Flooring Calculator — m, m² to packs, planks, cost
How to use this calculator
Enter room dimensions and pick the unit (m, cm, or mm) from the dropdown, or switch to the L-shape or direct-area tab. Choose the flooring type, plank size, install pattern and waste allowance — the pack count, plank count, underlayment rolls and transition strips recalculate as you type.
Flooring types — Laminate, Engineered hardwood, Solid hardwood, Vinyl plank (LVP), Bamboo.
Pack coverage — typically ~1.86 m²/pack, adjustable.
Underlayment — rolls at 10 m²/roll.
Transition strips — T-molding, reducer, end cap for doorways.
Saved Calculations
| Time | Shape | Area m² | Type | Packs | Planks | Underlay | Trans. | Total |
|---|
How to Calculate Flooring Packs (Metric)
Floor area is measured net of the room footprint, then inflated by a waste factor before being divided by the labelled pack coverage. The result is rounded up to whole packs because laminate (EN 13329) and engineered or solid wood (EN 14342) flooring is sold only by the unopened pack. For L-shaped rooms, enter the full A×B rectangle and subtract the C×D notch; use the Area tab if you already know the m². For baseboards and skirting see the paint calculator, or the drywall calculator if walls are being redone first.
Formulas
Net area A = L × W (rectangle) or A·B − C·D (L-shape). Packs = ⌈A·(1+w) ÷ C_pack⌉ where w is the waste fraction and C_pack the pack coverage in m². Planks per pack ≈ C_pack ÷ (plank_w·plank_l ÷ 10⁶) with plank dimensions in mm. Underlayment rolls = ⌈A·1.05 ÷ 10⌉ at 10 m²/roll including a 5% overlap.
Waste and Pack Coverage
Use 5% for a plain rectangle with straight planks, 10% for a typical room with a few cuts, and 15% for diagonal or herringbone layouts and rooms with many doorways or jogs. Most packs cover 1.5–2.5 m²; common plank sizes are 128×1285 mm (laminate), 180×1200 mm (wide plank) and 150×900 mm (LVP) — confirm against the product label. Stagger end joints at least 300 mm and leave an 8–10 mm expansion gap at every wall.
Underlayment (EN 16354) and Transitions
Foam or felt underlayment is required for laminate on concrete subfloors and recommended for all floating installations per EN 16354; standard rolls cover 10 m² with a built-in moisture barrier and 150 mm seam overlap. T-molding joins two same-height floors, a reducer bridges to a thinner surface, and an end cap finishes an exposed edge (standard strip lengths 900 mm or 2700 mm) — count one per doorway or transition. For wall-to-wall carpet use the carpet calculator, or compare a tiled floor with the tile & grout calculator.
On install day
Three things estimators miss on flooring takeoffs. Acclimation — engineered and solid wood need 48–72 hours in the room at 18–24 °C and 30–50% RH before opening packs (EN 14342 manufacturer guidance); skip this and the planks cup or gap in the first heating season. Cuts at doorways and closets — narrow returns waste a full board, so raise waste from 10% to 12–15% on rooms with many jogs or diagonal layouts. 2025 material pricing (EU): laminate €8–25/m², LVP €15–40/m², engineered €30–70/m², solid hardwood €45–100/m², bamboo €20–45/m²; add €25–45/m² installed labour. Always order one extra pack as attic stock — discontinued batches make future patch repairs impossible.
FAQ
Why round up to whole packs? Retailers sell flooring by the sealed pack; partial packs are not available, and a spare board from a full pack helps with future repairs.
Do staggered and random patterns use more material? No — the area is identical. They change the cutting sequence and offcut reuse, which is why higher-cut layouts get a larger waste allowance.
Does the plank count change the number of packs? No. Packs are driven by area and pack coverage; the plank count is informational, derived from the plank size you select.
