Square Footage Calculator
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How to Calculate Square Footage
Our square foot calculator helps you find the area of a home, building, construction area, and garden in square feet, square meters, and square yards. You can find the cost of the area using the cost per square foot for landscaping projects or other projects that require building materials. To calculate the square footage of an area, you first need to find the required dimensions for the appropriate shape. For example, for a rectangular room in need of new flooring, you would need to multiply the length and width. If the shape of your room is irregular, then it would be best to divide the area into smaller shapes and add up the individual areas.
How to Use This Calculator
To use this square foot calculator, you will first need to select the shape of the area that you are trying to calculate. This might be a room in your house or a section of your garden that you are measuring. For more complex shapes, such as irregular areas, you will need to split it up into separate shapes, calculate the area of each shape, and then add them up.
To calculate the square footage of a rectangular or square room, you will need to know the length and width of the room. This calculator also gives you the option to calculate the area of an L-shaped space, or to calculate the area as a border. For example, you might select the option to calculate it as a border if you're measuring the square footage of a garden around your house. The inner part will be your home, which means that the calculator will then find the area outside of the home needed for landscaping.
With this calculator, you can also find the total area of circles, triangles, trapezoids, quadrilaterals, and sectors. You also have the option to enter a price per square foot, which will calculate the total cost of the area.
Example of an Irregular Area Calculation
Let’s assume the area you want to calculate looks like this:
If you have the different heights of each section, the total length of the area, and the smaller bottom length, the total area can be split up into 3 shapes. First, the rectangle’s area would be S2 * S3.
Next, we can find the triangle’s area using the length of the rectangle because it is also the triangle’s base, so the area of the triangle would be S3 * S1 / 2. Lastly, the area of the trapezoid can be found with the formula (S5 + S3) / 2 * S4. Splitting up the area into individual shapes is an easy way to find the total area of any given odd shape as long as you have the appropriate measurements.
How to Convert Square Footage to Yards/Meters
To convert between units for a given area, you can use these conversion factors:
- Square Feet → Square Yards: Divide ft2 by 9
- Square Feet → Square Meters: Multiply ft2 by .092903
- Square Yards → Square Feet: Multiply yd2 by 9
- Square Yards → Square Meters: Multiple yd2 by .836217
- Square Meters → Square Feet: Multiply m2 by 10.763915
- Square Meters → Square Yards: Multiply m2 by 1.19599
Converting between units2 is similar to converting between regular units. The only difference is the conversion between units2 is the conversion between units done twice. For example, to convert from feet to yards, you would divide ft by 3, but to convert from square feet to square yards, you would divide by 3 and then divide by 3 again. This is the same as dividing by 32 or 9.
How to Calculate Square Footage of Different Shapes and Areas
How to Find the Square Footage of a Square
How to Find the Square Footage of a Rectangle
For a rectangle, you can use any two sides as long as they are perpendicular.
How to Find the Square Footage of a Rectangle Border Area
How to Find the Square Footage of a Circle
Alternatively, you can use the radius in the formula πr2 because the radius equals half the diameter.
What is π?
π, also known as “pi”, is a number (approximately equal to 3.14) used to calculate shapes with circular curves.
How to Find the Square Footage of a Ring
How to Find the Square Footage of a Triangle
Using Base and Height
Using 3 Side Lengths
This method is called “Heron’s Formula”.
How to Find the Square Footage of a Trapezoid
How to Find the Square Footage of a Sector
How to Find the Square Footage of a Quadrilateral
It is much easier to find the area of a quadrilateral with 2 angles, so the method shown below is recommended.
This method is called “Bretschneider's Formula”.
If you only have access to one angle (Angle A), you can calculate the other angle and then use the above formula to find the total area.
How to Measure the Square Footage of a House
To find the square footage of a house, you will first need to have a way to measure the size of each room in your house. Traditional metal tape measures can be used, but laser measuring devices are more commonly used by professional home appraisers. A laser measure is easy to use, can measure far distances without needing help, and they are also more accurate than tape measures. Plus, laser tape measures aren’t significantly more expensive compared to traditional tape measures either.
When trying to figure out how to calculate the square feet of a house, the calculations will vary depending on how complex the house is. For example, if your house is a single rectangular room, then you can easily calculate the square footage by multiplying its length by its width in feet. For homes with more complicated floor plans, you will need to break up the homes into easily measurable spaces.
Example: Measuring the Square Footage of a Condominium
When calculating the square footage of a condo, you'll include all livable and enclosed spaces, such as the kitchen, living areas, bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, and hallways. The size of your balcony or terrace is not included in the square footage of a condo, since it doesn’t count as a living space.
For example, let’s measure a 2-bedroom condo with the following floor plan.
Depending on your location, square footage of a condo or apartment might include everything inside your condo unit, including up to the exterior walls. With this calculation, you can simply multiply 25 feet by 26.63 feet, which gives a total of 665 square feet.
To exclude walls, you can also measure the size of rooms individually in order to get the total livable square footage of the condo.
