Standard Method for Measuring Floor Space

Create a clear path from one side of the room to another. Remove any furniture or stands that prohibit you from stretching the measuring tape from one side to another.

Measure the shorter length of the room using your tape measure. It is useful to have another set of hands available to hold one end while you stretch the other end to the other side of the room. Write down the measurement in both inches and feet. For an example, use a room that is 5 feet, 6 inches wide, which equals 66 inches.

Measure the longer side of the room, the length, the same way you measured the width. Write down this measurement also in feet and inches. For an example, use a room measuring 8 feet, 4 inches long or 100 inches.

Multiply the two figures in feet together to get an estimate of the square footage in the room. Multiplying 8.3 and 5.5 together (from the above examples) gives you approximately 45.65 square feet.

Multiply the two measurements in inches by each other. From the example, multiply 100 by 66 to get 6,600. Divide this measurement by 144 (the number of inches in one square foot) to get 45.83 square feet. An accurate measurement is better for purchasing materials to ensure you have enough to complete the job.