Based on typical recommendations, you generally need around 5-10% extra carpet beyond the exact measurements of your room.
It's common practice to purchase a little more carpet than the precise square footage of your room. This is crucial for several reasons, primarily to account for cuts, potential wastage during installation, and the need to match patterns or handle awkward room shapes. Having extra ensures that the fitters have enough material to work with, minimizing seams and ensuring full coverage right up to the edges and into doorways or alcoves.
Why is Extra Carpet Recommended?
- Cuts and Trims: Carpet rolls are a fixed width, and rooms often have varying dimensions. Cutting the carpet to fit the room's perimeter naturally creates offcuts and waste.
- Room Shape: Rooms with complex layouts, such as those with alcoves, bay windows, or multiple doorways, require more intricate cutting and fitting, increasing the likelihood of needing extra material.
- Seams: While professional fitters minimize seams, sometimes they are necessary, and ensuring pattern matching across seams requires careful planning and can use additional material.
- Pattern Matching: If your carpet has a specific pattern, extra material is needed to align the pattern seamlessly when joining pieces, especially in larger rooms or on stairs.
The Recommended Amount
According to guidance often provided, you will generally need around 5-10% extra carpet. This additional percentage is calculated based on the total square footage or square meters of your room.
- Small Rooms: For smaller or very regularly shaped rooms, you might lean towards the lower end of the range (e.g., 5%).
- Larger/Complex Rooms: For larger rooms or those with irregular shapes, many doorways, or stairs, a higher percentage (e.g., 10% or slightly more) is often advisable.
Important Considerations
- Professional Measurement: While these percentages offer a good guideline, the most accurate way to determine the exact amount of carpet needed is to have your room professionally measured by your retailer or a qualified fitter. As noted in guidance, your retailer will measure your room accurately and tell you exactly how much carpet, accessories, and fitting will be required.
- Roll Widths: The usable width of the carpet roll is a significant factor that fitters consider when calculating the required quantity and planning cuts.
Ultimately, while the 5-10% guideline is a helpful estimate, relying on a professional measurement ensures you order the correct amount, avoiding both shortages and excessive waste.
