Laminate Flooring Calculator
Packs of laminate for a room, straight or diagonal.
How it works
Laminate is sold by the pack, and packs cover a fixed area — usually between 1.8 and 2.5 m². The floor area divided by pack coverage, rounded up, is the honest answer; the only real decision is how much waste to allow.
A straight lay parallel to the wall wastes about 5%. A diagonal lay wastes 15% or more, because every board meets the wall at an angle and the offcut is rarely reusable. Keep the leftover boards: a plank damaged in two years cannot be matched from a shop, since ranges and dye lots turn over constantly.
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How the Laminate Flooring Calculator works
A laminate calculator works out how many packs a room needs. It accounts for the laying pattern: a straight lay wastes about five percent, a diagonal one fifteen or more.
Count packs, not square metres
Laminate is sold in packs covering a fixed area — usually between 1.8 and 2.5 m² depending on board size. Floor area plus waste, divided by pack coverage and rounded up, is the answer. There is no such thing as a part pack, so the total is almost always slightly above the calculated need.
Pack coverage is printed on the end of the bundle. It varies even within a single range if board lengths differ, so take the figure from the exact product you intend to buy.
Waste and leftovers
In a straight lay along the wall, the offcut from the end of one row usually starts the next, so waste is low — around five percent. A diagonal lay cuts every board at an angle and those offcuts are seldom reusable: allow fifteen percent, and more in an irregular room.
Do not throw the leftovers away. A board damaged in two years cannot be matched in a shop — ranges turn over, and batches differ in shade and bevel. Two or three spare boards in a cupboard solve a problem that otherwise means relaying the room.
FAQ
How much laminate is in a pack?expand_more
Usually 1.8–2.5 m², which at a standard 1380 × 193 mm board is 7–9 planks. The exact coverage is always printed on the pack — that is the figure to enter here.
Do I need underlay, and how much?expand_more
Almost always: it evens out minor irregularities, damps sound and acts as a vapour barrier. Order it by floor area with no cutting allowance — a roll cuts with virtually no waste.
Can I lay laminate on a fresh screed?expand_more
No. A cement screed cures over 28 days and releases moisture the whole time. Laminate laid earlier swells at the joints. Test with a sheet of plastic taped down for 24 hours — condensation underneath means the base is still wet.