With these individual room spaces:
Dining/Living Room: 27.50 feet x 12.32 feet + 5.95 feet x 3.27 feet = 358 square feet
Bedroom 1: 10.83 feet x 12.62 feet = 137 square feet
Bedroom 2: 12.50 feet x 9.11 feet = 114 square feet
Bathroom: 5.95 feet x 8.93 feet = 53 square feet
Total Square Footage: 662 square feet
The total livable square footage of this condo is around 662 square feet, which is slightly less than the 665 square feet when including the exterior walls.
Example: Measuring the Square Footage of a Condominium with a Hallway
Hallways can take up a lot of valuable living space, and this can be a particularly larger issue in more expensive cities. Hallways are often included in the square footage of apartments and condos. Let’s take a look at the example below to find out how to calculate the square footage of a condo with an interior hallway.
Bedroom 1: 11.81 feet x 12.19 feet = 144 square feet
Bedroom 2: 10.65 feet x 12 feet = 128 square feet
Kitchen: 12.32 feet x 8.02 feet = 99 square feet
Bathroom: 6.61 feet x 5.07 feet = 33 square feet
Living/Dining Room: (10.07 feet x 19.44 feet) + (3.59 feet x 7.89 feet) = 224 square feet
Hallway: 16.43 feet x 2.76 feet = 45 square feet
Total Square Footage: 673 square feet
The total square footage of this 2-bedroom condo is 673 square feet, of which 45 square feet is from the hallway. Considering that the price per square foot of condos can be as high as $1,792 in Manhattan or $1,126 in San Francisco, hallway space can be seen as underutilized space in expensive areas. Based on the average price per square foot in Manhattan, this hallway in the floor plan above would cost over $80,000!
Calculating the Floor Space of an L-Shaped Room
Did you know that you can use the square footage calculator on this page to find the floor space of an L-shaped room? For example, let’s take a look at this L-shaped living room.
To use this calculator to calculate the square footage of this room, you will first enter the size of the room as if it was a full rectangle: 15 feet by 22.83 feet. Then, you will enter the secondary width and secondary length, which is the width and length of the smaller rectangle that needs to be taken out to form the room’s L-shape. This space is 9.03 feet by 8.96 feet.
Using the calculator, the square footage of this living room is 261.54 square feet. To calculate this manually:
(22.83 x 15) - (9.03 x 8.96) = 261.54 square feet
You can also break the area down into two rectangles, and then add it up to get the total -shaped area (13.74 x 15) + (9.03 x 5.91).
This same calculation can be used to measure the square feet of a room with closets by separating the room into separate zones. After measuring the size of the main room, you’ll then add the area of the closet to the total.
Measuring the Floor Space of an Odd-Shaped Room
When measuring odd-shaped rooms, which might be U-shaped rooms or rooms with nooks, you will also need to separate the room into individual shapes in order to calculate the room’s total floor space. In the example below, there is a trapezoid area next to the dining table.
To calculate the floor space, first find the area of the main living space, which is 18.68 feet by 15 feet, or 280 square feet. To calculate the area of the trapezoid, we'll need to know the lengths and the height of the trapezoid. In this case, the lengths are 11.43 feet and 6.11 feet, while the height is 2.66 feet.
Entering this into the square footage calculator above, we’re able to find that the area of the trapezoid is 23 square feet. Adding this to the main living space, the total square footage of the kitchen, living, and dining area is 303 square feet.
Measuring the Floor Space of a Semicircular Room
Semicircular rooms, or U-shaped living rooms, will require you to know just the diameter of the room or space. Sometimes you are only able to measure the radius of the circle, such as for semicircular areas that jut out or extend beyond the main living area. In this case, you'll multiply the width, which is also the radius, by two. This will give you the diameter. After entering the diameter into the calculator above, you will need to divide the square footage result in half by two. That's because the calculator finds the total area of a circular room. For a semicircular room, you'll divide it in half to get the total area.
Measuring the Square Footage of a Two-Storey Home
When measuring a home with more than one floor, you can’t simply measure the first floor and then multiply by the number of floors in the home. That’s because the other floors might have less space than the first. For homes with more than one floor, you will need to include the stairs in the square footage calculation. If your attic is finished, then the liveable space in a finished attic will also be included in the home’s square footage. However, not all areas of the country consider basements to be included in square footage, even if the basement is finished.
What to Include When Measuring the Square Footage of a House
The exact rooms and spaces that can be counted towards square footage of livable space will vary depending on your local market. Generally, these spaces are included when measuring the square footage of a house:
- Kitchen
- Living rooms
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Closets
- Hallways
- Stairs
The following spaces may or may not be included in a home’s listed square footage depending on your area and whether the space is finished:
- Attic
- Basement
- Four season patios and enclosed sunrooms
These spaces are not included when measuring the square footage of a house:
- Garage
- Balcony, terrace, or patio
- Front porch
- Backyard
- Sheds
How Much Flooring do I Need?
Knowing the square footage of the space is needed when you want to buy and install new flooring in your home. As a general rule of thumb, you will want to buy 10% to 15% more flooring than the square feet needed in order to account for wasted cuts or for any mistakes when installing. For example, if you are purchasing flooring for an entire 1,500 square foot home, you’ll want to purchase 1,650 square feet of flooring. This acts as a buffer and will help your project go smoothly.
