CalculateY
Quick Answer
A room measuring 12 feet by 15 feet (180 sq ft) with 10% waste allowance requires approximately 22 square yards of carpet.
Common Examples
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 12 ft x 15 ft, 10% waste | Approximately 198 sq ft total, 22.0 sq yd |
| 10 ft x 10 ft, 10% waste | Approximately 110 sq ft total, 12.2 sq yd |
| 14 ft x 20 ft, 15% waste | Approximately 322 sq ft total, 35.8 sq yd |
| 16 ft x 24 ft, 10% waste, $30/sq yd | Approximately 422.4 sq ft total, 46.9 sq yd, estimated cost $1,408 |
| 8 ft x 10 ft, 5% waste | Approximately 84 sq ft total, 9.3 sq yd |
How It Works
The formula
Room Area (sq ft) = Length x Width
Total with Waste (sq ft) = Room Area x (1 + Waste% / 100)
Carpet Needed (sq yd) = Total with Waste / 9
Estimated Cost = Carpet Needed (sq yd) x Price per Square Yard
Where:
- Length and Width are the room dimensions in feet
- Waste% is the percentage added for cuts, seams, and fitting (typically 10%)
- 9 is the conversion factor from square feet to square yards (1 sq yd = 3 ft x 3 ft = 9 sq ft)
Why is carpet sold by the square yard?
Carpet has historically been manufactured and sold in square yards rather than square feet. Standard carpet rolls are 12 feet wide, and pricing is quoted per square yard. When comparing prices at flooring stores, the listed price is almost always per square yard. Some retailers have started listing per-square-foot pricing as well, but square yards remain the industry standard.
Waste percentage guidelines
- 5% for simple rectangular rooms with no seams
- 10% is the standard recommendation for most carpet installations
- 15% for rooms with angles, alcoves, or multiple seams
- 20% for patterned carpet that requires pattern matching at seams
Worked example
For a room measuring 14 feet by 20 feet with 15% waste and carpet priced at $28 per square yard: Room area = 14 x 20 = 280 sq ft. Waste = 280 x 0.15 = 42 sq ft. Total with waste = 280 + 42 = 322 sq ft. Carpet needed = 322 / 9 = 35.8 sq yd. Estimated cost = 35.8 x $28 = approximately $1,002.