Suppose you are in a field and want to make a fence around it. For doing this, you must have the measurement of it. So, you can build a boundary according to the length and width of the field. Let us think of another example, as you are about to buy a house. But the price depends on the size, length, and width of the house. In both the case, you need to know the measurement figure square feet.
However, it is not written anywhere. So, you have to find out the measurement. How will you do that? You need to know the square feet measurement in both cases as we know this is the easiest way of measuring an abstract. For this reason, you have to know the square feet of any big area or object. But How will you measure the square feet? The first question to think about, don’t worry. Only for this purpose, I am here with the article.
Let’s see how to figure square feet through our writing.
Table of Contents
What are length and width?
How long any object is called the length, how wide or narrow the thing is called width. Why do we need to know the length and width of the abstract? And the unit of the width and length feet, meters, and inches. The reason is the square feet need the length and width. Now I will let you know what the square feet are.
What are square feet?
The square feet are theoretically the amount of a specific space or area that any object covers.
For example, the field I mentioned above has a width of 10 meters and 12 feet in length. So, how much surface area the field cover? If the question comes to your mind, then you are going in the right direction. The result is called the square feet number.
The square feet will tell you how much surface area you have to work. For this, you need to calculate the length and width. That’s why we at first need to know the width and stretch of any space. By calculating, we get to know the square feet of the field or the house or flat.
There are various ways to know the square feet number of a particular area. I am going to tell all the easiest to the complex methods to calculate the square feet. So, do not worry about a thing and stay in tune with me.
Benefits of figuring out the square feet:
At first, you can question why we need to calculate or figure the square feet? The answer is here.
- To know the square feet helps you quickly find out the total surface area of a place,
- Also, by figuring out the sq. ft. you can tackle the interior design project in your own house,
- Once you can estimate the square feet of any area, you can figure the cost of your place to buy the house.
- The figuring out of the square feet will also let you know the improving or renovating any particular place.
- You can find out how much space you will need for your living after knowing the square feet,
- The knowledge will ultimately help you to bid the price of the land you may want to purchase.
- Professional house painters often base charge quotations on the square footage of a house. If a person plans to paint their house themselves, measuring square footage can help estimate the precise amount of paint required.
- By measuring square footage, a person can estimate the flooring cost of the property.
- Measuring square footage will help a person to gain a better understanding of how much area will work for their preferences. Because the cost of building a home varies largely based on how much area you’re using to build it.
How to figure square feet?
Now comes our main topic, how to figure the square feet?
There are various ways I mentioned before, but the uncomplicated formula is to
- Know the length of the object or stretching of the place,
- The width of the same abstract,
- Multiply both of the numbers.
Thus, you get the easiest way to calculate and figure the square feet (or in short sq. ft.).
But remember the quantity of both the length and width have to be in feet. So that, the square result will come in feet too.
The formula is the easiest of all and widely used in the United States and other countries too. You can also transfer the result of feet into inches, yards, or any other units.
The Basic formula of how to figure square feet:
Area in sq. ft= Length (in feet) x width (in feet).
How to figure square feet of odd-shaped objects?
From now, we are thinking of measuring the square feet of plain space or place for equal sides. What will happen if we are going to figure the square feet of any odd-shaped object or abstract. Let’s figure it out-
- You have to measure all the sides of the area. So that you can know the length and width of the place. Figuring all the dimensions of an oddly shaped object will not be an easy task.
- Secondly, take a graph paper and draw the measurement of the area. The graph paper and the drawing have to be in scale. Without scale, the draw will not be perfect and correct.
- Thirdly, you have to divide the drawing into specific shapes. You have to split the figure so that you can continue the further work.
- Then, you have to figure the area of each shape. The shapes are divided to measure the zone of each appearance. As a result, you can have all the different square feet results of each form.
- Lastly, you have to add all the results to find out the total square feet. In conclusion, you now have the sum of all the square feet result of the shapes. And they are all one now.
How to figure square feet using other units of measure
If you want to calculate square feet in other units, you can easily do that. The basic formula is the same in every case. You just have to change the foot unit of the length and width. You have to change them to the unit you want to do the calculations with. Just follow the instructions below:
- Square inches: Square inches are more common for calculating areas for smaller items. If you need to calculate the area into square inches, follow the same basic equation. But you have to first multiply the length and width measurements individually by 12. Since there are 12 inches in one foot. After that, multiply the length and width results using the basic equation. And you will get your measurements in square inches.
- Square yards: Square yards are more common for calculating areas for items like fabrics. If you need to calculate the area into square yards, follow the basic equation. But unlike square inches, you have to divide the length and width measurements individually by 3. Since there are 3 feet in one yard. After that, multiply the length and width results using the basic equation. And you will get your measurements in square yards.
- Square meters: For the metric system, we need to calculate the area in square meters. If you need to calculate the area in square meters, follow the basic equation. But like square yards, you have to divide the length and width measurements individually by 0.3. Since there are 0.3 meters in one foot. After that, multiply the length and width results using the basic equation. And you will get your measurements in square meters.
How to figure square feet in various types and shapes of rooms
You may need to calculate the square footage of different types of rooms. So that you won’t face any trouble setting any items in those rooms. To do that, just follow the instructions below:
- Rectangular rooms: To calculate the area of a room that is square or rectangle in shape, just follow the basic formula.
- Rooms with closets: Rooms with closets are mostly rectangular in shape with small rectangular add ons. To calculate the square footage, first, measure the square footage of each rectangle. After that, add the measurements together.
- Odd-shaped rooms: The standard formula for area calculation is something we can apply even to odd-shaped rooms. All we need to do is break the room down into separate areas that are easy to calculate. Then we need to add up the results to find out the areas of the odd-shaped rooms.
Your room may have a lot of angles, which may make it harder to calculate the area. To solve this problem, you can use the formula mentioned below for a triangle. It’s just a rectangle or square cut in half. The formula is:
Length (in feet) x width (in feet) ÷ 2 = area in sq ft
Usable square footage
Usable square footage is a term usually used in commercial real estate settings. It is used to describe the amount of square footage a renter can actually use. Excluding other common areas like hallways, lobbies, and stairwells.
In a residential real estate context, your usable square footage is the surface area of your personal space. Versus the common areas such as shared spaces like kitchens and living rooms, storage closets, hallways, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What are square feet?
Answer: Square feet are the amount of a specific space or area that any object or material covers.
- What are length and width?
Answer: How long is any object is called length, and how wide or narrow is any object is called width.
- What is the formula for calculating square feet?
Answer: The basic formula for calculating square feet is:
Area in sq. ft= Length (in feet) x width (in feet).
- How can I calculate square feet of odd-shaped areas?
Answer: Calculating square feet of odd-shaped areas is not an easy task.
First, we need to break the area down into separate areas that are easy to calculate. Then we need to add up the results to find out the square feet of the odd-shaped areas.
Conclusion:
In this article, you get to know the process of how to figure square feet calculation of any area or object. The article talks about the information about the square feet, the working fields, the process of measuring, the background history, the need of the square feet for any measurement type, etc.
So, after reading this, you will have no confusion regarding the measuring of square feet. Additionally, you can get to know the advantage of using the square feet unit for field or a concrete place measurement.
We hope this article will solve your problems on how to figure square feet.
