Carpet Calculator
Calculate carpet in square feet and square yards from your room size — with roll-width waste, padding, and a full installed-cost estimate.
—
Enter a price per sq yd to estimate cost.
You might also need:Flooring Calculator·Tile Calculator
Carpet math
square yards = square feet ÷ 9
A 16 × 12 ft bedroom is 192 sq ft — 211 with 10% waste, or 23.5 square yards. Because carpet comes on 12 ft rolls, a 12 ft room width is ideal; a 13 ft width forces either a seam or a wasteful 15 ft roll, which is exactly why measuring before shopping saves real money.
Square feet to square yards
| Room size | Square feet | Square yards (+10%) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 100 | 12.2 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 144 | 17.6 |
| 12 × 15 ft | 180 | 22.0 |
| 16 × 12 ft | 192 | 23.5 |
| 20 × 15 ft | 300 | 36.7 |
Ordering tips
- Mind the roll width: 12 ft is standard. Rooms wider than 12 ft need a seam — place it out of the main sightline and away from doorways.
- Carpet has a nap direction: all pieces must run the same way or the color looks different between them under light.
- Replace the padding with the carpet — reusing old padding is the fastest way to make new carpet feel old.
- Hard flooring instead? The flooring calculator covers laminate, vinyl and hardwood, and tile handles per-tile counts.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how much carpet I need?+
Measure the room in feet, multiply length by width for square feet, then divide by 9 for square yards — carpet is usually priced per square yard. Then add waste for the roll width: carpet comes in 12 ft (sometimes 15 ft) rolls, and any room dimension that is not a neat fit creates offcuts.
How many square feet are in a square yard of carpet?+
Nine. A square yard is 3 × 3 feet. Retailers quote both — always check which unit a price refers to, because a "$3 carpet" is very different at $3/sq ft versus $3/sq yd.
How much extra carpet should I order?+
Add 10% for a simple rectangular room and up to 20% for rooms with closets, alcoves or where the width forces awkward seaming. Patterned carpet needs more again for pattern matching — sometimes an extra repeat length per seam.
Do I need new carpet padding?+
Almost always — padding compresses over time and old padding will shorten the life of new carpet, often voiding the warranty. Standard residential padding is 7/16 inch thick at 6–8 lb density; thicker is not automatically better, and over-thick padding can damage carpet backing.
How much does carpet installation cost?+
Carpet itself runs $2–$7 per square foot; padding adds $0.30–$0.75. Installation is typically $0.50–$1.50 per square foot, plus removal and disposal of the old carpet at $0.25–$0.50. Many retailers bundle install into promotional pricing.