How to Measure a Room for Perfect Results

Whether you're renovating a room, moving into a new space, or just want to change up an existing décor look, there are countless benefits to measuring the space correctly. When you measure right down to the most precise measurements and angles of your room, you'll gain full confidence in formulating a design plan that works for the unique dimensions of this exact area. But gauging dimensions can be tricky — especially with curved edges or tight corners! So, if you're looking for direction on measuring a room with perfect accuracy and successful results, read on!

Know Your Conversions

The first thing you will want to do to measure a room and get perfect results is to start by knowing your conversions. This obviously depends on the country where you live and if you buy local furniture or from an international store. Two systems of measurement are commonly used; the Imperial system and the metric system.

For most purposes, you could get by, by simply using a website that explains the conversions as you go, or you could use Google to do the conversions. However, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the various units of measure for each system of measurement, as well as any formulas that can be used. You’ll find that most modern tape measures will include both on either side, which is incredibly useful.

Know What You are Measuring For

The second thing to know if you want to measure a room with perfect results would be to know what you are measuring for. The reason you are measuring will determine what to measure. For example, if you want to get furniture into a room, you will need to measure the doorway to see if the furniture can get into the room and, more importantly, the distance from the door to the opposite wall to move the furniture around.

If you want to paint the room, you will need to measure the walls, as well as the windows, so you can determine how much paint is going to be needed. If you want to refloor the room, you need to know how to measure the square area of the room.

Know What Measuring Instruments to Use

One of the most important things you will need to know is the various instruments that can be used to measure a room; different measuring instruments serve different purposes, and some are better suited for specific tasks than others.

For example, while a tape measure is incredibly useful, it’s probably better suited to measure relatively short distances, even if you find a tape measure that can measure up to 10 meters; think of how practical that might be.

For longer distances, it might be better to use a yardstick, also known as a folding rule, since it can measure up to 2 meters in a straight line. A roller tape measure is also better suited for longer distances. Then, there are laser ranges, smartphone apps, and even ultrasound-based measuring instruments.

Important Things to Measure and Why

As mentioned above, the reason you are measuring will determine what to measure. However, some things are more important to measure than others. For example, measuring the door to get furniture into the room is slightly more important than measuring where you plan to place the furniture. Why? Even if you find the perfect spot for the furniture, it won’t matter if you can’t get it into the room.

Similarly, not all rooms are actually equal, especially apartment building rooms. Over time the floors tend to sink a bit, so you should measure the length and width of the room along the walls using a spirit level to see if the floors are straight. This also influences the height of the walls, especially if the floor has sunk a bit and you need completely accurate measurements.