1. Select your shape
Choose from rectangle, circle, triangle, trapezoid, L-shape, annulus, or wall-and-window layouts to match your project.
What is parallelogram square footage?
Parallelogram square footage is the area of a parallelogram measured in square feet. A parallelogram is a four-sided shape where opposite sides are parallel and equal in length. The area formula is: Area = Base x Height. The height is the perpendicular distance between the base and the opposite side.
Getting started
How to Calculate Parallelogram Square Footage
The formula for parallelogram area is: Area = Base x Height. The base is one side of the parallelogram. The height is the perpendicular distance between the base and the opposite parallel side. A parallelogram with a 12-foot base and 8-foot height has an area of 96 square feet.
2. Enter your measurements
Input dimensions in feet, inches, yards, meters, or centimeters. The Square Foot Calculator converts units automatically.
3. Get area and cost
View results in square feet, square yards, square meters, and acres. Add a material price per unit to estimate total project cost.
Quick reference
Reference
1 acre = 43,560 square feet
1 square yard = 9 square feet
1 square meter = 10.764 square feet
1 square inch = 0.00064516 square feet
Material pricing
Calculate Cost of Materials
Enter the price per square foot of material to estimate total cost. The calculator accepts pricing in square feet, square inches, square yards, or square meters and converts to the correct total based on your area.
There are 2 steps to calculate material cost:
- Enter the price per unit area. For tiling projects, enter the price per box and the number of square feet each box covers. For carpet, enter the cost per square yard. For flooring installation with hardwood or laminate, enter the cost per square foot.
- Select the unit of area that matches your pricing. The Square Foot Calculator multiplies your total area by the unit price to produce an estimated material cost, including labor costs when added to the per-unit price.
To calculate the volume of bulk materials like mulch or gravel for landscaping, convert area to cubic yards or cubic meters by multiplying the area by the depth of material.
Core formula
Basic Formula for Area
Area is the amount of space occupied by a 2-dimensional shape. The shape could be a floor, a wall, a playground, or a field. The simplest formula for area applies to any rectangular shape:
Area = Length × Width
Measure the length and width of the space in feet. Multiply the two values to get the area in square feet. A rectangular room that is 12 feet (3.66 meters) long and 10 feet (3.05 meters) wide has an area of 120 sq ft (11.15 sq m).
Square yardage is area measured in yards, and square meters is area measured in meters. Measure in feet, find the area in square feet, then convert to the unit you need.
For an L-shape room, split the floor into 2 rectangular sections, calculate each area, and add the results. Convert all measurements to the same unit before multiplying, if your dimensions are in different units like inches and feet.
Waste factor
Adding 10% Surplus for Materials
Add a 10% surplus to your calculated area to account for material waste during cutting, breakage, and pattern matching. This waste factor applies to flooring, carpet, tiling projects, and landscaping materials.
Original Area
100 sq ft
+10%
Order Amount
110 sq ft
Total Material = Area × 1.10
A room with 200 sq ft of floor area needs 220 sq ft of material: 200 × 1.10 = 220 sq ft. Increase the surplus to 15% (multiply by 1.15) for diagonal flooring installation patterns or complex tiling projects with many cuts. The Square Foot Calculator includes a waste factor field for this calculation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the square footage of a parallelogram?
Multiply the base by the perpendicular height. Area = Base x Height. A parallelogram with a 15-foot base and 10-foot height has an area of 150 square feet.
What is the difference between a parallelogram and a rectangle?
A rectangle is a special type of parallelogram where all angles are 90 degrees. In a general parallelogram, the sides are slanted, but the area formula (Base x Height) works the same way.
How do I measure the height of a parallelogram?
The height is the perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite side. It is NOT the length of the slanted side. Measure at a 90-degree angle from the base.
Is a parallelogram the same as a rhombus?
A rhombus is a special parallelogram where all four sides are equal length. All rhombuses are parallelograms, but not all parallelograms are rhombuses.
Can I use this for slanted room layouts?
Yes, rooms with non-perpendicular walls form parallelogram shapes. Measure the base wall and the perpendicular height to calculate floor area.
What real-world shapes are parallelograms?
Parallelogram shapes appear in angled room layouts, decorative tile patterns, slanted garden beds, and architectural features. Any four-sided shape with two pairs of parallel sides is a parallelogram.