What Is A Linear Meter And How To Calculate It


Tape measure on the yellow background with copy space. Panoramic photo of yellow tape measure.

Calculating linear meters can be confusing, especially if you’re not familiar with the metric system. However, understanding it is essential, particularly in various DIY and home renovation projects. In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about linear meters, its definition, how to measure it, and where it’s most commonly used.

Its Just The Length Of An Object

A linear meter is a measurement that indicates the length of an object in one direction without considering its width. It is equal to 100 centimeters or one meter. When measuring linear meters, always ignore the object’s width and focus on its length alone.

When Linear Metres Come Up

Typically, space measurements are based on square meters; however, in some instances, linear meters may come up. For example, when you’re buying a carpet, the seller may tell you the linear meters of the carpet roll you need to buy. Linear meters also come up when renting storage units or moving houses as freight movers often charge by the space an object occupies in a truck.

How To Calculate A Linear Meter Or Calculate Lineal Metres

To calculate the linear meter amount, you need to measure the length of the object and ignore its width. For example, when measuring a carpet roll, you need to measure the length of the carpet roll, ignoring its width to get the linear meter amount you need.

Three Questions To Answer

When it comes to buying building materials, different manufacturers have various widths for their products. To work out the amount of linear meters to cover a specific area, you need to answer three questions.

Question 1

The first question is how many square meters you need to cover the desired area. Multiply the length by the width to get the square meter value.

Question 2

The second question is how wide the material you’ll use to cover the area is. Ensure you note the width in meters. For example, if the material is a carpet roll, the width may be 3.66 meters.

Question 3

The third question is dividing question one’s answer by question two’s answer to get ‘C,’ which is the linear meter amount of the material in length you need to cover the area, regardless of the material’s width.

A Caveat Note Of Caution

It’s vital to note that when buying building materials, you need to consider the material’s width and the distance between each material. You should also consider natural wastage for each project and add an extra 5-10% to your total quantity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding linear meters is essential in DIY and home renovation projects. By following the three-question approach, you can easily calculate the amount of linear meters of material you need for a specific area without any confusion. Whether you’re looking to buy carpets, rent storage units, or move houses, knowing how to calculate linear meters will help you save money and time.

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