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Carpet Calculator: Square Yards From Roll Width
Carpet comes off a roll that is usually 12 ft wide, so you often buy more than the room's area. This calculator works out the strips and the real amount you need to buy.
Why you buy more carpet than your room's area
Carpet is cut from a roll of fixed width. If your room is 13 ft wide and the roll is 12 ft, one strip is not enough, and the second strip is mostly waste unless it can be used elsewhere. The calculator tries running the strips both ways and picks the layout that uses less carpet. It adds 3 inches at each end of a strip for trimming.
Example: a 14 × 13 ft room is 182 sq ft (20.2 sq yd). With a 12 ft roll, the best layout is two strips 13.5 ft long, which is 324 sq ft or 36 sq yd, almost 80% more than the room itself. That is why installers try to match rooms to the roll width and use the offcuts in closets.
Square feet to square yards
Carpet is usually priced by the square yard. One square yard is 3 × 3 ft, or 9 sq ft, so divide square feet by 9. A $2.50 per sq ft carpet costs $22.50 per sq yd.
Carpet pad and installation
Pad is laid under the whole floor area without seams to match, so you need only the room area. Many stores include basic installation and pad in the advertised price; check what is included, and whether moving furniture and removing the old carpet cost extra.
Frequently asked questions
How many square yards of carpet do I need for a 12x12 room?
A 12 × 12 ft room is 144 sq ft, or 16 sq yd. Because it matches a 12 ft roll exactly, you buy about 16.7 sq yd including trim allowance.
How do I convert square feet to square yards?
Divide square feet by 9. For example, 180 sq ft is 20 sq yd.