Use an Area Takeoff to measure surfaces such as siding, roofing, or sheathing. Area takeoffs can be drawn as polygons or calculated from linear measurements using wall height.

Before you begin

• The job must be open in the Takeoff workspace.
• Sheet scale must be set.
• Appropriate Area Key Measures must be available.

Create an Area Takeoff

1. Select a Key Measure from the Takeoff panel.
2. In the Takeoff panel, select the appropriate Key Measure. This will open the Measurement Properties dialog.
3. In the Measurement Properties dialog, review or update settings such as linear type, multiplier, BOM section, and color.
   1. Area Type determines whether the Key Measure is a flat linear measurement or has a pitch.
   2. The Multiplier allows you to set a nominal multiplier for this takeoff. For example, setting a multiplier to a value of 2 will double any measurement taken with this takeoff.
   3. Choosing a Section for this count takeoff will determine where within the Bill of Materials this takeoff will appear.
   4. Optionally, you can assign a specific Use, and it will appear on the job Bill of Materials.
   5. Assign a Color that you want to use for this takeoff.
4. Select Apply.
5. Draw the area by selecting the corners of the parameter of the area you want to create. Left click to drop a point and release the mouse button.
6. Select Stop Recording or press R to complete the area. Even though you drew a line, the measurement is added as an area based on the wall height set and the line drawn.

Subtract Remaining Areas

Use the Rectangle subtract tool to remove areas such as windows, doors, or roof overlaps from an existing area takeoff.

1. In the Takeoff workspace, select the selected area takeoff.
2. Open the Subtract Area menu and select Rectangle, or press T on your keyboard.
3. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around an area you want to exclude.
4. Release the mouse to apply the subtraction.
5. Repeat as needed to remove additional areas.
6. In the Sheets panel, confirm that the updated area takeoff appears as a line item.

Create a Linear Area

1. Select a Key Measure from the Takeoff panel.
2. In the Takeoff panel, select the appropriate Key Measure. This will open the Measurement Properties dialog.
3. In the Measurement Properties dialog, review or update settings such as linear type, multiplier, BOM section, and color.
   1. Select Linear Area in the Area Type
   2. A Wall Height field will appear. Input the wall height for your linear area.
   3. The Multiplier allows you to set a nominal multiplier for this takeoff. For example, setting a multiplier to a value of 2 will double any measurement taken with this takeoff.
   4. Choosing a Section for this count takeoff will determine where within the Bill of Materials this takeoff will appear.
   5. Optionally, you can assign a specific Use, and it will appear on the job Bill of Materials.
   6. Assign a Color that you want to use for this takeoff.
4. Select Apply.

Click here to learn about editing and modifying takeoffs.