Square Footage Calculator
Measure rooms or lot sections, total their area, and estimate material or project cost from a square-foot price.
- 2026 figures, checked October 26, 2026
- Private: runs in your browser
- How we check our work
Result
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Verify before you act: review these results with a licensed contractor, engineer or the local building department before making any decision based on them.
Suggestions for your numbers
Updated as you type, from your inputs only. General information, not personal advice; confirm any change with a qualified professional.
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Hover over or tap the chart to see the numbers for any point.
What is square footage?
Square footage is the area of a space measured in square feet. For a rectangular room or section, multiply its length by its width, using feet for both measurements.
A square footage calculator makes it easier to add multiple rectangles, such as rooms, parts of a lot, or sections of a flooring project. This calculator accepts up to four areas and can also show the total in square yards, square meters, and acres.
Why square footage matters
Area helps you estimate how much flooring, paint, lawn seed, or other material a project may require. If you enter a cost per square foot, you can also get a basic cost estimate for the total area.
For a home purchase or rental, comparing measured area can help you assess how a space fits your needs and compare properties. For a business, area can inform a flooring quote, a renovation budget, or how much space to allocate to inventory, staff, or customers.
Treat the result as a planning figure. A supplier’s material needs or a contractor’s quote may account for cuts, waste, surface condition, labor, and other costs that this area calculation does not include.
How to use this square footage calculator
- Measure the length and width of a rectangular area in feet. Use the same unit for both measurements.
- Enter the length and width for each area you want to include. Leave unused area fields at zero.
- If you want a basic cost estimate, enter the price per square foot in the optional cost field. Leave it at zero if you do not need that estimate.
- Select calculate to see the total area and its conversions. Check that the included sections match the spaces you intend to measure.
Square footage calculator example
Worked example
Enter Area 1 length 14 ft and width 12 ft, then Area 2 length 12 ft and width 10 ft. Enter 0 for both Area 3 measurements and both Area 4 measurements. Leave cost per square foot at 0. The result is 288 sq ft: 32 sq yd and 0.0066 acres. The result rows show 288 square feet, 32 square yards, 26.76 square meters, and 0.0066 acres.
How to read your result
Total area is the combined square footage of the sections you entered. The other rows express that same area in square yards, square meters, and acres. Use the unit that matches your plans, quote, or property information.
The optional cost field gives you a planning estimate based on the area and the price per square foot you enter. Check what that price covers. It may not include labor, delivery, taxes, removal, or extra material for cuts.
How to get a more useful area estimate
- 01
Split unusual layouts into rectangles
Measure an L-shaped room or lot section as separate rectangles, then enter each section. Avoid counting the same space in more than one area.
- 02
Measure the actual project surface
For flooring, measure the floor rather than relying on a room listing. For paint, measure the surfaces you plan to cover. Ask a contractor or supplier how they want measurements taken.
- 03
Check the price behind your estimate
Ask suppliers for a written price per square foot and confirm whether it covers only material or other charges. If quotes differ, compare what each one includes before choosing.
- 04
Recheck measurements before buying
Measure each section again and review your entries. If you are planning a purchase or signing a quote, confirm the final quantity with the supplier or contractor.
Common square footage mistakes
Mixing measurement units
Entering a length in feet and a width in another unit will produce a misleading result. Convert both measurements to feet before entering them.
Forgetting part of the space
A divided room, alcove, or separate lot section may need its own measurement. Include each part you want counted, and do not include spaces outside the project.
Treating area as a complete project quote
The calculator totals area; it does not assess surface condition, labor, waste, or delivery. Confirm those details before relying on a project budget.
Entering a price that uses a different unit
The optional price is per square foot. Check the unit on a supplier quote before entering it, or the cost estimate will not match the quoted rate.
The square footage formula
Area = length x width for each section, added together.
Key terms
- Square foot
- A unit for measuring area. Square footage is the area expressed in square feet.
- Square yard
- A unit of area shown as an alternate way to express the calculator’s total.
- Square meter
- A metric unit of area shown as an alternate way to express the calculator’s total.
- Acre
- A unit of land area shown as an alternate way to express the calculator’s total.
Square footage questions
Can I use this calculator for an irregular room or lot?
You can estimate an irregular space by dividing it into rectangular sections, measuring each one, and adding them. For a precise property boundary or contractor measurement, confirm the method with a qualified professional.
Does the cost estimate include labor and materials?
It applies the price per square foot you enter to the total area. It does not establish what that price includes, so check the supplier’s or contractor’s quote for labor, waste, delivery, and other charges.
Can I use the result to compare property listings?
Yes, the result can help you compare measured areas, but confirm how each listing defines and measures its area before making a purchase or rental decision.
Before you act on this result. Cordwell calculators and guides are educational estimates, not legal, tax, investment, lending or other professional advice. They rely on the numbers you enter and on simplified rules, and they can't see your full situation. Before you file, sign, borrow, invest, hire, change your withholding or form a business based on anything here, meet with a licensed contractor, engineer or the local building department who can review your specific facts and confirm the numbers. Rules change, and official agency guidance always controls.