Ordering laminate flooring sounds easy—until you realize you’re one pack short on the last row. Or you’ve paid for way too many packs that will sit in your garage for years.
The good news? There is a simple, repeatable way to calculate laminate flooring accurately. In this guide you’ll learn how to measure your room, calculate board and pack coverage, add the right waste allowance and avoid the most expensive mistakes.
The Basics: What You Need to Know
Before you start any calculation, collect these key details:
From the laminate packaging
- Board dimensions: length and width of a single board (for example 1290 × 190 mm or 50.8" × 7.5")
- Boards per pack: how many boards are in one pack
- Coverage per pack: many manufacturers print this directly, e.g. “2.22 m² per pack” or “23.9 ft² per carton”
- Recommended waste: some brands suggest 5–10% extra—this is a good reference
From the room
- Room length and width: for rectangular rooms
- Each zone separately: for L-shaped or irregular rooms, split into smaller rectangles
- Areas you’re not flooring: for example a fixed kitchen island or built-in wardrobe
Step 1 – Calculate Your Room Area
Simple rectangular room
For a standard rectangular room, use:
Room area = length × width
Example (metric):
- Room length = 5.0 m
- Room width = 4.0 m
Room area = 5.0 × 4.0 = 20 m²
Example (imperial):
- Room length = 16 ft
- Room width = 13 ft
Room area = 16 × 13 = 208 ft²
L-shaped or irregular rooms
For more complex shapes, break the room into simple rectangles, calculate each separately and add them up:
- Draw a quick sketch of the room.
- Divide it into rectangles (Zone A, Zone B, etc.).
- Use
length × widthfor each zone. - Add all zones together for the total area.
Example:
- Zone A = 4.0 m × 3.0 m = 12 m²
- Zone B = 2.0 m × 2.0 m = 4 m²
Total room area = 12 + 4 = 16 m²
Step 2 – Calculate Board and Pack Coverage
If your box already says something like “2.22 m² per pack” or “18.7 ft² per carton”, you can skip straight to pack calculation below.
Board area (metric)
Convert board dimensions to meters, then multiply:
Board area (m²) = (board length in m) × (board width in m)
Example:
- Board length = 1290 mm = 1.29 m
- Board width = 190 mm = 0.19 m
Board area = 1.29 × 0.19 ≈ 0.245 m² per board
Board area (imperial)
Multiply length and width in inches, then divide by 144 (since 1 ft² = 144 in²):
Board area (ft²) = (length in inches × width in inches) ÷ 144
Example:
- Board length = 50.8"
- Board width = 7.5"
Board area = (50.8 × 7.5) ÷ 144 ≈ 2.65 ft² per board
Packs coverage
Once you know board area and boards per pack:
Pack coverage = board area × number of boards per pack
Example (metric):
- Board area = 0.245 m²
- Boards per pack = 9
Pack coverage = 0.245 × 9 ≈ 2.21 m² per pack
Example (imperial):
- Board area = 2.65 ft²
- Boards per carton = 8
Pack coverage = 2.65 × 8 ≈ 21.2 ft² per carton
Step 3 – Add Waste Allowance
Laminate always needs a waste allowance. Boards are cut at walls, doorways and around corners, and you can’t always reuse every offcut.
Standard waste
- 5–7% waste: simple rectangular rooms, straight lay, no special pattern
- 8–10% waste: rooms with several doors, alcoves or tricky cuts
- 10–15% waste: diagonal layout, herringbone or chevron patterns
Waste formula (metric):
Total area with waste = room area × (1 + waste %)
Example: Room area = 20 m², waste = 8% (0.08)
Total area = 20 × 1.08 = 21.6 m²
Pack formula (metric):
Packs needed = total area with waste ÷ pack coverage
Example:
- Total area with waste = 21.6 m²
- Pack coverage = 2.21 m²
Packs needed = 21.6 ÷ 2.21 ≈ 9.77 → round up to 10 packs
The same logic in ft²:
Total area = room area × (1 + waste %)
Packs = total area ÷ pack coverage (ft² per carton)
Skip the manual math – use our free laminate flooring calculator
Enter your room size, board dimensions and waste allowance. Get instant results in square meters/feet and see exactly how many packs you need.
Open Laminate Flooring CalculatorPatterns, Herringbone and Diagonal Layouts
Some layouts are more wasteful than others. Your waste percentage should reflect this.
Straight lay (boards parallel to the longest wall)
- Most common installation method.
- Boards run in one direction with staggered joints.
- Use 5–8% waste in most rooms.
Diagonal layouts
- Boards are installed at 45° to the walls.
- Creates a dynamic visual effect but increases cuts at all perimeter walls.
- Use 10–12% waste depending on room shape.
Herringbone and chevron
- Use special herringbone planks or left/right chevron planks.
- Many more cuts, especially around edges and doorways.
- Use 12–15% waste as a safe range, sometimes more for complex spaces.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Ignoring manufacturer coverage numbers
Many DIYers try to calculate everything from board size while the box already tells them “2.16 m² per pack”. Use the printed coverage as your primary reference and let your own calculation act as a double-check.
2. Forgetting expansion gaps
Laminate needs expansion gaps along all walls and fixed objects. These gaps are small and usually hidden by skirting or trim, so they don’t change your area calculation much—but they are critical for performance. Always follow the installation guide.
3. Underestimating waste
Trying to save money by ordering with almost no waste usually backfires. You end up short, forced to buy one more pack from a different batch or wait for a new delivery. It’s better to have one spare pack for future repairs.
4. Mixing product batches
Even if two packs have the same product code, different production batches can have slight color or gloss differences. Try to buy everything in one order and check batch numbers before you start.
5. Not separating each room
Calculate each room or zone separately, even if you are using the same product. Door thresholds, transitions and different subfloor conditions can influence how much waste you’ll have in each area.
Conclusion
Calculating laminate flooring precisely comes down to a few simple steps:
- Measure your room (or rooms) carefully and calculate the total area.
- Find the coverage per pack—either from the box or by calculating board area.
- Add a realistic waste allowance based on layout and room complexity.
- Divide total area (with waste) by pack coverage and always round up.
With this method, you avoid last-minute shortages, stay within budget and still have a small safety margin for future repairs.
Ready to get an exact number for your project? Use our laminate flooring calculator to get instant results in both metric and imperial units.