Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Estimating Carpet
Estimating materials can be a chancy business because of a number of variables we will try to explain. The best way to figure materials is to measure the area to be covered and take the figures to the dealer for pro help in estimating. We will try to give you some useful pointers, but we would caution you to heed professional advice, not to follow your own judgment. A common mistake is to measure short in the name of economy and then run short and have to make a special trip to buy extra materials. In addition to having to make an extra trip, your new material may have a different lot number from the original material, so colors may not be an exact match. This is especially common when buying wallcovering, floor tile, or carpet.

The other tip to keep in mind is to always buy enough materials so you can save leftovers for use in future repairs. Almost all material colors go out of favor, and you may not be able to buy the same color material if repairs are necessary in the future.

Bad estimating can be made in figuring carpet requirements. Homeowners tend to figure room dimensions to the inch, then try to calculate the required yardage to the bare minimum to save money. The result can be that, depending on the way the nap runs, the carpet remnant cannot be turned and still match the rest of the floor, because the reversed nap may change the hue or color of the carpet. Or, the size of the room may be such that a lot of waste is created that cannot be used without making a patchwork of the job. For example, carpet (and vinyl floorcovering) come in rolls that are 12 ft. wide. If the carpet is laid in a room that is 11 feet wide, you will have a leftover strip of carpet that is 1 ft. wide and as long as the room. This is waste that can rarely be used if the job is to be done in a workmanlike manner.

Buying minimum yardage may mean that the installer has to make unnecessary seams in the carpet to use up all the scraps. Seams in carpet may be hard to conceal and may show premature wear. For the price of a couple of yards of carpet you can avoid the problem. Use leftover scraps of carpet for area rugs, door mats, or save them so you have material in case of needed repair.

Written by Gary Branson
Reprinted with pemission. Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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