The square footage formula
For a rectangular space, area is simply length times width, both in feet:
square feet = length(ft) × width(ft)
total cost = square feet × price per sq ft
Worked example
A room 12 ft by 10 ft, flooring at $3.50 per square foot:
Area: 12 × 10 = 120 sq ft.
Material cost: 120 × $3.50 = $420.
Other units and ordering tips
One square yard is 9 square feet, and one square foot is about 0.0929 square metres. Flooring is often sold by the square yard or the box, so the calculator shows square yards too. For non-rectangular rooms, split the space into rectangles, find each area, and add them up.
Tip: always buy 5–10% extra for cuts, waste and future repairs — pattern matching, diagonal layouts and tricky corners increase waste, so round up when ordering.