Flooring and tiles are sold in packs, and you always need a little more than the floor area. Enter the size of the room, what one pack covers and an allowance for cuts, and this calculator tells you how many packs to buy.
How to Use It
Measure the room in metres. The pack coverage is on the box or in the product details. Ten per cent extra is a sensible starting point, and diagonal laying, patterns and awkward rooms need more. Add the price of a pack if you want the total cost.
A Worked Example
A room 4 metres by 3.5 metres is 14 square metres. With 10% extra that is 15.4 square metres. If each pack covers 2.5 square metres, that is 6.16 packs, so you buy 7.
Tips
For an L shaped room, work out each rectangle separately and add the packs. Buy all the packs together, as batches can differ slightly in colour.
Questions about Flooring and Tile Calculator
How much extra flooring should I buy?
Ten per cent extra is a common allowance for straight laying. Diagonal laying, patterned tiles and rooms with many corners need more, sometimes 15 per cent.
Why does it round up to whole packs?
Flooring and tiles are sold in whole packs, so you cannot buy part of one. Rounding up makes sure you have enough, and the spare is useful for later repairs.
Can I use this for carpet?
It works for anything sold by the square metre in packs, such as laminate and carpet tiles. Roll carpet is fitted from a width, so ask your fitter for the length to order.