How to Measure a Room for Hardwood Flooring

A little preparation helps your hardwood flooring project start smoothly.
A few simple measurements can help you describe the size of your hardwood flooring project and give Imperial Wood Floors useful information before your estimate.

How to Measure a Room

Example: 12 ft × 10 ft = 120 sq ft

For L-Shaped Rooms

Divide the room into rectangles. Measure each one, then add the totals.

Example using the measurements shown:

12 ft × 10 ft = 120 sq ft
8 ft × 6 ft = 48 sq ft

Total = 168 sq ft.

Start With Length × Width

For a rectangular room, measure the longest length and width in feet and multiply them to estimate square footage. Include closets or connected areas that are part of the flooring project.

Irregular Rooms

For an L-shaped or irregular room, divide the space into smaller rectangles. Calculate each section and add the totals together.

Note Connected Areas

Make note of closets, doorways, transitions, stairs and adjoining rooms that connect to the flooring project. These details help Imperial Wood Floors understand the overall scope.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I measure in feet or inches?

Measure in feet for the simplest square-footage calculation. If you measure in inches, divide each measurement by 12 to convert it to feet before multiplying length by width.

What if my room is not a perfect rectangle?

Divide the room into smaller rectangular sections. Measure the length and width of each section, calculate its area, and add the areas together.

Should I include closets and doorways?

Include closets that will receive hardwood flooring. Make note of doorways and transitions so Imperial Wood Floors can understand how the flooring connects to surrounding spaces.

Do I need to measure adjoining rooms?

If adjoining rooms are part of your hardwood flooring project, measure each room separately and add the square footage. Note where the rooms connect.

How do I measure an L-shaped room?

Divide the L shape into two non-overlapping rectangles. Multiply length by width for each rectangle and add the two areas. In the example shown, 120 + 48 = 168 square feet.

What if I’m not sure about my measurements?

That is okay. Your measurements are a starting estimate, not a final installation quantity. Share what you have and Imperial Wood Floors can review the project details during the estimate process.

What Homeowners Are Saying

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Igor Steinberg profile picture
Igor Steinberg
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Imperial Wood Floors recently refinished ~1,000 sq ft of quarter sawn oak floors in our home, and the results are gorgeous — a natural water-based Bona finish that brought out grain and ray fleck we had forgotten was there. While sanding, they found several boards near our kitchen downdraft ductwork with serious oil damage soaked into the wood; Jeremy replaced them so cleanly you can't find the repair, and fixed a few squeaks while he was at it. Three days start to finish, final charge matched the estimate, dust was a non-issue, and the house was spotless when we returned. Jeff Shunk runs a family business that clearly takes pride in their work. Highly recommend!
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Connor Lyons profile picture
Connor Lyons
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Jeff and his crew did an amazing job with refinishing our hardwood floors. The dust-free sanding kept the house clean. Stayed on schedule. Responsive to questions and gave regular updates along the way. Our floors look better than they ever have!
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Ginny profile picture
Ginny
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Jeff and his crew did a fantastic job installing a new hardwood floor in our 100+ year house. Their creative problem solving and gentle care for our property illustrated the high quality of their work. The fact that they finished ahead of schedule and left our living space clean and dust - free (even inside cupboards and book shelves) were a much appreciated bonus! Thank you to the folks at Imperial Wood Floors!!
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Nicholas Haun profile picture
Nicholas Haun
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They did a great job restoring 1000 sqft of wood floors! We were on a tight schedule, and they were able to get the work done when we needed it. Would definitely work with them again.
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Alex James profile picture
Alex James
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Jeff and his crew do great work. Installed a maple floor for me and it turned out fantastic even after running into a few challenges.
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Joe Mead profile picture
Joe Mead
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Imperial partially replaced and refinished our entire main story wood floors. The floors look great and they were very easy to work with. I definitely recommend working with Jeff and team.
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Ramiro Rodriguez profile picture
Ramiro Rodriguez
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Jeff its Very professional, attention to details, very responsible and respectful.
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Brian M Towns profile picture
Brian M Towns
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Our floors turned out great. Imperial refinished the floors throughout our house before we moved in. They were friendly, responsive, and efficient. We really appreciated the fast turnaround and late hours so the floors would be ready for moving day! We're happy with the results, and the process.
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Miranda Merkes profile picture
Miranda Merkes
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They did an amazing job!! Original 1950s flooring looks brand new. They even covered up an area where a wall was. You would never know it wasn't all one flush flooring. They had incredible dust free sanding so no icky particles floating around. Jeff also gave perfect instructions on when to walk on, set furniture and rugs and also when and what to clean the floors with. I will follow the instructions meticulously to kept them looking as perfect as they made them.

Have Your Measurements Ready?

Once you have an approximate square footage, you can request an estimate or contact Imperial Wood Floors with any questions.