Laminate Flooring Calculator
Enter your room's length and width, the coverage printed on the laminate pack (in m²), and a waste allowance. The calculator works out the real area, adds the waste, and rounds up to full packs — including how many spare metres you are actually buying.
Shop calculators often hide the waste allowance or set it too low to make the price look cheaper. This one shows the waste explicitly, defaults to 8% for a straight lay, and tells you when to push it to 12% or 15%.
How to use
- Measure the room at its longest and widest points, into doorways and alcoves — not just between the skirting boards.
- Read the pack coverage from the box label (typically 1.5–2.7 m²) and enter it exactly; packs vary between thicknesses and ranges.
- Choose waste: 8% for a plain rectangular room, 10–12% for L-shapes, many doorways or herringbone, 15%+ for a 45° diagonal lay.
Frequently asked questions
How much laminate waste should I add?
8% covers a straightforward rectangular room with straight-lay boards. Use 10–12% for L-shaped rooms, lots of pipe and doorway cuts, or herringbone patterns, and 15% or more for diagonal (45°) layouts where every board end is a cut.
Why do packs matter more than square metres?
Laminate sells in sealed packs and shade lots differ between production runs. Buying full packs from one batch — and keeping the batch number — means future repairs match; buying short mid-job risks a visible mismatch.
What do I do with leftover packs?
Keep one opened pack for repairs and return the rest: most retailers accept unopened packs within their return window, which is why keeping receipts and not damaging boxes is part of the job plan.
Should laminate acclimatise before fitting?
Yes — leave sealed boxes flat in the room for about 48 hours so the boards reach the room's humidity. Skipping this is the classic cause of later gapping and creaking as the boards expand and contract.