Calculating Square Footage and Cubic Footage

At one time or another most homeowners need to figure out the square footage of their home, lot, or even a single room. Whether you're getting ready to sell, just want to know how much square footage you have, or are undertaking a home improvement project that requires you know how big any given area is, knowing how to calculate the square footage of an area (without a square foot calculator!), as well as the cubic feet of a space, is an important skill to master.

How to Calculate Square Footage
This chore is about as it easy as it gets. If you're goal is to figure out the square footage of your home, the process is fairly straightforward. Of course, a web-based square foot calculator is capable of doing it for you, but even so, this is a good thing to know how to do on your own. It all boils down to basic math. If you are getting ready to sell your home, most realtors and appraisal companies measure from the outside, and include any area that is heated and used year-round.

Don't count your garage into the equation, but other than that the basic formula includes measuring the width and length of each story of your home and multiplying them together. If you have a modest ranch running 60 feet long by 30 feet wide, you just need to multiply those two distances together. 30 x 60 = 1800 square feet. Don't forget to figure in walk-in pantries and heated, closed-in-porches, as they will add to the final figure.

Not Looking To Sell?
While figuring out a square footage to put on the realty flyer is one of the primary reasons people seek out a square foot calculator, it certainly isn't the only reason. If you're tiling, buying hardwood for a floor, or painting your living room, you need to know exactly how much square footage you're dealing with so you purchase the appropriate amount of materials. Measuring from the outside isn't going to cut it. In this instance, make careful measurements of the room you're planning to remodel. A square foot calculator is helpful, but really unnecessary here, too. Measure how wide the room is, along with the length, multiply those two numbers together, and you've got the appropriate figure for how much material you're going to need. It's probably a good idea to round up here just to be safe, in order to make sure you don't come up short on materials when you get your project underway.

Cubic Feet
The other valuable space measurement you're likely to run into won't be addressed by a square foot calculator. So here, you're on your own. Still, it's not too much different. Say you're installing an attic fan and need to know the volume of air in your home measured in cubic feet. Figure out the square footage first, then multiply that by the height of the space as well. That 1800 square foot home we mentioned earlier, with 8 foot ceilings, has 14,400 cubic feet of air to move (30 x 60 x 8 = 14,400). In landscaping you may also run into the measurement of a cubic yard, which is three cubic feet by three cubic feet, or 27 cubic feet (3 x 3 x 3 = 27) of material when it's all said and done.

Square Footage Calculator
It's good to know how to figure these measurements out on your own, since you won't always have a computer handy to help you. By all means, though, if you're in the planning phases and have the correct measurements, a square footage calculator can save you time. Some square foot calculator websites even convert your measurements into necessary materials, saving you a lot of time converting one to the other. Run a quick web search and you're sure to find a square footage calculator out there to help you on your way.