The Ins and Outs of Measuring Carpet
If you’ve ever thought about buying carpet just to pause and say, “I don’t even know where to start,” you’re not alone. There is so much that goes into finding, buying, and deciding how much carpet you need for the room or your home. Measuring is one of the more intimidating parts of shopping for carpet, and understandably so. It’s the kind of thing that, if botched, can cost you a lot more than you anticipated, or mean the installer goes back to the drawing board when they realize you’ve underestimated how much carpet your project requires. So, today we’re going to talk about some of what goes into measuring carpet the right way.
The Basics
First things first, to get a general idea of how much carpet you’ll need, you want to get a tape or laser measure, a calculator, and some graph paper and a pencil if you want to sketch out your layout. The best starting point for your measurement will be to measure the length of your room, then the width, and multiply those numbers together to determine your square footage. Do this for all the spaces you’re planning on carpeting – keep separate square footages noted for rooms that you will want to use different carpet in. This will arm you with a general idea of what your costs will be when you start carpet shopping, and will help the salesperson direct you toward the best deals for your budget and vision.
What You Don’t Expect
The thing about measuring carpet on your own is that without professional experience, there are plenty of things in a standard home that can throw your measurements for a loop. If your room (like most) has a doorway leading to it, this will add a couple of inches to your measurement. If you have a wall that slants, or a corner that is rounded in your room, it will impact the overall measurement as well.
Benefits of a Professional
Professional installers will have years of knowledge about not only what quirks in your home’s layout may impact the amount of carpet you’ll need, but also how the carpet pile, direction, and style you choose may impact the total square footage needed as well. When you’ve been doing this as long as our team has, you learn the intricacies that impact the total measurement in each individual home. Working with a master installer comes with all the added benefit of a professional eye and attention to detail that will ensure your carpet fits perfectly and lasts longer because of it.
Getting a general idea of how much carpet you’ll need to complete that renovation project you’ve been putting off is pretty simple, and will provide you with a solid foundation as you shop and work with professionals. But when it’s time to get the final square footage for purchase, we always recommend working with a professional to ensure everything is accounted for. At Sloane’s, we have a team of carpet experts who are on hand to help with every step of your carpet shopping experience, including those down-to-the-last-square-foot measurements. Schedule your appointment today.