate Individual Areas: Measure the dimensions of each shape and calculate their areas.
3. Sum the Areas: Add up the areas of all the shapes to get the total square footage.

Example: An L-shaped room can be divided into two rectangles.

• Rectangle 1: 8 feet by 10 feet
• Rectangle 2: 6 feet by 8 feet

$\text{Area of Rectangle 1}=8\text{ ft}\times 10\text{ ft}=80\text{ sq ft}$ $\text{Area of Rectangle 2}=6\text{ ft}\times 8\text{ ft}=48\text{ sq ft}$ $\text{Total Area}=80\text{ sq ft}+48\text{ sq ft}=128\text{ sq ft}$

Triangular Areas

For triangular spaces, you can use the formula:

Area=12×Base×Height\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{Base} \times \text{Height}Area=21​×Base×Height

Example: If a triangular area has a base of 5 feet and a height of 8 feet: Area=12×5 ft×8 ft=20 sq ft\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times 5 \text{ ft} \times 8 \text{ ft} = 20 \text{ sq ft}Area=21​×5 ft×8 ft=20 sq ft

Circular Areas

For circular areas, you can use the formula:

Area=π×(Diameter2)2\text{Area} = \pi \times \left(\frac{\text{Diameter}}{2}\right)^2Area=π×(2Diameter​)2

or

Area=π×Radius2\text{Area} = \pi \times \text{Radius}^2Area=π×Radius2

Example: If a circular area has a radius of 7 feet: Area=π×72≈3.14159×49≈153.94 sq ft\text{Area} = \pi \times 7^2 \approx 3.14159 \times 49 \approx 153.94 \text{ sq ft}Area=π×72≈3.14159×49≈153.94 sq ft

Converting Square Feet to Square Yards

In the United States, you will almost always use feet to make this calculation, but there might be times when you need to translate square footage into a different measurement. For example, if you’re ordering furniture from another country and need to know the size, you may want to turn your square-foot measurements into square inches or yards. Doing this is pretty simple if you just follow these steps:

• To figure out square yards, all you need to do is follow the same formula, but before doing the multiplication, divide your measurements by 3 because there are 3 feet in one yard.
• For inches, the process is similar. Here, however, you need to multiply your measurements by 12 as there are 12 inches in one foot. 
• There are 0.3 meters in one foot, so to figure out square meters, you would just divide your length and width by 0.3.

What Is Square Footage?

Square footage is basically just a way of calculating the total amount of space that covers a particular area. Don’t be put off by the word calculate. The math behind the calculations is very simple. You simply need to know the length and width of a specific room to figure out the total surface area. Once you know the surface area of a space, you can figure out, for example, how large of a bed will fit, what size rug to look for, or how to arrange furniture within a space. All you need to get started is a tape measure and a calculator (if you don’t want to do the math the old-fashioned way!)

Why is Calculating Square Feet Important?

Being able to figure out and understand square footage can help you in numerous ways when it comes to homeownership. For example, it can help you calculate the price per square foot of a space or how well all of your furniture is going to fit. Additionally, if you want to be able to tackle at-home projects or consider renovations, knowing how to calculate square footage is a useful skill. 

Having an accurate idea of the total square footage of a particular area helps you plan a project and calculate the total costs of required materials. You need to know, for example, what the square footage of a room that you plan to re-carpet is before you can accurately determine how much that amount of carpet will cost you.

How to Calculate Square Feet Bottom Line

As you can see, it’s incredibly straightforward to calculate square footage. This skill will come in handy at many times, whether you’re a renter or a homeowner. Now, you’re properly equipped to start planning for renovations, figure out furniture placement, or even understand the price per square foot of a space and what that means.