Price per Square Feet for Materials 2021
Knowing the square footage of a room or a house is just the first step for many homeowners and home buyers, but it remains important for many things related to your home. You’ll need to know your home’s square footage if you’re looking to list your home for sale. You’ll also need to know the square footage of rooms that you want to replace flooring for or spaces that you want to paint. You might even need to know the square footage outside of your home if you’re looking to install pavers or to build a deck.
For homeowners looking to renovate, calculating the square foot of an area is important, and so you’ll want to make sure that it is accurate. Once you know the square footage of the project, it’s time to learn more about the cost of the materials that you might be dealing with.
Concrete Price per Square Foot
According to Forbes, the average cost of concrete is $6 per square foot. If the area of a garage is 576 square feet, at $6 per square foot, a 24x24 concrete garage slab would cost about $3,456 for materials alone. You can estimate the cost of concrete for your square footage by using a concrete calculator.
Countertops Price per Square Foot
The cost per square foot for countertops can vary dramatically based on the material that you want to use. Quartz and granite countertops are generally the most expensive, while laminate countertops are the cheapest.
According to Home Depot, the average cost of quartz is $68 per square foot. Meanwhile, the average cost of granite is $58 per square foot, solid-surface countertops cost $52 per square foot, and laminate costs $29 per square foot. There are additional costs for countertop edges, corner treatments, and cutouts.
Since the average countertop is 15 feet by 2 feet, or 30 square feet, this means that a quartz countertop would cost around $2,040, granite at $1,740, solid-surface at $1,560, and laminate at $870.
Flooring Price per Square Foot
Vinyl, laminate, or hardwood: which type of flooring should you choose? While the cost might not be the biggest factor when choosing between flooring types, it can still influence your decision. For homeowners looking at hardwood, you'll likely choose between solid wood and engineered wood. According to Home Depot, the average cost of solid wood is $7.80 per square foot, while engineered wood costs $6.40 per square foot.
Laminate flooring can cost around $3.80 to $4.80 per square foot, while vinyl plank costs $4 to $6 per square foot and vinyl sheet flooring costs $2 to $4 per square foot. Floor tiles cost on average $2 per square foot, but when accounting for setting materials and labor, the total installation cost of tile can be around $9 per square foot.
Tile Price per Square Foot
Besides floor tiles, you can also have shower tiles, backsplash tiles, and wall tiles. According to Home Depot, shower tiles cost on average $11 per square foot, backsplash tiles cost $23 per square foot, and wall tiles cost $11 per square foot. Installation and labor costs account for a large portion of the cost of tile.
Asphalt Price per Square Foot
Asphalt is commonly used for driveways. According to HomeAdvisor, the average size of a driveway is 600 square feet. At an average cost of $7 to $13 per square foot for asphalt, the average asphalt driveway costs from $4,200 to $7,800.
Deck Price per Square Foot
A 20 by 20 feet deck, which is roughly around the average size of a deck at 400 square feet, would cost around $8,800 to build according to HomeGuide. That’s around $22 per square foot of deck, but costs will vary depending on the lumber and materials used.
Pavers Price per Square Foot
If you're looking to install a patio or do landscaping, pavers cost around $12 per square foot. With an average patio size of just under 300 square feet, you can expect to spend about $3,600 for patio pavers.
Sod Price per Square Foot
Backyard sizes can vary greatly depending on your location. Based on Porch’s estimated average cost of sod at just under $1.50 per square foot, a 4,000 square foot yard would cost around $6,000 for sod.
Average Price per Square Feet for Materials 2021
| Material | Average Price per Square Foot | Average Square Footage Size | Total Cost per Average Installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $6 | 576 sq. ft. | $3,456 |
| Quartz | $68 | 30 sq. ft. | $2,040 |
| Granite | $58 | 30 sq. ft. | $1,740 |
| Solid Surface | $52 | 30 sq. ft. | $1,560 |
| Laminate | $29 | 30 sq. ft. | $870 |
| Solid Wood | $7.80 | 2,000 sq. ft. | $15,600 |
| Engineered Wood | $6.40 | 2,000 sq. ft. | $12,800 |
| Laminate | $4.30 | 2,000 sq. ft. | $8,600 |
| Vinyl Plank | $5 | 2,000 sq. ft. | $10,000 |
| Vinyl Sheet | $3 | 2,000 sq. ft. | $6,000 |
| Tile | $9 | 2,000 sq. ft. | $18,000 |
| Shower Tile | $11 | 60 sq. ft. | $660 |
| Wall Tile | $11 | Varies | Varies |
| Backsplash Tile | $23 | 30 sq. ft. | $690 |
| Asphalt | $10 | 600 sq. ft. | $6,000 |
| Deck | $22 | 400 sq. ft. | $8,800 |
| Pavers | $12 | 300 sq. ft. | $3,600 |
| Sod | $1.50 | 4,000 sq. ft. | $6,000 |
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