Flooring Quantity Calculator
Planks and packs from room size and board format, with waste by laying pattern.
Inputs
Result
Formula
| Area | A = length × width |
| Per piece | a = board length × width ÷ 10⁶ |
| Pieces | n = ceil(A × (1 + waste) ÷ a) |
| Packs | P = ceil(n ÷ pieces per pack) |
| Per m² | 1 ÷ a |
A 5 × 4 m room with 1200 × 150 mm boards, 8 per pack, staggered: 20 m² needs 117 pieces, so 15 packs (120 pieces) with 3 spare.
FAQ
Why not just divide the area?
Boards are laid whole and cut at the edges, and offcuts are usually unusable. Room dimensions are rarely exact multiples of the board width, so the last row may be cut nearly in half. Hence the waste allowance: 5% staggered, 10% diagonal. The more complex the pattern, the more waste — physics, not upselling.
Is waste the same as a spare pack?
No, keep both. Waste is material cut off and discarded, already inside the piece count; a spare pack is extra kept for future repairs. Shades vary noticeably between batches and matching a few years later is nearly impossible — one spare pack can save re-laying a whole room.
Which way should boards run?
Along the longer dimension and toward the main light source: the room reads longer and joint shadows are less visible. Stagger at least a third of the board length — shorter offsets look stepped and concentrate stress. Over underfloor heating leave an 8-10 mm expansion gap, hidden by the skirting.
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Results are estimating aids only and are not a design basis. Construction and final accounts must follow the drawings, the applicable standards and an approved method statement. Anything affecting structural safety, shoring or falsework must be checked by a suitably qualified engineer.