How To Measure A Room For Carpet

Here is a simple Room Layout that measures 15′ wide by 20′ long. This is equal to 300 square feet (33.33 yards). However, due to the extra seaming required, it will actually require using 324 sf. (36 yards.) of carpet.

How to Measure, Create and Build Carpet Seams:

1. Since the room is 15 feet wide, with 12-foot wide carpet there must be a long 3′ x 20′ seam along one wall.

2. There would be way too much waste if we did the fill area in just one piece, so to save money we will create the fill area using 3 pieces. Based on the room width, this is the logical number of pieces to use to build the fill piece. Using two pieces to build the fill area would cost a lot more money and create more waste.

3. From a 12′ x 7′ piece of carpet, 3 pieces will be cut to measure 4′ by 7′. We are adding about 6 inches extra on all sides to allow for seaming and trimming.

4. With all seams, the nap of the carpet must always run the same direction. That’s why we use a piece of carpet 12′ x 7′ to build the fill area.

5. In the diagram at right, See how pieces A, B, and C are cut and then seamed together to create one long 4′ x 21′ piece for the fill area.

6. There will be enough carpet to complete in job when the main piece of carpet (12′ x 20′) and the side fill (4′ x 21′) are seamed together.