How to Measure for Carpet
Measuring for carpet doesn’t need to be complicated — but getting it right is important for accurate pricing and a smooth fitting day.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to measure for carpet step by step, when measuring yourself works well, and when a professional home visit might be the better option.
What You’ll Need
Before you start, grab:
- A tape measure (in metres)
- A pen and paper
- A rough sketch of your room
Take your time — accuracy matters more than speed.
Step 1: Measure the Length and Width of the Room
Measure the longest length and the widest width of the room, even if the room isn’t perfectly square.
- Measure wall to wall
- Include alcoves, bay windows, and door recesses
- Always measure in metres, not centimetres
If your room has an irregular shape, again measure the longest length and widest width of the room.
Step 2: Add Allowance
When measuring for carpet, it’s important to allow for trimming and fitting.
A good rule of thumb:
- Add 10cm (0.1m) to each measurement.
- E.g - if the room measures 3.81m wall to wall, write down 3.91m for the measurement of the room on the paper.
This ensures the carpet can be fitted without being short.
Step 3: Double Check and Select Correct Size Carpet
Before placing your order, take a moment to double check your measurements. This simple step can help avoid delays and ensure your carpet fits perfectly on fitting day.
Go back over your room measurements and confirm:
- You’ve measured the longest length and widest width of the room
- All alcoves, bay windows, and recesses are included
- Measurements are in metres
- You’ve allowed extra for trimming and fitting
If your room isn’t a perfect rectangle, make sure the overall longest length and widest width of the room has been measured and accounted for.
Step 4: Choosing the Right Carpet Size Online
When selecting your carpet size online, always choose the size that fully covers your room, even if it appears slightly larger than needed. Any excess is trimmed neatly during fitting, ensuring a clean and professional finish.
Never select a smaller size to try to save cost — carpets can’t be stretched to fit, and coming up short may result in visible joins or delays.
If you’re carpeting more than one room, repeat the process separately and repeat the measuring process.
Carpetly Tip 👌
When in doubt, round up and double check. And if you’d rather not measure at all, we’ll happily do it for you.
❗️Common Measuring Mistakes to Avoid ❗️
- Measuring only the visible floor area
- Forgetting alcoves, doorways or bay windows
- Measuring in centimetres instead of metres
- Rounding measurements down. When in doubt, always round up, not down.
Measuring Hall, Stairs and Landing
Hallways, Stairs and Landings are more complex and best measured professionally. Each step, riser, and landing needs to be accounted for accurately and planned out efficiently keep prices low and to minimise waste.
If you’re measuring the hallway, stairs and landing yourself, we recommend treating the measurement as an estimate and booking a home visit to confirm.
Our mobile showroom and measured survey service ensures everything is sized correctly before fitting — and there’s no obligation to proceed.
Do I Need a Professional Measured Survey?
Measuring yourself works well for:
- Simple, square rooms
- Single-room projects
- Multiple Rooms, all simple sizes
- Getting an instant online price
A professional home visit is recommended if:
- Your rooms are irregularly shaped
- You’re carpeting hallway, stairs and landings
- You want complete peace of mind
- You want to discuss your options further and need some professional advice
At Carpetly, we offer both options.
Measure yourself and get instant online pricing
Or book a home visit for a measured survey
Either way, your price always includes:
- Carpet
- New underlay
- Accessories as required
- Professional fitting
- Uplift and disposal of old carpet (if selected)
No hidden costs. No surprises.
Ready to Get Started?
Once you’ve measured, you can:
- Order free samples
- Get your price instantly
- Book your fitting date online today
Or, if you’d rather, arrange a home visit and we’ll handle the measuring for you.
