How many m² of vinyl flooring to order? Cutting waste and whole packs explained
, by Michael van Wassem, 3 min reading time
How many m² of vinyl flooring do you need? Measure the room, add cutting waste and round up to whole packs, with a worked example and common mistakes.
How many m² of vinyl flooring should you order? Measure the floor, add cutting waste and divide the total by the content of one pack. Then round up, because flooring is sold in whole packs. Below you will see how it works, with a worked example and the mistakes people make most often.
The short answer
- Measure the floor area of the room in m².
- Add cutting waste (see below, often 5 to 15%).
- Divide the total by the content of one pack and round up.
It helps to understand the calculation, so you can check that the result makes sense for your room.
How to measure the room
- Measure length and width at the longest and widest point and multiply them.
- Does the room have an alcove, bay window or extension? Measure it separately and add it.
- Do not subtract cupboard space or door openings. You need planks to fit around them.
- Are you laying the floor in the hallway too? Include it if the same floor continues there.
How much cutting waste?
Cutting waste is the offcuts from edges, corners and door openings that you cannot use anymore. As a rule of thumb:
| Situation | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|
| Rectangular room, wide planks or tiles | ± 5% |
| Ordinary living room with door openings and a few corners | ± 10% |
| Many corners or angled walls, or a herringbone or chevron pattern | ± 15% |
Unsure between two percentages? Take the higher one. One pack too many costs less than a second order.
Worked example: a 25 m² living room
Take 25 m² with 10% cutting waste: 25 × 1.10 = 27.5 m². Divide by the content of one pack:
- A pack of 4.181 m²: 27.5 ÷ 4.181 = 6.58, so 7 packs (29.27 m²).
- A pack of 3.345 m²: 27.5 ÷ 3.345 = 8.22, so 9 packs (30.11 m²).
The same room can need one pack more or less depending on the pack size, so always calculate with the pack size of the floor you choose. For a herringbone floor with a pack of 3.345 m² you take 15%: 25 × 1.15 = 28.75 m², divided by 3.345 is 8.6, so 9 packs.
Why with a dog it pays to order a little extra
- Spare planks for repairs. No floor is scratch-proof. A wear layer can handle daily use, but nails will leave marks on any floor over time. A spare pack lets you replace a damaged piece later.
- Order everything at once. A later order can come from a different production batch, and the colour may differ slightly.
- Dog during installation. Sawing, glue and open doors are no place for a dog. Keep your dog out of the room and follow the drying and ventilation times on the glue packaging.
Common mistakes
- Ordering exactly the room size without cutting waste.
- Dividing and rounding down, which leaves you just short.
- Measuring a room without alcoves, bay windows or the hallway.
- Using the same low percentage for herringbone as for wide planks.
- Forgetting the underlay for click floors. Calculate it separately.
A note on click floors
A click floor floats on an underlay. Check the manufacturer's conditions for the underlay and for the warranty, and calculate the m² of underlay as well.
Frequently asked questions
Should I subtract door openings and cupboards?
Preferably not. You have to cut planks to size around those spots, which creates cutting waste. Only subtract large fixed areas where no floor will go at all.
How much extra for a herringbone pattern?
Count on about 15%, because the angled cuts at the edges leave more offcuts than wide planks.
In short
Measure, add 5 to 15% cutting waste, divide by the pack content and round up. With a dog, a spare pack is extra useful for repairs.
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