How much laminate flooring do I need? Waste %, boxes and a room table

Short answer: measure the floor, add 8 % spare for a straight lay (or 15 % for diagonal or herringbone), and divide by the area one box covers. A 12 × 14 ft room (168 ft²) laid straight needs about 181 ft², so 10 boxes of 20 ft². A 4 × 5 m room (20 m²) needs 21.6 m², so 10 packs of 2.22 m².

Always round up to whole boxes, and use the coverage printed on the box you will actually buy — it varies a lot between products.

Step 1: measure the floor

Measure the longest length and width wall to wall, and include doorways and alcoves the flooring runs into. For an L-shaped room, split it into rectangles and add them up. Take off floor that stays covered, such as under fixed kitchen units — laminate is a floating floor and must not be trapped under them.

Don't take off the expansion gap at the walls (usually 8–10 mm): it makes no real difference to the quantity, and the skirting covers it.

Step 2: add spare for cuts (the waste %)

Every row ends with a cut board. In a straight lay the offcut usually starts the next row, so little is wasted. Diagonal and herringbone layouts cut far more.

Add a little more for small rooms with many corners, pipes and door frames, or if you have never laid flooring before.

Step 3: divide by the box coverage

Box sizes differ: each product states its own coverage, for example 1.73 m², 2.22 m² or 2.5 m² per pack, or 20 ft² per box. Divide the area including spare by that figure and round up.

Laminate for common room sizes

With boxes of 20 ft² (US) or packs of 2.22 m² (UK and Europe), worked out the same way as the flooring calculator:

If your boxes cover a different area, enter it in the flooring calculator — the number of boxes changes quickly.

Underlay and skirting

• Underlay is laid edge to edge without overlaps, so it needs only about 5 % extra for trimming at the walls. Divide by the roll coverage printed on the roll.
• Skirting or quarter-round covers the expansion gap. Measure the room's perimeter minus door openings; the baseboard calculator turns that into lengths to buy.

Buy one extra box?

If the colour may be discontinued, keep one spare box for future repairs. Many shops take back unopened boxes — check before you buy, because running out halfway and finding a different batch is worse than returning a box.

Frequently asked questions

How much extra laminate should I buy?

About 8 % for a straight lay and 15 % for diagonal or herringbone. Small rooms with many corners need a little more.

How many boxes of laminate do I need for 100 square feet?

With 8 % spare, 108 ft². With boxes of 20 ft² that is 5.4, so buy 6 boxes. Check the coverage on your box: it varies by product.

How do I calculate laminate flooring in square metres?

Multiply the room's length by its width in metres, add the spare (8 % for a straight lay), and divide by the m² printed on one pack. A 4 × 5 m room: 20 m² × 1.08 = 21.6 m², ÷ 2.22 m² = 9.7, so 10 packs.

Do I include the expansion gap or the area under kitchen units?

Measure wall to wall and ignore the small expansion gap. Do take off the floor under fixed kitchen units, because laminate must not be fitted under them.

Is it the same for vinyl plank (LVP)?

Yes: click vinyl planks are calculated the same way, with the same spare. Sheet vinyl is different — it is cut from a roll, so use the carpet calculator for that.