Measuring for Carpet

Q: How do you know how much carpet you need? I have a split level with big stairs.
Thanks,
Iris
A: Your best bet here would to to measure out each room, so that you have the length and width of each room (account for the longest direction in the case of rooms that are not square). Multiply the length of the room by its width to get each room’s square footage, then calculate the square footage of each stair and riser so you know the amount of carpet needed for the stairs as well.
Make sure to keep the square footage and measurements of each room on hand, as well as any hallways and the stairs. This will help for estimating any overages needed (such as to wrap over the lip of the stair and then tuck down for the riser).
From here you should be pretty set to go, but I would suggest working with your carpet retailer or installer to ensure you order plenty of carpet. Adding some spare square feet of carpet to each room to ensure you have proper allowances for cuts is important.