Luxury Vinyl Flooring in New Hampshire

How to Calculate Square Footage of a new floor

How to Calculate Square Footage of a new floor

Knowing how to calculate square footage is an important skill for most home improvement projects. From flooring and painting to landscaping, square footage is a necessary measurement to get the right amount of materials for your project.

Accurate square footage measurements are useful when buying and selling homes as well. This guide explains how square footage is calculated and outlines the square footage formula, so you’re ready for your next project.

Take measurements of the longest and widest parts. Round up to the next highest foot. For example, if your space is 10 feet and 4 inches, round it up to 11 feet. Multiply those numbers to get the area in square feet.

  1. To calculate the square feet of a room, start by measuring the length and width of the room in feet using a tape measurer.
  2. Next, multiply the length by the width to calculate a room’s total square footage. So if a bedroom is 12 feet wide and 12 feet long, it is 144 square feet total (12 x 12 = 144 sqft).

Basically, the square footage of the room is the total area or size of the space. Often abbreviated as sqft or sq. ft, square feet is the most used unit of measurement for homes in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.

Most Common Square Footage Formulas:Length x Width = Total Square Footage Area Formula
1 Foot = 12 Inches
1 Square Foot = 144 Square Inches
3 Feet = 1 Yard
1 Square Yard (Metric) = 9 Square Foot (3 ft length x 3 ft width)
1 Meter = 3.28084 Feet
1 Square Meter = 10.7639 Sq. Feet

Why Measure Square Footage?
Whether you’re a homeowner or contractor, knowing how to calculate the square feet in a room is vital to any home improvement project. No question, knowing the square footage of a house or room is helpful. Especially when deciding whether to DIY or hire a contractor based on the cost per sqft.

Not to mention, appraisers and realtors use the square footage of a residence to determine listing prices of homes and comparable properties. Moreover, square footage influences property taxes, mortgage appraisals, and home values. With this in mind, learning how to measure the square footage of your living area is crucial for homeowners.

how-to-calculate-square-footage-of-a-new-floor

How To Calculate Square Footage of a Home

Now that we know how to come up with sqft per room, it’s time to learn how to calculate the total square footage of a home.

Whether you are measuring a single-family house, apartment, or condo, you’ll need the following supplies:

  • Pencil and paper
  • Calculator or phone
  • Measuring tape or digital measuring tool

If your home is a perfect rectangle, simply measure the width and length in feet and multiply those two numbers. For example, if a one-story house is 30 feet wide by 60 feet long, then your property is 1,800 square feet (30 x 60 = 1,800).

calculating square footage of entire home sketch

However, most homes have more complicated floor plans.

In this scenario, follow these steps to get the total square footage of your house.

  1. Draw a basic sketch of your home and label each room individually. Include hallways or foyers as separate “rooms” themselves.
  2. Measure the length and width of each room in feet. Next, multiply length by width to calculate the room’s square footage. For instance: If a bedroom is 12 feet by 18 feet, its 216 square feet (12 x 18 = 216). Write the total square footage of each room in the corresponding spaces in your sketch.
  3. Lastly, add all room measurements together to get the total square footage of your home. Don’t include spaces you couldn’t pace out or walk in. Also, exclude basement areas or unfinished spaces like attics.

Here is an example of what the final sketch will look like.

rooms sqft house drawing calculation

All in all, you don’t need to be an appraiser or real estate agent to know how to calculate the total sqft of a house.

Simply follow the steps above and you’ll be measuring your home’s square footage in no time. Just remember to measure each floor or level of your house separately. More often then not, the square footage of your 1st floor doesn’t match your 2nd floor. In this instance, measure each floor separately.

What to expect from Benchmark Home Improvements when you schedule a in-home measure for your Dream Kitchen.  

  • Upon arrival, your measure tech will sanitize their hands and all equipment as well as offering to wear a face mask, gloves and shoe covers for the protection of you and your home.
  • At all times during our visit, we will ensure social distancing guidelines are observed, whilst we measure your room and identify utilities and services.
  • The home measure will typically take between 30-60 minutes.
  • Your measurements will then be sent back to your Benchmark Designer so we can begin creating your dream kitchen.

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If you have any questions on what options are available we are happy to help! Our sales team is always willing to help with the process and finding solutions that will fit your budget. Please reach out anytime and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

You can also call us at (603) 262-1147

 

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HERE ARE A FEW OF THE BEST PRACTICES FOR VINYL FLOORING AND TILE INSTALLATION:

1. Ensure that your finished project turns out just the way you want it by keeping in mind these installation tips from the pros. These are luxury vinyl tile installation best practices.

2. Make sure you have all the needed supplies before you start. The materials you need depend upon the type of LVT you will be installing. If your LVT has an attached underlayment backing, an additional layer of underlayment is optional. If your LVT is a floating type that clicks into place, you won’t need adhesive. Follow the recommendations on the box.

3. Make sure you have all the equipment you will need for an easy installation. This may include:

Tape measure.
Utility knife.
Carpenter’s square.
Rubber mallet.
Jigsaw for cutting planks.
Pry bar for removing baseboards and trim.
Safety goggles.
Mask.
Knee pads.

4. Acclimate the LVT tile by putting it into the room where the installation will take place for at least 24 hours before you begin.

5. Remove baseboards and trim, because it’s best to install LVT flush with the wall, with no gaps, and replace baseboards after installation if they are still in good condition. If needed, purchase and install new trim pieces.

6. Decide which way you want the planks to run. For the best results, the planks should lay parallel to the flow of high-traffic areas.

7. Stagger planks by at least 6 inches, up to one-third of the plank’s length.

8. Since LVT is engineered wood flooring, the pattern may be identical from one plank to the next. Many manufacturers include some variety within each package, but eventually, there will be some that match. For the most realistic look, avoid installing identical planks side-by-side, or turn them in the opposite direction between rows.

9. Begin your installation along the room’s most prominent wall. This will probably be the first wall your eyes focus on when entering the room. For example, in a bathroom, the most prominent place to start might be the bathtub. In a family room, the most prominent wall may be the one with a fireplace. Lay the boards parallel to this wall, working toward the opposite side or entryway.

10. Begin by placing the first plank at the center of the wall and lay additional planks in relation to the center plank. That way, the planks on that first row will be equal in length at opposite ends.

11. Cut planks to size by scoring several times with a utility knife, a jigsaw, or a fine-toothed handsaw. For small protrusions, you can snip off small bits of the vinyl plank with heavy-duty shop scissors or tin snips.

12. Walls in a house, especially older homes, are rarely exactly square. Therefore, measure and cut planks when you need them rather than cutting ahead of time.

13. Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the LVT package, adhesive, and any other product you use for the job. Watching videos or reading a guide to luxury vinyl tile ahead of time is helpful as well.

14. Measure twice, cut once!

The ease of installation is one of the reasons luxury vinyl tile is one of the most popular flooring options. It’s also long-lasting and beautiful, and vinyl flooring care and maintenance is a breeze. When you thoroughly prepare ahead of time with accuracy and patience, you will be proud of the results!