What do you do with the total area of wall openings when calculating net area?

When calculating the net area of walls in building estimations, the total area of wall openings (such as windows and doors) is deducted from the gross area. This process is essential because the gross area represents the total surface area of the walls before accounting for any openings. By subtracting the area of these openings, you arrive at the net area, which provides a more accurate representation of the material needed for construction or the actual wall area that contributes to functional and aesthetic aspects of the building.

This adjustment is vital for various calculations, including determining the amount of paint, siding, or other wall materials required, as well as for estimating the quantity of air conditioning or heating needed for proper climate control. Ignoring these openings or adding them would lead to overestimating material needs, while multiplying them by height doesn’t yield a useful metric in this context. Thus, deducting the area of wall openings from the gross area is the correct action to derive the net wall area.