How to Decide How Many Carpet Tiles One Needs
Carpet tiles, also called carpet squares, are a low-maintenance alternative to traditional carpeting. They are easy to install and remove, which makes replacing them simpler and more affordable than with regular carpeting. Carpet tiles can look like a normal carpet or be used to create a pattern. Unlike traditional carpeting, they come in a variety of sizes and may be sold individually. This means you'll need to figure out how many tiles you need to cover your space. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Area
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1
Decide where you want to lay your carpet tiles. If the room has an odd shape, such as an alcove or hallway, visually divide it into rectangular sections.
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Measure the distance between two opposite walls of the first section, at floor level, using the tape measure. Record your measurement. This will be your length.
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3
Measure the distance, at floor level, between the remaining sides of the section. Record your measurement. This will be your width.
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Measure the length and width for any remaining sections. Record all measurements.
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Convert all feet into inches by multiplying by 12, using a calculator if desired. Add this to the inches for each measurement. For example, 5 feet 6 inches will be 66 inches.
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Multiply each section's length by its width. This will give you the area, in square inches, of the section.
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Add up the areas of all sections to determine the total area of your floor.
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Multiply the total area by .10. Add this number to the total area. For example, a 5,760-square-inch area would have 576 added to it for a total of 6,336 square inches. This will give you a 10 percent margin, in case tiles are damaged during installation, or to have on hand in case replacements are needed.
Tiles
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Decide what size and style of tiles you want to install.
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Calculate the area of one carpet tile by multiplying its length by its width. For example, an 18-inch square will have an area of 325 inches.
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Divide your floor area, with its 10 percent extra, by the area of one carpet tile. Round up your answer to the next whole number. This is the number of carpet tiles you should purchase. If your tiles are sold in boxes, divide the number of tiles required by the number of tiles per box, to determine how many boxes you need, rounding up to the next full box.
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Tips & Warnings
You can sketch out your floor area, and record your measurements on the sketch, to help you visualize the sections.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit carpet pattern - can be used as background image by Elnur from Fotolia.com
