Flooring Size Calculator
Enter the floor area, how you will lay the boards and how much one pack covers. The calculator adds the right waste allowance, rounds up to whole packs and gives the cost and underlay needed.
- Packs to buy
- Waste allowance
- Cost
Pack coverage is printed on the box, in m² or sq ft.
Buy the floor area plus waste, rounded up to whole packs. Straight laying needs about 7% extra, diagonal 12% and herringbone 17%. A 20 m² room laid straight needs 21.4 m², which is 11 packs of 2 m². In herringbone it needs 12 packs.
Flooring packs chart
Packs of 2 m². Search for an area.
| Floor (m²) | Straight | Diagonal | Herringbone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 15 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 20 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| 25 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
| 30 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| 40 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 50 | 27 | 29 | 30 |
Rounded up.
Floor area and packs
Straight lay, 2 m² packs. Slide the floor area.
The drawing shows the boards and the packs to buy.
How to work out flooring
Area to packs. Step through it.
Measure
Floor area.
Leave the packs in the room for 48 hours before fitting so the boards settle.
Straight, diagonal or herringbone
Laying patterns. Compare them.
Simplest.
More cuts.
Most cuts.
Herringbone needs boards made for it, usually sold as left and right packs.
Before you order
Flooring checks. Tick each item.
Tick each item as you go.
Keep at least one spare pack in case a board is damaged later.
What you get
Flooring packs. Each tile explains one result.
To buy.
By pattern.
By packs.
Total.
Area.
Rooms with many corners or doorways need a little more than the usual waste allowance.
Frequently Asked Questions
No question matches that search.
How much flooring do I need?
The floor area plus a waste allowance, rounded up to whole packs.
How much extra flooring should I buy?
About seven per cent for straight laying, twelve for diagonal and seventeen for herringbone.
How many packs of laminate do I need?
Divide the area with waste by the coverage on the pack and round up.
Why does herringbone need more flooring?
Every board is cut at an angle at the edges, so more is wasted.
Should I buy a spare pack?
Yes. It helps with repairs and matches the batch.
Do I need underlay for laminate?
Usually, unless the boards have it built in.
Can I return unopened packs?
Many shops allow it, so check before you buy.
Buy it once
Order the right number of packs from one batch and your floor goes down without a second trip to the shop.
More size calculators
Each one has its own calculator, worked examples and answers to common questions.