How To Measure Rooms With Alcoves, Bays and Chimney Breasts
Quick answer
For carpet and sheet vinyl, measure the room’s full rectangle into the deepest alcove or bay, because the carpet comes off the roll as a rectangle. For LVT, laminate and wood, split the room into rectangles, add up their areas and take off the chimney breast, because you buy those in packs by area.
Definition
Measuring a room with alcoves means recording both the overall size (for roll goods) and the real floor area (for pack goods) of a room that is not a simple rectangle.
Explanation
A chimney breast or alcove makes no difference to how much carpet you cut, as the roll is a rectangle and the cut-outs become offcuts. It does reduce how many packs of LVT or laminate you need. Measure both, and draw the room so you know where the alcoves are when you plan joins and door bars.
4.5 m × 3.8 m lounge with a 1.4 m × 0.4 m chimney breast
| Flooring | Measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet (4 m roll) | Full rectangle | 1 drop × 4.60 m = 18.4 m² |
| LVT / laminate | 17.1 − 0.56 m² | 16.54 m² + waste, in packs |
Summary
Roll goods: measure the rectangle. Pack goods: measure the real area. PlanCutFit lets you draw L, T and U shapes or wall by wall and cut out chimney breasts, and works out both for you.
In depth
Room by room
Alcoves and chimney breasts
Measure the full width wall to wall through the alcoves, then the chimney breast’s width and depth.
Bay windows
Treat the bay as its own block on the main rectangle. Measure into the deepest point, and allow extra for shaping round angled bays.
L, T and odd shapes
Split into rectangles and note which way each part runs, so you can plan joins where the rectangles meet.
- Number each rectangle on your sketch
- Measure each one wall to wall
- Mark doors, so you can place door bars and joins
Frequently asked questions
- How do I measure a bay window for carpet?
- Measure the main room, then from the main wall to the deepest point of the bay. Plan the carpet from the rectangle that includes the bay.
- How do I measure an L-shaped room?
- Split it into two rectangles. For packs, add the two areas. For carpet, plan each part on the roll (or the overall rectangle if it comes off in one piece).
Related resources
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