Flooring calculator
How many packs of laminate, vinyl (LVT) or engineered wood a room needs, from the floor's area and what one pack covers.
How the number is worked out
- Measure the floor. The length times the width, in metres, is the area in square metres. A room that is not a rectangle can be drawn, and the area comes from the drawing.
- Add the allowance for cuts. The planner starts at 10% for laminate, vinyl (LVT) planks and engineered wood. Change it to suit your floor.
- Divide by what one pack covers. The square metres printed on the pack you are buying.
- Round up to whole packs. Always up, even when the sum is only just over a whole number.
- Count the underlay the same way. Enter what one roll covers. Rolls are counted for the same area as the flooring, with the allowance in it.
The list then adds what goes under and round the floor: a damp-proof membrane, joining tape, expansion spacers, beading or scotia and door bars. Each is marked Need, Check first or Not needed, from what the floor goes on to and how it is fitted.
A worked example
A room 4.2 m by 3.6 m, laid with laminate, with 10% added for cuts. One pack covers 1.84 m² and the other covers 2 m². These are example figures, not a product.
| Working | 1.84 m² packs | 2 m² packs |
|---|---|---|
| Floor area | 15.12 m² | 15.12 m² |
| With 10% for cuts | 16.632 m² | 16.632 m² |
| Packs to buy | 10 packs | 9 packs |
| Flooring in those packs | 18.4 m² | 18 m² |
| Left over | 1.768 m² | 1.368 m² |
The pack size changes the count: 10 packs of one and 9 packs of the other for the same floor. Underlay in rolls that cover 15 m² is counted for the same 16.632 m², which is 2 rolls. The 15 m² roll is an example figure too.
Mistakes that cost a pack
- Leaving out the allowance for cuts. In the example the bare floor area divided by 1.84 m² says 9 packs. The room needs 10 packs.
- Using another pack's coverage. It differs from one product to the next, and between board sizes in the same range. Use the figure on the pack you are buying.
- Rounding down. A shortfall, however small, needs the next whole pack.
- Keeping 10% for a diagonal or herringbone lay. Those lose more in cuts, and so does an awkward room. Raise the allowance.
- Forgetting what goes under the floor. Underlay, and a damp-proof membrane on a concrete floor, depend on the flooring and the subfloor. Check the pack before you order.
Questions
How many packs of laminate for a 4.2 m by 3.6 m room?
With packs that cover 2 m² and 10% extra for cuts, 9 packs. The floor is 15.12 m², which is 16.632 m² with the extra. With packs that cover 1.84 m² it is 10 packs.
Does it work for vinyl (LVT) and engineered wood?
Yes. Choose what you are laying: laminate, engineered wood, vinyl or LVT planks, or floor tiles. Each is counted by area, in whole packs or boxes. Sheet vinyl cut from a roll is not covered.
How much extra should I add for cuts?
The planner starts at 10%, a labelled example and not a standard. A diagonal or herringbone lay, a patterned board or an awkward room needs more. The flooring's own instructions come first.
Which pack size does it start with?
A pack that covers 2 m², with 10% extra for cuts. It is a labelled example, not a product. Change it to the square metres printed on your pack.
Does it count underlay?
Yes, when you say that underlay is needed and enter what one roll covers. It rounds up to whole rolls. Some floors have underlay attached, and a glued-down floor takes none.
What if the room is not a rectangle?
Draw it. Tap each corner, or start from an L and type each wall. The floor area comes from the drawing, so an L-shaped room or one with an alcove is counted whole.