Home Improvement
Wall area from the perimeter
The four walls unwrapped into one long rectangle.
The Formula
wall area = 2 x (length + width) x height
The four walls unwrapped into one long rectangle.
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A_w | Wall area | square feet | The total area of the four walls. |
| l | Room length | feet | The longer horizontal dimension. |
| w | Room width | feet | The shorter horizontal dimension. |
| h | Wall height | feet | The floor to ceiling height. |
What Each Symbol Means
A_wsquare feet
Wall area
The total area of the four walls.
lfeet
Room length
The longer horizontal dimension.
wfeet
Room width
The shorter horizontal dimension.
hfeet
Wall height
The floor to ceiling height.
See It Worked With Real Numbers
A formula on its own does not tell you which number goes where. The how to calculate drywall needed page applies this equation to a concrete case, shows every intermediate step, and names the mistakes that produce a wrong answer even when the algebra is right.
Where This Formula Appears
This equation is the working core of How To Calculate Drywall Needed, filed under Everyday Life. Every number the guide produces comes from substituting into this one line.