Square Footage Calculator

Step 1: Measure the length of the space in feet. This is the longer dimension. Enter the value in the "Length" field.

Step 2: Measure the width of the space in feet. This is the shorter dimension. Enter the value in the "Width" field.

Step 3: Click Calculate. The result shows the area in square feet and the breakdown includes the equivalent in square meters. Use the result for flooring estimates, paint coverage, rental comparisons, or property listings.

Square footage is the standard unit of area measurement in the United States for real estate, construction, and home improvement. One square foot equals a square that is 1 foot (12 inches) on each side. The international equivalent is the square meter (1 sq ft = 0.093 sq m).

Why square footage matters: Real estate pricing is commonly expressed per square foot ($250/sq ft), flooring materials are sold by the square foot, paint coverage is rated in square feet per gallon (typically 350-400 sq ft), and carpet is sold by the square yard (1 sq yd = 9 sq ft).

Common room sizes: A standard bedroom is 100-200 sq ft, a master bedroom is 200-350 sq ft, a living room is 200-400 sq ft, a one-car garage is 200-250 sq ft, and a two-car garage is 400-500 sq ft. Studio apartments typically range from 300-600 sq ft, while the average US home is about 2,300 sq ft.

For non-rectangular spaces: Break the area into rectangles, calculate each one separately, and add them together. An L-shaped room can be split into two rectangles. For triangles, use 0.5 × base × height. For circles, use π × radius².

Measuring tips: Always measure in feet and inches, then convert inches to decimal feet (6 inches = 0.5 feet). A room that is 12 feet 6 inches by 10 feet 3 inches should be entered as 12.5 × 10.25 = 128.125 sq ft.

Area = Length × Width

Both measurements must be in the same unit (feet). The result is in square feet (sq ft).

To convert to square meters: Area (sq m) = Area (sq ft) × 0.092903

Common conversions:
- 1 square foot = 144 square inches
- 1 square yard = 9 square feet
- 1 square meter = 10.764 square feet
- 1 acre = 43,560 square feet

Example: Room is 14.5 feet × 11 feet.
Area = 14.5 × 11 = 159.5 sq ft (14.82 sq m)

For flooring: Add 10% extra for waste and cuts.
159.5 × 1.10 = 175.45 sq ft of flooring to purchase.

Example 1: Room for Flooring
Your living room is 18 feet long and 14 feet wide. Enter 18 and 14. Result: 252 sq ft (23.41 sq m). For hardwood flooring at $6/sq ft, budget $1,512 for materials plus 10% waste = $1,663.

Example 2: Lawn for Sod
Your front yard is 35 feet × 20 feet. Enter 35 and 20. Result: 700 sq ft (65.03 sq m). At $0.45/sq ft for sod, you need about $315 in materials.

Example 3: Paint Coverage
A bedroom is 12 feet × 10 feet = 120 sq ft floor area. For wall paint, calculate wall area instead: perimeter × height = (12+10+12+10) × 8 = 352 sq ft. At 350 sq ft/gallon coverage, you need about 1 gallon per coat.

Convert inches to decimal feet. 6 inches = 0.5 ft, 3 inches = 0.25 ft, 9 inches = 0.75 ft. For other values: divide inches by 12. Example: 7 inches = 7/12 = 0.583 ft.

Add 10% for flooring waste. When buying flooring materials, add 10% to your calculated square footage to account for cuts, waste, and mistakes. For diagonal patterns, add 15%.

Break irregular rooms into rectangles. L-shaped or T-shaped rooms can be divided into smaller rectangles. Calculate each rectangle separately and add them up.

Square footage is floor area, not wall area. For painting, calculate wall area separately: add all wall lengths (perimeter), multiply by ceiling height, then subtract window and door areas.

Verify real estate listings. If you are buying or renting, measure the space yourself. Listed square footage sometimes includes non-livable space like hallways, closets, or even exterior walls.