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How To Calculate Square Metres

To calculate square meters, measure the length and width of an area in centimeters or meters, multiply them together to get the square meter total, and round up your measurements by 10% to ensure you have enough materials for projects like flooring, painting, or decking. The document also provides guidance on additional measurements needed for projects like roofing based on sheet widths and overhang allowances. It recommends getting help from professionals with measurements and materials if unsure, as they are familiar with linear meters, square meters, and contingencies.

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692 views3 pages

How To Calculate Square Metres

To calculate square meters, measure the length and width of an area in centimeters or meters, multiply them together to get the square meter total, and round up your measurements by 10% to ensure you have enough materials for projects like flooring, painting, or decking. The document also provides guidance on additional measurements needed for projects like roofing based on sheet widths and overhang allowances. It recommends getting help from professionals with measurements and materials if unsure, as they are familiar with linear meters, square meters, and contingencies.

Uploaded by

Vinx Joe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to calculate square metres

You typically need to know the size of an area, such as a floor (carpeting), wall (painting)
or outdoor area (decking). This is so you can measure accurately and order the right
amount of materials, work out the total cost of these and/or let a tradie know so they
can quote on your job.

Using a tape measure measure the length of your area followed by the width, making
sure you make a note of the measurements in centimetres (cm) /andor meters (m), for
example 3 metres 55 centimeters, or 355cm or 3.55m.

You then multiply the length of the area by the width to give a square metre (m2) total.
For example an area 2.55m long x 1.45m wide = 3.69 square metres (m2).

When you need to calculate how many square metre an irregular area is, it is often
easier to divide a space into smaller sections. Simply measure each separately and then
add the two figures together together. It is often better to round up your measurements
(add 10 per cent) to make sure you have enough materials. For example, 3.69 square
metres would simply become 3.70 square metres (m2). You can also use an online
square metre calculator tool to help out. Many manufacturers or retailers have these
tools on their site.

You should round up your measurements to make sure you have enough materials
Learn more: How Much Does Roofing Cost?

Measuring for your home


improvement project
Depending on the project you are planning, you may need to take into account more
than just the area or square metre figure of an area.

If you are replacing your roofing you would measure the width of your roof in metres,
and divide this by the standard width of a corrugated sheet. This will give you the
number of sheets you need. You also need to account for a 50mm extra on the length
for the overhang at the gutter end, as well as some contingency for overlap of each
sheet. For example the width of a sheet is 840mm, but the actual coverage you would
get is only 760mm - allowing for the overlap.

If you are getting quotes for new carpet, tiles or hardwood flooring, you would measure
the square metre (m2) of each room and add all your rooms together for a grand total.
You can then see what flooring material is in your price range - as these are invariably
priced in square metres or sometimes in linear metres.

Getting help with measurements and


materials
If you are unsure about linear metres, square metres or the area you are working with,
get the help of a pro. A roofer, carpet installer or deck builder all work with these terms
and figures everyday, and also know what contingencies to allow for. They can either do
the measuring for you, or work off your calculations to produce a quote and price your
job.

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