Flooring Calculator
Work out how many packs of laminate, wood or vinyl flooring you need for a room, with extra for cuts, and what it will cost.
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- Packs to buy
- 9 packs
- Floor area
- 16.2 m²
- Area including extra
- 17.82 m²
- Flooring you'll buy
- 19.98 m²
- Cost
- £0.00
What it does
Find how many packs of flooring you need for a room. Enter the room's size, the area each pack covers and an allowance for cuts, and see the packs to buy and the total cost. Works for laminate, engineered and solid wood, vinyl planks and tiles (LVT) and any flooring sold by the pack.
How to use it
- Room length
Measure wall to wall at the longest point. For an L-shaped room, split it into rectangles and add the packs together.
- Room width
Measure wall to wall the other way. Include alcoves and the space under radiators; leave out fitted units the floor won't go under.
- Extra for cuts
About 5 to 10% for planks laid straight, 15% for diagonal or herringbone, or rooms with lots of corners and doorways.
- Coverage per pack
Printed on the pack or the product page, for example 2.22 m² or 24 ft².
- Price per pack (optional)
Leave at 0 if you just want the number of packs.
Common uses
- Buying laminate or wood flooring for a living room or bedroom.
- Comparing the cost of different floors for the same room.
- Working out tiles for a kitchen or bathroom floor. Try the Tile Calculator
- Working out the area of an awkward room shape. Try the Area Calculator
- Painting the walls while the room is empty. Try the Paint Calculator
The formula
Floor area = length × widthWith extra = floor area × (1 + extra ÷ 100)Packs = area with extra ÷ coverage per pack, rounded upWhere:
- Coverage per pack
- the area one pack covers, from the packaging
Underlay is usually sold in rolls by area: buy enough for the floor area, without the extra for cuts.
Worked example
A room 4.5 m by 3.6 m, with packs covering 2.22 m²:
- Floor area: 4.5 m × 3.6 m = 16.2 m²
- Plus 10% for cuts: 17.82 m²
- Packs: 17.82 m² ÷ 2.22 m² = 8.03, rounded up to 9 packs
- At £25 a pack: £225.00
Questions people ask
How much extra flooring should I buy?
About 5 to 10% for planks laid in straight lines, and 15% or more for herringbone, chevron or diagonal layouts. Small rooms with lots of doorways and corners need more. Keep a spare pack for future repairs: later batches can vary in colour.
Should I measure under kitchen units and the bath?
No: flooring usually stops at the plinths, so leave out fitted kitchen units and baths. Do include the space under radiators, in alcoves and in door openings.
Should I let the flooring acclimatise?
Most laminate and wood makers ask you to leave the unopened packs flat in the room for 48 hours before fitting, so the boards adjust to its temperature and humidity. Check the instructions on the pack.
Last checked 6 November 2026 · Last rev. 31 October 2026 · c55b