How to Measure for Vinyl Flooring

Replacing a vinyl floor can breathe new life into a room. Vinyl is sold by the square foot and generally comes in one large sheet to cover the entire floor. To insure that your vinyl will fit the area you intend to install it in, you need to measure carefully and allow for areas under sinks, cabinets or other appliances. Although you can save money by covering only the visible portion of the floor, keep in mind that if you do not cover areas under appliances, you will not be able to rearrange them in the future.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Calculator

Instructions

1. Use a tape measure to measure the width of the room. Do not forget to include the area under movable appliances or furniture. Round the number up to the nearest foot. A floor that measures 10 feet, 9 inches should be rounded to 11 feet. A floor that measure 10 feet 3 inches should also be rounded to 11 feet. Otherwise you will not have enough vinyl to cover your floor. Record the number.

2. Measure the length of the room following the same procedure and record the number in feet.

3. Multiply the width by the length of the floor to determine how many square feet of vinyl you will need to cover your floor. A room 11-by-10 feet will require 110 square feet of vinyl.

4. Calculate the cost of your new flooring by multiplying the square feet of vinyl you need by the price per square foot.

5. Take your measurements with you to the dealer and order vinyl to fit the dimension of your floor.