Carpet calculator
Carpet is sold by the square yard. Enter the room size and a waste allowance to get the amount to buy.
Carpet to buy
22 square yards
- Carpet pad
- 22 sq yd
- Room area
- 180 sq ft
How it works
Room area in square feet is length × width. A square yard is 9 square feet, so the calculator divides by 9 after adding your waste allowance. Pad is ordered in the same quantity.
Real carpet layouts depend on the roll width, usually 12 feet. In rooms wider than a roll, the installer plans seams, and the exact amount can be higher than the area suggests.
Example
With room length 15 ft, room width 12 ft, waste 10%, the answer is 22 square yards.
Tips before you buy
- Get the installer to measure before you buy. They plan seams and pile direction, which can change the total.
- Run all the carpet pieces in one room the same direction, or the color looks different under light.
- Include closets in your measurements.
Common questions
How much carpet for a 12×15 room?
180 square feet is 20 square yards, or 22 with 10% waste.
How do I convert square feet to square yards for carpet?
Divide by 9. 180 square feet is 20 square yards.
How wide are carpet rolls?
Most residential carpet comes in 12-foot-wide rolls. Some styles come 13’6” or 15 feet wide.