Square footage is the starting point for pricing flooring, siding, decking, and paving — but most jobsites aren't simple rectangles. This calculator handles rectangles, circles, triangles, and L-shaped sections, adds a waste factor for cuts and overage, and applies your material and labor rates to give you a priced total straight from your field measurements.

FIELD MATH

Surface Area Calculator

ft
ft
Area:384.00 sq ft
ft
ft
Area:72.00 sq ft
Pricing
%
$/ sq ft
$/ sq ft
Total Project Cost
$6,270.00
501.6 sq ft with waste · 10% waste factor
Net area (measured)456.00 sq ft
Gross area (+10% waste)501.60 sq ft
Material ($8.50/sq ft)$4,263.60
Labor ($4.00/sq ft)$2,006.40
Total Cost$6,270.00
456Net sq ft
502Gross sq ft
$6,270.00Total cost
Section Breakdown
Main deck area384.0 sq ft
Side walkway72.0 sq ft

Example Calculations

1
Open-plan living area (L-shape)

28×18 ft outer dimensions with a 10×8 ft notch cut-out. Hardwood at $8.50/sq ft material, $4/sq ft labor, 10% waste.

Net 424 sq ft → Gross 466 sq ft → Materials $3,961 → Labor $1,864 → Total $5,825
2
Round patio with pavers

14 ft diameter circle (radius 7 ft). Pavers $12/sq ft, install $6/sq ft, 12% waste.

Net 154 sq ft → Gross 172 sq ft → Total $3,096
3
Multi-section driveway

2 rectangles: 20×10 ft + 40×12 ft. Asphalt $4.50/sq ft, 8% waste.

Net 680 sq ft → Gross 734 sq ft → Materials $3,303
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Frequently Asked Questions

For rectangular rooms with straight cuts, use 5–10%. For diagonal or herringbone patterns, use 15%. For tile in irregular rooms, 10–15% is standard. Hardwood in a simple room, 7–8%. Always round up to the nearest full box or bundle.

Divide the L into two rectangles, calculate each, then add them together. Or measure the full bounding rectangle and subtract the notch cut-out. The L-shape option in this calculator does exactly that — enter the outer dimensions and the notch size.

One roofing square covers 100 sq ft. Divide your total gross area (including waste) by 100 to get the number of squares to order.

Use the circle formula: π × radius². For a 12-foot diameter circle, the radius is 6 ft → 3.14159 × 36 = 113 sq ft. This calculator handles circles automatically — just enter the radius.

For a right triangle: ½ × base × height. This works for any triangle where you know the base width and perpendicular height — common for hip roof sections and triangular garden beds.

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